brake line's

Feb 19, 2004 36 Replies

Hi,



Can anyone tell me iff renewing the brake line's is a job one can do at home? And at the same time replace the breakcylinders in the rear. Yesterday i went trough the rearbrake line, i braked and almost nothing happened. Brought it to the shop and they renewed the rotten part. It's a '88 K1500 with 135.000M on it. And one other question, can i replace the fuelline's myself or is that an expert job. The guy in the shop told me that the rest of the breakline's and the fuelline's were almost gone. I have to pickup the truck later so iám not sure about the amount of coloured notes i have to leave at the shop.



Thanx in advance



Marc "88 K15004X4 Heerlen, Netherlands, Europe


Yes, its a job you can do at home with a flair tool and a lot of patience.

Much easier with a car lift.

Hi,

Thanks for confirming my thoughts. Altough i'am nowwhere near "doc"s level i can do this job, i hope.

But one question come's to me, and at the risk off being made fun of i dare to ask wath's an flaire tool? Since english is not my native tong and altough having worked 6 months with the US army in Egypt, back in '88, this doesn't ring a ball in my head.

Is it something like a sort of blowtorch?

thanx,

Marc "88 K15004X4 Heerlen, Netherlands, Europe

Sorry for the miss-spelling - tube flaring is when you form the end of the steel tube to allow the brake fittings to seal the tube against the connection.

GM Brake lines usually use what's called a double or bubble flaring, sometimes called a "reversed" flaring.

here's a link showing a picture of various tools and flarings

formatting link

It can be done without a flair tool, but takes some work and a parts store close by. I did the lines in my s-10 and bought a couple pre-made lengths and connected them to each end, then measures and went back for another pre-made length closest to the length I had left over in the middle. wasn't the prettiest but I didn't have a flair tool.

. . concerning brake line's on.. Thu, Feb 19, 2004, 11:27pm (CST+6) snipped-for-privacy@columbus.rr.com (Eugene) writes us......

It can be done without a flair tool, but takes some work and a parts store close by.

I did the lines in my s-10 and bought a couple pre-made lengths and connected them to each end, then measures and went back for another pre-made length closest to the length I had left over in the middle.

wasn't the prettiest but I didn't have a flair tool. ======== ========

Best advice he could have gotten.

add a little common sense ....and he should be able to get the job done.

marshmonster ~:~ ========

I did it that way not to be cheap, but thought if I didn't make a perfect flare then I could end up with a leak. Figured less chance of the already made joints on a pre-made length leaking even if I had a couple more.

My S-10s got the exact same thing, glad I'm not the only one that decided not to try the flare. I can flare copper pipe reliably, but I suck on brake line.

That doesn't sound right...but you know what I mean.

If English is not this person't native tongue:

He might even need a bubble metric flair tool?

Just a question?

Refinish King

I do so many rotted brake and gas lines, I feel anyone can do them with patience and care!

. .

Feb 19, 2004, 11:20pm (CST+1) snipped-for-privacy@neveryoumind.nospam.com (Refinish=A0King) writes.....

I do so many rotted brake and gas lines, I feel anyone can do them with patience and care!

Refinish King =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

I do so many rotted brake and gas lines, I feel anyone can do them with the correct tools and experience.

Have you priced a double flaring tool set lately? or ....a top quality bender?

A novice is better off using sections for a one time job.

marshmonster ~okay...okay...so they're transmission lines... not brake and gas lines..... a pickles a pickle ....no matter how much vinegar you use~ =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

I have it all, so I don't have to price it!

Plus, I made a nice bender that bends tight bends without kinking the line, in a die that the line fits in tightly.

Feb 19, 2004, 11:20pm (CST+1) snipped-for-privacy@neveryoumind.nospam.com (Refinish King) writes.....

I do so many rotted brake and gas lines, I feel anyone can do them with patience and care!

Refinish King ======= =======

I do so many rotted brake and gas lines, I feel anyone can do them with the correct tools and experience.

Have you priced a double flaring tool set lately? or ....a top quality bender?

A novice is better off using sections for a one time job.

marshmonster ~okay...okay...so they're transmission lines... not brake and gas lines..... a pickles a pickle ....no matter how much vinegar you use~ ===== =====

If you don't mind doing the work it's worth buying the right tools.

It's far cheaper to buy the fittings and a coil of tubing than buying pre made lengths. The flaring tool will pay for itself on the first job.

Some parts supply stores will loan you tools as well. At least here in Canada

Don't skin your knuckles!

Cheers,

Thanx for all the info. Just have to wait till the outside temp. goes up, cuurently around freezingpoint. Can i use copper for those lines? Here we have a sort of bendable copper, wich can be bought per meter and is sold on a roll(cylinder). This alowes me to bend and shape the line without any special touls. Its availeble in diiferent sizes, have to find out what size to use.

Thanx guys

Marc "88 K15004X4 Heerlen, Netherlands, Europe

I think copper would not meet government specifications,

Not even in Europe. Plus the fact it doesn't doubld flare as well as steel. It always has a short side ir cracks.

Does your vehicls have bubble flares?

Refinish King

Some people post because they like to read what they right, and think they are always right!

Shop around until you can find some double-rolled steel line - copper won't hold the pressure in a brake system. Flaring shouldn't be that difficult, and an '88 shouldn't use double flared lines (from what I've seen so far). Most flaring sets come with guidelines on how much to leave when you flare it (different amounts for different diameter tubes) so as to have a proper seat area, just follow them and you'll be fine. The trick may be finding double rolled steel lines with SAE fittings in Europe.....do you have a friend in the states that can mail you them if needed?

Jeremy

. . the trick may be stopping any vehical you do a brake line job on.......

You're going to get him killed.

you don't know what you're talking about... so admit it....before he takes your advice and gets himself killed.

Marsh Monster ~:~ ====== ====== Re: brake line's Group: alt.autos.4x4.chevy-trucks Date: Sat, Feb 21, 2004, 1:09am (CST+6) From: snipped-for-privacy@where.com (JC)

Shop around until you can find some double-rolled steel line - copper won't hold the pressure in a brake system.

Flaring shouldn't be that difficult, and an '88 shouldn't use double flared lines (from what I've seen so far).

Most flaring sets come with guidelines on how much to leave when you flare it (different amounts for different diameter tubes) so as to have a proper seat area, just follow them and you'll be fine.

The trick may be finding double rolled steel lines with SAE fittings in Europe.....do you have a friend in the states that can mail you them if needed?

Jeremy ==== ====

. . you really ought to know...... if your going to give the advice.

oh yeah.....and.....

Marsh Monster ~some people like to read what they WRITE.... even when what they WRITE....is wrong~ =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D snipped-for-privacy@neveryoumind.nospam.com (Refinish=A0King) thinks out loud.....and we here him say......

I think copper would not meet government specifications, Not even in Europe.

Plus the fact it doesn't doubld flare as well as steel. It always has a short side ir cracks.

Does your vehicls have bubble flares? Refinish King

Some people post because they like to read what they right, and think they are always right!

. .

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D (concerning the price of a "double flaring" tool) snipped-for-privacy@neveryoumind.nospam.com (Refinish=A0King) spews forth with.........

I have it all, so I don't have to price it!

Plus, I made a nice bender that bends tight bends without kinking the line, in a die that the line fits in tightly. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

King....

Coool......what did you make the bender out of? Sounds like a nifty little tool. What size is the "die" ?

marsh ~is setting you up.....but go ahead and answer if you wanna~ =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Alright Mr. Marsh,

I listened to what you said about the bodywork, even though you never

*answered* my question.....I've seen you bash other people's help, instead of offering polite constructive criticism. There's not a damn thing wrong with my advice - and I haven't killed myself after having replaced *all* the lines and hoses on all my trucks myself.

I'm sick and tired of people thinking they're an automotive repair god, when they can't even spell - and here's a hint, I'm sure "webtv" has a spellcheck - use it.

And f*ck off, unless you can come up with specific problems in my post - and even then, be polite.

JC

'Ol Marshy can be kind of hit and miss. Sometimes he just tries to be funny..and often is. Sometimes he tries to be funny AND helpful, often sucessfully. Sometimes he's just a pain in the ass. This time I believe he's being helpful and I agree with him 100%. H

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