So I was on my way to work this morning, went to stop for a red light, traffic in front of me when the brake pedal suddenly went to the floor! I knew I blew a brake line at that point. Had to dive into a gas station parking Lot at 30mph to avoid hitting anyone! Downshifting, thankfully I have a manual Trans! 

 Got her stopped and checked things out best I could. The line that goes into the rubber flex at the right front wheel was soaked. There's the problem.

 I'll get under it in a bit to see if it was the flex line or the hard line but either way scared the crap out of me. Day off work now to tend to it. Ugh.

That’s definitely an oh CRAP moment! Glad no one got hurt. And the truck too. 

Could be worse. Driving along in McCall ID at 25 MPH and your coming up on stopped traffic... I started to press the brake pedal and have the ABS pump fight you. Once I overwhelmed the ABS system the light was thrown and I stopped the truck inches from the car in front of me.

 Completely unexpected. Now I'm looking at stainless lines from LMC as a replacement. Fir now though I have to patch it up. I need the truck tomorrow morning to help a friend move a 5th wheel camper. My truck will be more of a backup plan in case his has issues but still need the brakes.

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Could be worse. Driving along in McCall ID at 25 MPH and your coming up on stopped traffic... I started to press the brake pedal and have the ABS pump fight you. Once I overwhelmed the ABS system the light was thrown and I stopped the truck inches from the car in front of me.

 Not good either. I would have hit the car in front of me had I not dove into the gas station like I did. 

 I'll pull it apart and go to my local napa to get what I need to make up a new line. I will be replacing th all over the summer to avoid another close call for sure. 

 I like the SS line idea. Should never need replacing afterwards. I'll also replace all the files hoses when the new lines are done. 

Might talk to @pepsi71ocean he's done brakes lines IIRC...

 Found the problem. Hard line attached to the block of the long flex line to the caliper. For now I will splice in a short section to get by til I get new pre-bent lines.

At least is can be repaired. I'm assuming you have experience doing double flaring right?

 Yes sir, many times. Just need to get a new mini tubing cutter. Mine has seen its better days. Lol

 Gonna soak the bleeders in PB blaster while I run after parts as well. 

Good. 

 

Too many around me don't know that and don't know how to do a double flare. I've done a few long ago but I could if it need too, but I would practice first. Just wanna make sure on that little thing being when done a single flare typically it leaks for sure. 

 Yes, especially with the hydro-boost brakes. I would think line pressure may be more than your average vehicle.

 Got it all bottoned up. No leaks. Test drive and stopped very well even a few hard stops. 

 

A few years ago a was on the way to the MOT check with my 3500, engine has to be hot and brakes warm so being the MOT station is only 4 miles away from me I'm stomping it on both pedals, right at the end just before the MOT station there is a good uphill stretch with a crossroads right at the top, I'm doing 75 and left the brakes a little late to step on them to stop which I did.

Turn right and the MOT station is 50 ft away on the left, pulls in and waited maybe 5 minutes then gets waved onto the brake test rollers, guys sets the rollers off, front axle, and tells me to brake I get maybe 10% into braking and pedal to the floor, right front just where your picture shows. 5 mins earlier and I'd have gone straight over a blind busy crossroads

Fails the MOT and drove home with no brakes at all just the park brake

I made the full line in one right around the front, was a bar steward to fit but made in copper so easily bent to get it in the bent back to shape

I don't drive up to that X roads fast anymore 

Wow

1 hour ago, Doubletrouble said:

Wow

TBH   Wow wasn't the word I used at the time 

but then again diving into a gas station at 30mph could have been a "Destroyed in seconds" moment too

 

Thing is I always coat steel brake lines in copperslip but this one still carried on corroding for some reason, the worst is the rears with the springs wound around them our MOT testers love them, every time they would fail me on those because they couldn't see if they were corroded or not until I figured out to coat them in copperslip then they wouldn't bother getting their pansy hands dirty so would just pass them and comment on how well protected they were

 We don't have inspections like that here in Ohio but we do have road salt and brine in the winter. That's why I'm thinking stainless steel lines next. 

 The OEM lines had some sort of plastic coating on them but the ends were not Coates which is exactly where it gave way. I cut the coating back some to make room for the flare tool and line nut. Perfectly clean line under the plastic.

8 hours ago, Doubletrouble said:

That's why I'm thinking stainless steel lines next. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't the right hand steel line go all the way around the front with no joins ??  IIRC it did on my truck

 

If it does I'd use a good copper line which you can make easily, copper will bend to shape without a pipe bender ( I managed the sharp radius on your picture easily)

Then to fit it in one peice it's easy to bend out of shape to get it into place then bend back, I will not kink or break if you are carefull .

 

When I removed my old one I undone both ends, removed all the clamps etc so it was loose then cut it in half at the front x member, by cutting it I got both peices out without bending them much, layed them on the floor for a template and made the copper one

 

Maybe the replacement stainless line does have a join IDK, you'd certainly need to be Houdini to get it in in one peice bearing in mind it won't bend like copper

 

One other thing about stainless, if you ever have a problem with it it will be a bear to flare

 

Can you tell I'm a huge fan of copper brake line 

2 hours ago, wil440 said:

Can you tell I'm a huge fan of copper brake line 

 I certainly can. I (could be wrong) thought that brake line had to be made of steel. I was under the impression copper would be to soft of a metal? 

3 hours ago, Doubletrouble said:

 I certainly can. I (could be wrong) thought that brake line had to be made of steel. I was under the impression copper would be to soft of a metal?

 

I am thinking the same.  The safety factor (working pressure versus bursting pressure) would be significantly higher with a steel line.

 

- John

Edited April 15, 20223 yr by Tractorman

 He is in the UK though. Might be something different over there? 

35 minutes ago, Doubletrouble said:

 He is in the UK though. Might be something different over there? 

I  am in the UK but  copper brake lines do not ever burst and here it is the upgrade to steel which rots away, pretty sure it's a copper alloy but flares nice and doesn't corrode

 

Can't believe you can't use it, Stainless Steel isn't really popular here 

Copper-Nickel alloy brake line. Very easy to work with and extremely durable.

59 minutes ago, Max Tune said:

Copper-Nickel alloy brake line. Very easy to work with and extremely durable.

So you can use it then ??

Makes stainless and normal steel lines totally redundant