Good morning everyone! My '79 F-150 runs and drives! The gears shift nicely. But the brakes are seized. I've got a new master cylinder. It's been bench bled and installed. Like any project, you fix one thing and you find 2 more bad parts. I need a whole new brake system. Steel lines, rubber lines, wheel cylinders, etc. I've been looking around for brake lines and I know I can get a bundle of steel brake line and fitting and all, but is it worth it for the $200 bre-bent lines? I found them on LMC.com. but they are very vague on what comes in the kit. Is there fittings? Are the ends already flared? Has anyone redone their brake lines and had a clear idea of what they were getting? The wheel cylinders are cheap so I'm not worried about those.

 

The pre-bent lines come with flared ends and fittings reading to install. I always choose the less expensive route and buy the straight pieces and bend them to match what I took off but admit sometimes it can be a science project of sorts. One drawback with that is for the long line front-to-back you may need a splice and sometimes the stock length you buy requires you to make a loop due to having excess which is not a functional drawback, only cosmetic. Also, sometimes when making lines going into master cylinder, you may need adapters because those port fittings are sometimes larger thread size than what comes standard for a given line diameter.

Another option for the more technically inclined is to buy a roll of brake line tubing, fittings and a double flaring tool (not from Harbor Freight) and make your own custom length lines. I have went this route on occasion as well but it requires a little skill in getting the flares right so no leaks.

Soooo, having said that you can see there is a benefit to buying the pre bent. Less fuss and trips to the local AP. I think LMC only offers stainless. Inline tube https://www.inlinetube.com/?gclid=EA...SAAEgKC7PD_BwE will also have the kit in steel for a little less money. Only you can decide if stainless is worth the extra cost.
you could measure lines needed and estimate what you'd have in the straight pre made lengths if you went that route. I'd guess $60 anyway.
Since you are doing a total rebuild consider using DOT 5 brake fluid especially if you plan to keep the truck. Over twice as expensive as DOT 3 but can save you wheel cylinder/caliper,master cylinder failures years down the road.

 

This is my first time rebuilding an entire brake system. So I know I don't have the skill for flaring and all. With that, I'll get the pre-bent lines to make things easier. I do plan on keeping the truck indefinitely.

 

I have never re built an entire brake system... until this truck. Dont let it overwhelm you! I bought a $50 flaring tool from Eastwood and a 25' roll of NiCopp brake line and a bag of assorted fittings and made my own lines. The NiCopp is easier to bend than the steel and wont rust out like the steel lines. Watch some youtube videos, buy a good flaring tool and take your time. It IS doable even for novices.

However it all comes down to whats your time worth. If youd rather not mess with it, $200 more to just "plug and play" could be worth it to you.

 

I use the Cal Van 165 Flaring tool, works great plus you can use it in confined spaces. And yes definitely nicop lines.

 

Heres the Eastwood tool I used. Its advertised as on car so it too can be used in small spaces (which i had to fix one of the lines after it was installed so I appreciated that! However its only in one size. Which was fine for me cz this is the only truck I am really going to mess with. But for the same price I do like that the Cal Van kit can be used on multiple line sizes. I might add that to my collection if I work on another brake set that has a different size tube.

 

I have made my on lines before , but those pre bent work great an worth it if you can afford to do it, as the complete kit comes with the ones up at master cylinder that coil around and all the lines except the rubber are there, inline tube system is what I use off ebay , $155 a kit for steel kits and $185 for SS kits , which I like stainless myself although many say they are harder to seal but I have SS on more than one truck an car with no problems for years , My 2 cents do the kit but if you need to cut cost by all means do it your self , although you could by just the harder ones to bend separately , like the ones up at master cylinder can be purchased separately

 

Y'all are great! All the responses are informative. I think I may just go with the stainless pre-bent kit. It will be so much easier for me to do it this way.

 

I might have missed it, but how do you know the brakes are seized? And what parts are seized? And did it happen before, or after you changed the master cylinder? Is there a vacuum brake booster involved?
Reason I ask is that it's very common for those that don't know to have an improperly adjusted booster rod going into the back of the master cylinder in such a way as it applies constant pressure to the piston, eventually freezing the brakes up solid until you release pressure with the bleeders.

If you have not already verified that the calipers are stuck then, maybe crack the bleeders down at the brakes to see if they release.
If so, you need to re-adjust your booster-to-master rod.

Paul

 

Yeah. The master was rusted solid. The way all the lines look, I'm just replacing everything for my peace of mind.

 

Make sure to get the right kit as they sell for long bed an a short bed kit as well as 2wd an 4wd

 

I'll make sure to order the right one.

 

These clips to fasten to frame can be purchased as well , I rebuilt mine front to back when I had body off frame and these helped since they can break an get brittle

 

Where did you locate those clips if I may ask.

 

Bronco graveyard is were I got mine https://shop.broncograveyard.com/Bra...uctinfo/28204/