I was pulling out of the driveway the other day an all of a sudden the brakes went to the floor. I checked under the hood and I had a significant leak. There is a line that comes out of the left of the reservoir, goes down a foot or so, spirals around a few times and then goes through the frame. The leak is in this line. I have been looking on the web for new brake lines and advice. I found several options. None are the exact tube line that is currently in place and has failed. Some of the options (advanced auto parts) are a new style, woven stainless clad flex line. My question(s) is/are: 1. do these new flex lines keep enough pressure to prevent the brakes from getting "mushy". 2.Does the diameter matter if the pressure is consistent? Do I need to buy a kit and replace all the lines if the only failure is in this one piece of line (i.e. will that connection through the frame crumble if I remove one side of it? ) 3. Should I just replace all the lines with this new material? 4. I have always been the one pumping the brakes in a line replacement, How do I bleed the brake lines and know it it done properly?
The brake lines I am considering are called "Russell street legal" My truck is a 96 F150 XL w/302 5.0 4wd front disc rear drum (all recently replaced)
Location is MA.
Thanks
Phil

 

Its actually pretty simple do fix. Your gonna need a brake line flare kit, a small pipe cutter (they make them for brakes) a brake line bender, some fittings and some time.

Find a spot where you can cut the lines so you can add the piece your going to make out of new brake lines. Then its just hooking them up and bending them to work. They surely do not have to be the same exact bends as before either, bend them so they fit and function thats all.

To bleed you will need whats called a line wrench (specially made to not strip the fittings). Have your 2nd man pump the pedal till it gets somewhat hard, then you at the other end open the line. Rinse and repeat will the pedals hard, all the while filling the master cylinder up as you go. It may take quite a bit of bleeding to get all the air out depending on where and how long the line is.

 

I asked this question the other day and got a response that you need the coils in your new line also! W/o them you will break the line again. They act as a buffer to keep the chassis/cab movement from pulling on the line.

For Brake Line you really don't need a bender. Just don't put wild bends in it leading to a kink. For the flare tool, most auto stores rent them for -=free=-! If you are going to buy one, don't waste 30 bucks on a twist-T-bar type. Go for the big boys version but far from cheap! Reading the other post .... You dont need a line wrench to bleed the system. But you do to get the lines off clean. Seeing as yours is broken already... not needed, you can just use box ends.


For the coils I just taped one end to a two inch black pipe and wrapped it around a few times- worked perfect. Ford uses stupid fittings on the front system for what ever reason. Try and remove the master's end clean so you can re-use it. Just flare it onto the new line. You will have a hard time finding a 1/2 inch dbl flare to replace it if it gets wrecked...
Phil if you need help im over in the Leominster area. Ill toss you a PM with my #

 

The coils are required unless you are replacing it with a flex line.

If you have one line rotted out, then this is a really good time to carefully inspect ALL the brake lines on the truck. If you have a panic stop and jam on the brakes, the pressure in the brake system spikes very high and if there is another weak spot it will reveal itself by allowing the pedal to drop to the floor. You might not experience this UNTIL the panic stop because line pressures aren't nearly as high under "normal" braking.

 

All of this information is great! Thanks all! I do not have any of the specialty tools required for this job, so I think I may have someone one do it for me. Does anyone have any experience with the flex lines, specifically: they seem to be fairly new to the market, do they maintain the pedal pressure as well as the steel tubes? Thanks again!
Phil

 

If you can measure the length of the current line, Most parts stores have lines in different lengths. get one real close. Put some coils in it adn hook it up. Follow by bleeding. The coil size is not overly imporntnat, as long as you have some to absorb flex.

 

I helped get this back on the road today. What a clean truck! I can not see how that PU has been here in MA its whole life....

Phil, pleasure meeting you Sir. BTW I just got home... 8 PM! lol ehh, think I missed a turn...