Brake line replacement
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
From: Oakville, Ontario
Brake line replacement
Last Friday after my truck sat without use for a month, I decided to take it for a run. Did some errands and on my last stop I came back to the truck and when I pressed on my brake pedal I felt a pop. The pedal went down to the floor. Got out of my truck and looked under all wheels and found my left rear side soaked with brake fluid on the ground and on my fuel tank. Had it towed back home and now I need to fix it. I heard people using braided brake lines to replace old lines. Can anyone here confirm this can be done on these trucks? Considering the length of them?
Thanks for any advice in advance. I'm in Canada and it's cold and lots of snow so replacing will be a pain.
John
Thanks for any advice in advance. I'm in Canada and it's cold and lots of snow so replacing will be a pain.
John
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
From: Oakville, Ontario
Thanks for the imput.
I dont have tools to flar the lines so I may have to remove the old and replace with new fitted hard line. I was possibly looking at an easy way out I quess.
John
I dont have tools to flar the lines so I may have to remove the old and replace with new fitted hard line. I was possibly looking at an easy way out I quess.
John
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 379
Likes: 134
I use nickel copper at the shop. 25 ft roll comes with fittings for 25 bucks or so online. Get a harbor freight flare tool for 20 and u be fine. I have a bench flare tool and it's pretty much useless. I have an inline that is easier on your hand than the cheap ones but it's pretty big. I tend to end up using the cheap one under the vehicle about 1/3 of the time and I replace brake lines on 20-30 vehicles a year. Road salt kills them
expect issues though. If your brake line rotted then it may not turn at the hose. Then the bleeders probably aren't going to work. Here in the road salt country it's just how it goes
expect issues though. If your brake line rotted then it may not turn at the hose. Then the bleeders probably aren't going to work. Here in the road salt country it's just how it goes
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 17,499
Likes: 2,774
From: Northern Ontario
I agree with the Nicopp. Easy to work with. Canadian tire, Parts source, Napa, etc usually have various lengths already flared, with fittings etc. you might get away with replacing one. Or buy a roll, fittings and flaring tools. Any of the above places will have the flaring tools, or Princess Auto (Cdn equivalent to Harbor Freight) will have all the tools you need for that, flaring, line wrenches, etc etc.
More than likely the rest of the lines aren't far behind, and the hoses too.
You can look into InlineTube for a set of stainless hard lines, pre bent ready to go. New hoses all around as well.
Not fun in a snow bank.
More than likely the rest of the lines aren't far behind, and the hoses too.
You can look into InlineTube for a set of stainless hard lines, pre bent ready to go. New hoses all around as well.
Not fun in a snow bank.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
From: Oakville, Ontario
Thanks to you all. Creston, JJF20 for your advice. And yest its not going to be fun in this weather. I just may have to wait till some snow a temps let up to work on them. I will be replacing all the lines though. I will have to do some homework on the routing location and mating areas for them. This would be my first truck brake line replacements.
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,192
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From: Oakville, Ontario
If and only if I was to install my own brake lines from fron front to rear. What size of brake line tube should I be looking at? Canadian Tire sells 3/16", 1/4", 3/8", 5/15".
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 379
Likes: 134
3/16 usually. 1/4 is usually on chevy but on some Ford too. Why idk. But I just Take a 3/16 wrench and a 1/4 inch wrench and see which one just barely fits on your brake line. I put whatever they had on them. Don't know that it matters
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4wd Low
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Bristol Maine
I've bought a roll of copper nickel and made my own lines and I've also bought the pre formed fitted lines. Although the latter is more expensive it's much easier.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 379
Likes: 134
Not always. You have to drop the fuel tank and several other things if you want to use pre bent on a lot of trucks/suv. Then on some cars you have to go up into the car and then back under the car through the body in the back seat. If you use a roll you just send it through with tape or a cap on it and bend after. I never do pre- bent anymore at the shop unless it's big transmission line and even then I'll bend my own sometimes.
4wd Low
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Bristol Maine
Not always. You have to drop the fuel tank and several other things if you want to use pre bent on a lot of trucks/suv. Then on some cars you have to go up into the car and then back under the car through the body in the back seat. If you use a roll you just send it through with tape or a cap on it and bend after. I never do pre- bent anymore at the shop unless it's big transmission line and even then I'll bend my own sometimes.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 957
Likes: 350
From: Newton Illinois
as stated copper nickel is the only way to go, as far as dropping the fuel tank, that would be the best way but I think it can be done without dropping it, just leave the old line behind the tank and fish the new one behind the tank
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