Ok, so I pulled the boner of all stunts tonight. Long story short, I was putting a set of home made nerf bars on my 86 F250. I bolted them to the cab sheet metal and used braces from the bars to the frame, I was welding the braces to some angle iron I mounted to the frame using my mig, I couldn't see, it was dark and the wire traveled through a hole in the frame to the other side and arced on the brake line going to the rear brakes. This was all on the drivers side, could only happen to me. It put a small pin hole in the line.
I've identified the pin hole but I can't use my brakes for the obvious. Is there any way to cut out the bad spot and repair this without changing the whole line. Please help guys. I appreciate it immensley

 

Probably.

Go to a decent auto parts or hardware store (not a big box store) and explain what you need to
do, knowledgeable employees there should be able to help you.

BTW thanks for reporting back on your other post (trying to figure out brake light problem).

 

Ok, I was thinking maybe a compression coupling, used a lot in plumbing but I figure that would work if I could find one small enough, without measuring I think its 1/8" line

 

I'm thinking something similar but I think they're flare fittings; you'll need to borrow
(Checker or Oreily might loan this to you), purchase or rent a flaring tool and you should use
flare nut wrenches on this stuff. I've never done it but my father is a retired mechanical
design engineer and knows this kind of stuff in his sleep; IIRC there are two types of
flare/compression fittings but which one you'll need I really don't know, I'd ask my dad.

From what I know, flaring the tube correctly is critical and might require practice.

Any decent hardware or tractor supply or auto parts store should be able to help ya so long
as they know something about hydraulic line fittings.

 

Flaring is no problem, I'm a mechanical contractor so I hav all the tools I need, ill get this taken care of asap, I appreciate the help Ctubutis, thanks

 

You have to double flare automotive brake lines so they won't split in the flare. Either the lines on my Fords have always been replaced before I got there, or there is a factory joint midway down the frame.

If you have this joint, measure to the front how long a piece of line you need, and then go to the store and they have universal lengths they sell, already flared with the fittings. The only problem you may run into is up front where sometimes they used the 3/16 line, but they used a oddball oversize nut. In this case you will have to cut your universal piece of line, slide the oddball sized factory nut onto the new line, and then re-flare the new line.

 

the compression fittings used for plumbing are illegal to use and they will not hold up to the pressures of a braking system !!
the double flare is what is used on automotive lines !!

 

Ok, well I didnt know, never had to repair brake line before. I didnt know I could by full lengths at the parts store so I will just go that route, it would be alot easier any way, I appreciate all the help everyone.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj06

the compression fittings used for plumbing are illegal to use

Under whose law? Under what circumstances? When & where enacted? How
enforced?

Please provide verifiable references for your statement - URLs, Title/Section
Paragraph of the law(s), Statute Number, etc.

 

This isn't that hard. Autozone rents the double flare tool for free. You'll also need to rent the pipe cutter or you can buy one there... i think it's only $7. Cut out the damaged brake line. You're going to need some new flare ends and a 2 couplers and a length of brake line. I forget the dimensions but an auto parts store should be able to tell you. Put the coupling on, then use the flare tool (you can go on youtube and search for double flare and watch some videos of how to do it. It's pretty easy) on each end you cut off. Then put your patch tube in and tighten the coupling nuts to the coupler and your'e good to go. Just make sure you don't tighten too much and use flare nut/line wrenches.

 

I WONDER WHY YOU WOULD EVEN QUESTION THE USE OF FITTINGS THAT ARE USED FOR PLUMBING COPPER TUBING THAT USES PRESSURES OF UP TO 100 PSI AND THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE FOR VEHICLES WITH BRAKE LINE PRESSURES OF
1000 PSI ??
http://www.nysdmv.com/forms/79sbg.pdf page 17 of 21

 

I've failed vehicles for using compression fittings on brake lines.

 

Please don't type in all caps, it's the equivalent of shouting at a person and can be
construed as being offensive.

Sorry if I wasn't clear... the issue I'm drawing attention to isn't one of which fittings
should be used on which tubing, but rather the statement made that there are laws
dictating how and where these fittings can be used.

If I see a statement presented as fact and I feel it's not common knowledge, then, yes, I
will ask the author to provide credible & verifiable proof that the statement is, in fact,
true. As we learned in school, be ready to cite your sources.

Without such verification, Internet forums slide towards a lot of opinions & half-truths &
misinformation being spread around and interpreted as fact, thereby reducing the
effectiveness & value of said forums. (I read it on the Internet, so it must be true.)

These forums are archived for all eternity and perhaps hundreds of people will read &
learn from what they see here, I'm just trying to keep the information accurate and
useful, thank you for your help!

 

Cj06, they make automotive compression fittings. That are used for just the situation thats presented. Well actually im not cerain on brakes.

But i have used compression fittings on transmission lines with good results. I'm not sure the difference of pressures between the transmission and brakes, but i would tend to think that they would work for brakes.

 

I have seen compression unions on brake lines that looked like they have been on there several years and didnt leak. That being said I have always thought that it was 'ILLEGAL' to install one (I have no idea who would ever enforce this) If I had access to the WV state inspection manual still I'd see if it does specify compression unions as being failable. I perrsonally have never used one on brake lines and never would... if it fails its going to be when the pressure is higher than normal, like when a school bus full of nuns pulls out in front of you and you slam on the brakes.