Dreaded hard brake lines from the rear -- reroute ?

[socalgvr4]

With our aging cars, one of the dreaded (perhaps feared) parts on the car are brakelines that snake between the front subframe, and along the side to the rear of the car.

If they go bad/rusted , you're damned in having to replace them and trying to find a replacement(if anyone will even bother to ship them), find them via a junkyard, or build your own.

In any case, what are all you doing to NOT have to DROP the entire front subframe to replace them?

There has got to be some sort of slick method to eliminating this pain. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

 

Replace with ss lines all the way!

Said as a joke, I assume they have too much flex and would cause a soft pedal/crappy breaking. The real answer is make your own lines, they sell blank sticks of the stuff, if you are lucky you will be able to slip the lines past the subframe before bending, otherwise you will have to drop it. If you do drop it, find out if it has torque to yeild/stretch bolts, I know the Hondas do. If so, replace them (best option) or use locktite red to keep them from backing out (even when torqued correctly) Don't ask how I know.

Don't know if these are the right fittings, but
click
is an example of a bend to fit line.

 

[iceman69510]

Even the steel brake lines sold at auto parts stores nowadays are pretty good. I know the ones at Autozone are plated, and they are bendable by hand for the most parts, still have to be careful to avoid kinks. You need 10x 1 mm fitting sizes. Find the best fit length wise and get some couplers the same fitting size.

I have not specifically looked at the crossmember area you are concerned about, but I would certainly try to snake them through somehow if I have to do it.

I had to replace many feet of these on my GMC truck, and had to bend my own to do it. Replacements from GM were the straight lines, same as you get at the parts store.

 

Quoting 687OF2000:
If you do drop it, find out if it has torque to yeild/stretch bolts, I know the Hondas do. If so, replace them (best option) or use locktite red to keep them from backing out (even when torqued correctly) Don't ask how I know.




The subframe is held on with lock nuts that should be replaced when they are removed. They're cheap. MB242260 is the OE part number.

 

[MitchooO]

ive a done a few brake line at the shop i work at on the big deisel trucks and a few older cars, like mustangs. we always use regular line that comes in a roll, but i know some napa auto parts stores carry a coated brake line that looks to be blackish green, i think its some kind of nickel coating, but thats what ive used on a few of my personal cars

 

[toybreaker]

There is a pair of fuel/brake line seperators complete with bracket and attaching bolts behind the subframe.

Quote:
There has got to be some sort of slick method to eliminating this pain.



Do you have access to a lift?

 

Grab a flare tool and tubing cutter.