I'm riding through town and glance over at something (IDK what it was) and when I look back, I see the tail-end of a Chevy coming up FAST!!! So, I mash the brakes to the floor... it's slowing down, then I feel and hear a "POP" and then my braking power is cut in half! Thankfully, there was a side road so I was able to yank the truck over before I smashed the Chevy in the rear (not that it would've been a bad thing). Got out and what do you know, one of those rubber lines in the front blew apart. Yikes! I get back in, think a little bit, then get on my computer and find the nearest Napa store. It's right up the road (and I mean RIGHT up the road). So, I put the ol' parking brake to use and creep up to the Napa. As if the Chevy wasn't close enough, I come up to a light and am slowing down and then cars end up in front of me in my lane! I hit the parking brake, then it locks up... I yanked it over to the shoulder, positive I was gonna smash the guard rail. I waited for the crunch but it never came. Next thing I know, I'm on the shoulder at the light and stopped safe and sound... the light went green and I crept into Napa, got my parts, and installed them just as my Dad showed up with the brake fluid to help me bleed the brakes. Then I drove it home and all was fine and dandy!

Now, I'm NOT looking to be told how stupid that was... it wasn't the safest thing to do, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I was already causing my folks enough grief with other things and I REALLY didn't wanna aggravate it any more. Normally, I don't rush to post stuff up, but I don't wanna see somebody else almost plow into the back of an unmarked cop car like me! Basically, these lines have these "protective" rubber sleaves over the lower crimp on the lines to "protect" them from... well... whatever. The problem is, they hold moisture and then rot the crimp out. This is what happened to so me... it rotted so bad that the end blew out and stranded me. You can tell if they need to be replaced by trying to spin the sleeve on the line. The only thing that should spin is the sleeve. If you've got one end of the line spinning with the sleeve, then it's time to replace it. Also, you'll feel the rusty crud in the sleeve as you spin it... I'm willing to let some stuff slide, but the brakes are NOT something to slack on. So yeah, hope this saves some of y'all from getting screwed... it's only by God's gracious hand that I made out like I did today.

Now for some pictures... they're pretty much self-explanatory:

 

Wow man glad you got through that. I don't ever want to know what it feels like to lose breaks. Thats scary stuff.

Looks like im going to check my lines tmrw just to be safe!

Dennis

 

Believe me, man... it scared the crap outta me!

As a side note, the Napa lines I bought did NOT have the sleeve so I was happy with that... I will say that IF I had to go parts chain, I'd go with Napa parts. They've been pretty good for us so far!

 

I been wanting to change mine out cause they look weather aged. I have e99 also. Only 153K but you talked me into it.
Chet