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UPDATE: replacing steel lines??????????????

Ok guys I've replaced all the bad and leaking brake lines and hoses...........at leaset all the ones i've found so far.

I tried to let gravity fill the rear brake lines until fluid came out the back........then i filled the master cyl. again closed ever thing up but my pedal is still very soft.???

Is there air still in the system?

also the front brake lines are fine and I never opened the lines up .......but the master cylinder went dry from working on the rear.........did air get into the front line??...cause I can't get the bleeders open.......even with a pair of vice grips.................any tips

Next thing I'll do is get some one to pump the brakes and I'll bleed the lines again.

thanks Brian

Ok .great what you said is exactly what I just did last night......and the only thing I have to do now is check for leaks and then bleed the entire system..........Im going to let gravity refill all the lines then hopefully i'll have a hard petal.........with no more leaks.

I 'll let you guys know tonight..............Thanks a million

Brian

If you want to try your hand at double lap flaring, AutoZone will lend you the correct tool for the job at no charge.

I was scared to do try it myself for the first time just a few months ago. It was a piece of cake.

> > « Paul » wrote: > >> bmaty wrote: >> >>> ..............I just bought a car to run to work and back in. >>> >>>its in great shape only 48,000 miles and the body is real >>>good.............but one of the Steel brake lines is busted. and the >>>others >>>don't look so good. >>> >>>I'd like to do it my self to save the cash. but I'd like to know if im >>>getting in over my head. Any body got any experiance working with these. >>> >>>I called the local part stores and they all have stock striaght lines >>>that >>>I'd have to bend and flare. and the rest of the brake system I think i >>>can >>>easliy do by myself. >>> >>>Thanks. >>> >>>Brian >> >> >> You can probably buy almost correct lengths and not have to cut & flare. >> Double flaring is not easy and not fun (not for me anyways). >> Find our if your oem vehicle lines are either english or metric. >> If you do end up flaring, do lots of practice flares first. > > When i had to redo my old mazda, i went through all the scenarios you are. > What i decided to do in the end was buy stock length lines with the > fittings already on and bend them. > > You carefully take off the old lines. YOu may have to cut them in a few > spots. It depends. Then you use the contours of the old lines to pre bend > as much as possible the new lines off the car. Then you carefully put the > new lines on. Start at one end, and work your way to the other. > Since you may have bought lines longer than the OEM, you might have to put > a few loops or bends in them to reduce there length. > > I was warned that to make a good double flair is an art, and the flair > tool is not cheap either. So that's why i went the pre built route. The > bender was not that much. Good luck. WHen you take one of the old lines > off, take it down to the auto parts store to match up the thread and > flair. > > Bob
Reply to
bmaty
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Very probably you have air in both ends of the system. If the front bleeders are in that bad of shape I wouldn't even bother with them I would just replace the calipers. Easier and better in the long run since it sounds like they are probably due for a rebuild anyway. Then bleed the system again, starting with the farthest point (usually the right rear, then left rear, then front right and front left) DO NOT let the master cylinder get real low while bleeding.

Reply to
Steve W.

Do yourself a favor and go buy a MIGHTYVAC. For about $30 it is a hand operated vacuum pump for bleeding brake. Your local autoparts store should have one. It make the job a lot easier especially for one person. Just be careful again not to let the master run dry.

Start at Rt Rear, Left rear, Rt Front, Left Front. Then back again to make sure air is out.

Good Luck JRE

Reply to
Mastermech

OK guys your all great. I replaced the broken lines..........had to put a new caliper on the front cause i could not get the bleeder screw off........plus after trying to tap it out there was metal everywhere.Bleeding the system i just let gravity take its toll on the sytem then I pumped the hell out of the system over and over again.

So any way the Brakes are now great. Thanks a bunch to everyone that helped out.(total project cost $49 dollars versus several hundred previous owner was going to get charged)

Now onto the Exhaust (needs entire system) and then the back shocks and this

92 cavailer (40k) will be perfect. Im going to try and piece together a system from AUTOZONE....i fiqure that will save me alot of cash. I've done shocks on a 92 dodge dakota so I think i should be able to do these.

any tips would be very helpful.

--------------AGAIN THANKS ALOT GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-------------------------------

Reply to
bmaty

The calipers usually have the bleeder right on top and that allows water, salt, mud, etc. to accumulate around the nipple. They are very commonly seized and the only way for the backyard mechanic to do the job is just replace the caliper.

-- Regards Gordie

Reply to
The Nolalu Barn Owl

snip

One thing that has been recommended to me (although I've never had a chance to check it out) is to put antisieze compound on the bleeder nut when you install new calipers or wheel cylinders.

Others on this group probably can confirm if this is a good or bad idea.

HS

Reply to
High Sierra

I got one of these just for the purpose of bleeding my brakes. I hate the damn thing and just use my girl friend to pump the brakes - she has gotten quite good at it. After "forever" and a bottle & a half of brake fluid, I just had her pump the brakes and was done in 10 minutes.... It's nice for testing diaphragms & measuring vacuum though.

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

I am a Millwright by trade and have been one for 31 years now. We often use Anti-seize but it does not prevent rust it only reduces galling. Besides, the shiny color in Anti-seize is metal dust and you don't want it in your brakes, engines, bearings, etc. any more than a handful of metal filings.

-- Regards Gordie

Reply to
The Nolalu Barn Owl

I know it can take a while but in a bind its great. I planned on making a bigger bottle for it , and even have the bottle but have yet to get around to it.

Reply to
Mastermech

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