Had the brake line that runs in the frame and behind the fuel tank burst on me.


Can you buy one prebent? What is the Ford part number?


How bad is this job and do I have to drop the tank?


Looking for any helpful info I can get please.


Thanks
Mike

 

Part of the reason I joined this group is due to the same situation you are currently in on my 2011 F-250 SD. My brake line finally ruptured where it had been rubbing against the fuel tank, right behind the tank. Unfortunately I had to drop the tank to even see where the line ruptured. In that process 2 of the so called quick connect fittings had to be destroyed to get them unhooked (the part of the steel line inserted into the quick connect seized and would not come out). I was thinking about splicing the brake line till I broke the quick connects. So I ended up purchasing the entire fuel and brake line bundle. I would like to think you can get just the brake lines (there are 2) but I've learned that Ford doesn't want you to just order the brake lines. The number you'd need depends on the truck, length, type of fuel, etc etc etc.
I wish you luck.

 

I pulled the entire mid section of the brake line out my dads 03' crew cab without pulling the tank. The bed was off but you shouldn't have to have the bed off to get to the nuts.

 

Go to the parts store & buy unbent sections of brake line. Use the more expensive copper nickel brake line. It is easier to work with & won't rust. Then bend your own, running the line where ever you can easily (and safely) run the new line. No need to remove the old line or pull the tank. Make sure the new line is secured to something solid so it isn't just flopping around. Check each & every line on the truck, replace all that look even remotely bad. If one failed, others are not far behind.

If you are not familiar with doing this kind of work, I suggest taking the truck to a reputable garage (not the Ford dealer) and have them do the work. Brake work is not a place for beginners to learn.

 

I've been working on cars, mostly trucks for the last 50 years, and brake lines are actually a piece of cake. I've redone entire vehicles with straight lines, bending and flaring myself. Ford in their infinite wisdom (and Chevy and Dodge do the same) have decided to bundle the left & right brake lines, and the 2 fuel lines (from pump, and from vapor recovery resting over the spare tire) as a bundle, with some very serious brackets holding them all together (3 of them residing inside the frame rail covered by the 35 gallon tank (which I had just filled up a few days earlier). I was going to splice the section of brake line that had been rubbing against the tank since it was apparently built, until breaking the quick connect coming out of the fuel pump. At that point I decided the cost and effort of splicing a brake line, replacing the quick connect fittings (which involved some major expenses in special tools, fittings, and new plastic lines) was going to be about the same as a new fuel/brake line bundle. Now the problem is getting the bundle from Ford. The first delivery to the local dealership was damaged by FedEx because they can't properly carry and handle a 15 foot mass of various lines flopping all over. The second delivery is being handled by Ford, in a semi truck, and being delivered to my house in a straight truck. Truck should be running by the weekend (to bad I still have to work for a living, otherwise it would be done tonight)
I appreciate all the suggestions and comments. Believe me, I had thought of every one of the simple solutions before going to the dark side.