Not sure if I should put this here or the Ex forum, but...

rear steel brake line ruptured the other day (was pretty rusty). Despite being an idiot in regards to automotive repair (among many other things), I decided to give it a shot. I was able to get the damaged section off, went to Autozone with the broken piece, they matched it up, were nice enough to cut it and put on one larger fitting (because the two were different sizes) and flare it for me.

I was able to get the one side (at the T fitting) on OK. That was the "new" side, the one they flared at Autozone. Looks good. No leaks.

The stock side, at the passenger side caliper, leaks like crazy. Not out the threads, but out the hole through which the line passes. Know what I mean?

I'm having a hard time figuring out what's happening, because I'm not sure how this thing works. Does the line fit flush to something inside the connection at the caliper? Is it a bad flare?

Doesn't help that I stripped the fitting nut putting it on. It did not go in easy, but the new one was just as much trouble as the fitting that came out (stock?), so it must be right.

I await your responses and am anxious to get under there for the hr and a half I have while the baby's napping.

 

It sounds like a bad double flare at that end of the line, or the fitting is not tight enough.

The flare is called a double flare. It has to mate to a properly machined boss inside the hole. anything wrong will cause a leak, such as dirt in between the flare and boss, a bad flare, or a damaged boss. It doesn't take much dirt to cause problems.

Also, double flare fittings, once crushed into place, cannot be reused anywhere else without a decent chance of a leak.. The parts are basically married for life.

The fact that you stripped the nut is a telling factor. you probably now are not able to get it torqued down enough
to crush the flare. Crushing the double flare is what makes the super tight seal.

 

Thanks. I get the impression that the flare is not meeting up to the "boss" inside (these are the things I know nothing about), which is causing the fluid to leak out back along the line as opposed to across the threads. I can't tighten it anymore, however, and, it didn't leak there prior, so it must not have been an existing condition.

You're saying I can't back the fitting out and try again? I have to cut and re-flare? That's gonna suck.

 

The flare can be reused. but just on the part it was originally crushed with.

 

OK. I'll try to pull it out, see if there's any obstructions in there, and try and screw it back in.

Does it matter that there appears to be some "play" in the line? I can move it in and out ever so slightly. As a matter of fact, I pulled on it last night as hard as I could and it leaked a little less (still leaked, though). Not screwed in all the way? It's not going any farther, especially now that the nut is stripped.

Just gotta get this kid sleepy now.

 

The fitting and line should feel very solid without movement when installed properly

 

It's starting to sound now like you have damaged the threads. Then it will never work right again.

 

u need to have a friend that done brakes before look at it, adn give you a hand, this isnt the area you want to not get things right.

 

Yeah, I gave up. Had a shop do it. Thanks for the help, though.