I noticed there are a full set of brake hoses on ebay constantly for the 48-52 F1 for around $23.
They are from Argentina, and was wondering if anyone has used these on their trucks.
The seller sure does sell a lot of sets for many different vehicles, so I'm guessing they are decent?

 

Well I guess a better way to ask the question would be: Are any of the people who had problems still alive to complain?

Brake hoses for our trucks are readily available. You can buy them from the parts resto houses like LMC, Carpenter, etc. They are also available from NAPA, Auto Zone, and Kragen/O'Reilly.

The hoses sold by NAPA are made by United, and the ones sold by Carpenter and LMC are made by Raybestos. They sell for $19-24.

You are going to spend $10,000 minimum to refurb/restore that truck. Is the $75 difference worth gambling your life on?

In answer to your question directly, I have not heard one way or the other.

 

I had a set made for a 59 f100 4x4 (could'nt get them for the 4x4 in the states)

they worked out great

 

Captain; try this # on E-bay to. 390004750253 RUSTY

 

I have heard bad things about some of the Brazilian-made hoses, not sure which ones they are (where they are sold). Can't go wrong with Raybestos IMO, probably not with NAPA either.

 

OK, I'll admit it, I bought a set of hoses from the guy on the 'Bay. All three cost as much as one hose at NAPA but before I bought them I did an internet search of the seller's name and found a few places that recommended them, one being a Cadillac board. The guy there seemed to like them a lot. I also did a search of the HAMB board and didn't find any negative posts about them, and if the guys on the HAMB don't like something they won't hesitate to rip the guy a new one.

After I got them I looked them over and they look pretty good. Of course I didn't cut them apart and send them in for analysis, but from a casual outside examination they look pretty good. I know just because a seller on the 'Bay has a good feedback it doesn't really mean much for something like the hoses or tires because the buyers only have a small window to post their feedback and that short period of time is not long enough to put the product to the test but I would think a person with over 6400 transactions, with 100% good feedback (I just checked he does on one back feedback) would be ferreted out by now if he sold junk. You all know that the auto hobby is a rather close knit society and news of a bad parts manufacturer or vendor spreads rather fast, especially with the internet.

OK guys, now you can come at me.

 

My thoughts exactly, that's why I was questioning it. I drive a race truck, so I know all about safety, and the gut wrenching feeling when the parachute doesn't open. Brakes are high on my list, so I'll probably go through LMC, DC or NAPA.
I was wondering if these were the same ones the parts warehouses sold, just under their names, but I guess not.
I'll trust the bigger name for a few extra bucks.

Thanks for the input guys and gal!

 

IMO, LMC is more of a risk than eBay. Some of their stuff is exactly the same as others, some is absolutely the cheapest thing they can find. Roll the dice... At least on eBay you get a photo.

 

I've found NAPA usually beats all the other guys on pricing, especially if you have to pay shipping. I also like the idea of have someone local so can go down and match up a part to make sure it's the right one. Or if you don't have one to match and three days after you buy the part, you go to install it and it's wrong you can usually take a 15-30 minute drive and get the problem rectified ASAP.

I know the above seems contradictory to my first post about the brake lines but at this point in time I have to find the most economical parts possible, bucks are tight for me, as well as others. I wouldn't have bought from the eBay guy without doing the most research possible, also strongly believe in high quality parts are a must. I feel relatively safe that if this guy sold junk the word would have spread by now, he's been selling on the 'Bay for years and the word would have been out that the "guy from Argentina sells junk". Also, as Ross says, LMC doesn't seem to have the best reputation for their parts and it seems people are lining up to buy their parts. Who knows where they get their parts from. Also, it seems every time you buy a part now a days the box always lists the source of manufacture as some foreign country, Agentina being one of them. Who knows, maybe the eBay guy builds hoses for some of the major manufacturers. How do you know?

 

Good points by all. But there is another option if you are going to race your truck (or want/need that type of performance). This option was just touched on above.

I needed a new flex hose for my back brake line to the rear end lines. The PO had used a grease gun hose and I ended up blowing it out when I tested my brakes. I couldn't find a replacement anywhere (since I have a non stock rear end).

I went to a shop that makes hydraulic and brake hoses - mainly for tractors. I had the hose made to MIL-SPEC, with NICE swivel ends and the right length - in 20 minutes for $23. Might be an option as well.

 

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" http:="" images.ford-trucks.com="" forums="" images="" smilies="" redface.gif="" border="0" alt="" title="Embarrassment" smilieid="3" class="inlineimg"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>******** classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui>*********> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> We have entered a global economy. To believe that you are buying quality parts because they came from vendor X, have a name brand, or were made in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1>USA</st1></st1:country-region> would not necessarily be a valid conclusion. Fortunately most safety related items have standards or approvals from independent labs, e.g., UL.
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The brake hoses advertise that they meet SAE and ASTM standards but how do you verify that? The pictures indicate they may be generic; regardless, you can not tell quality from a picture. Are the products shipped in a box with the specifications on it or are they shipped as bulk items? I did not see a return policy but the hassle to return would not be worth the effort.

<o></o>For a safety item like this, I would rather go to a local parts store and validate the item. It’s an item you don’t buy that often so you want to be sure of its quality.

 

I'll have to check the box when I get into my shop to see what is all stated on it.

Julie, the grease hose is sad. The parts I picked up a couple of weeks ago had a section of copper tubing spliced into the line going back to the rear axle brakes, with regular compression coupler and fitting. I have to wonder how this worked out for the guy. My dad had a guy come into his shop back in the '70s with his mother's car, when my dad put it up on the lift he saw the entire brake system was plumbed with plastic tubing. When my dad brought this up to the customer he stated he worked as a engineer at a place that sold plastic tubing and he was the one that installed the plastic tubing because he could get it cheap at work.

 

Julie, I have done the same for replacement A/C hoses, hydraulic clutch hoses, etc. You can spec really nice fittings, but lately the costs have gone way up. $9 for a 45-deg AN-6 fitting, for example. But they give you exactly what you want and usually same day or even while-U-wait.

I get a chuckle out of people who quote ASTM specs in their ads; without doing a bunch of research, it's meaningless. There is probably an ASTM spec for dog pooper scooper shovel blades. But it looks impressive to say you meet ASTM or MIL-SPEC requirements. SAE specs are the ones that matter for brake hose but there are probably 20 specs for different applications, including garden tractors. For all we know they are telling you in the ad that their hoses are for garden tractors and mopeds.

I have to wonder, are our brake hoses still available from Ford dealers?

 

Or for that matter, if the hoses had a long lineage of applications like F-100 tailgates. Could be the hoses could be the same for many years and could still be available.

This sounds like a job for ...ta ta ta DA!!....Number Dummy!

Oh Bill?????