First off, hello to everyone. I am here trying to find out if brake line failure is common to the F150, 1995 year in particular. My father-in-law has a 1995 F150 XL 2WD 302ci manual trans. About 2 years ago while traveling on RT23 (state highway) his brakes failed going downhill approaching slowing/stopping traffic. He said he had NO brakes. He cut the wheel and hopped the curb, putting the truck BETWEEN a telephone pole and the guidewire and coming to a stop in the Burger King parking lot. It turns out the front brake hose where the rubber and metal meet failed. FAST FORWARD 2 YEARS. Last week while picking up the engine he had rebuilt for his Chevelle, as he's backing up to the bay door and tries to stop he's got NO brakes again. He hits the E-brake and gets out and there's a puddle on the ground. THANK GOD he didn't get hurt this time either. Once again brake line went bad, but this time the rear let go. Rusted through. The truck has never been in a flood or anything so what gives the truck's only 10 years old. PS, he also had to replace a power steering line that failed. Anyone have any ideas besides get rid of the truck before he gets killed?

 

Does he live in NJ??? Road salts are killer when it comes to brake components. Sounds like a lot of road salt got up around the lines/hoses and broke them down.

What to do??? Inspect the vehicle's lines and hoses every six months. Replace parts as needed. Rinse off the undercarriage of the truck with FRESH WATER after EVERY Snow storm multiple times until the roads are dry and then some after that.

This is good advice for all in areas that use lots of road salt. RINSE THE UNDERSIDE METICULOUSLY and OFTEN.

 

I think that failure is common to the ford trucks regardless of year.

My Dad's 86 had the exact same failure. Front Passenger Brake hose came apart at the rubber/metal connection. Only it happened while backing a 25Ft boat down a boat ramp!

pedal went to the floor and pumping had no effect.

Stomped on the ebrake and the truck slid sown the ramp until the boat floated off the trailer. Then it finally stopped... Talk about Scary.



a few months ago, while bleeding the rear brakes, I saw the front passenger hose on my 88 was leaking from the same place. I quickly changed both sides.

 

I don't think it's common, and it wouldn't affect Fords any more than any other make. Rust eats brake lines. If you live in a salt-using state, you gotta expect that steel lines are going to give out at some point. As for the rubber lines going, I wouldn't expect them to last forever either. If you're breaking them every few years, though, I'd suspect the source of the parts.

 

My old '85 needed every brake line and hose changed in the 7 years that I owned it ('97-'04). A couple of them were changed more than once. When I first got it I thought it was because the prior owner launched their boat in salt water (the rears were rusted through when I got it). The fronts and the long ones down the frame all went as well though.

I think the others are correct, the rusty lines is mainly due to road salt and helped by the fact that my truck never got washed. (It was too ugly to bother).

 

There is nothing inherently wrong with the design of the brake system, it's typical of any other brake system on any other vehicle. They're just brake lines, the ones on your truck are practically no different than anything else people use.

Brake lines go people, they rust and eventually the lines are not strong enough to hold the pressure when the brake is applied. Brake lines require replacement just like anything else....10 years...is old....my 95's brake lines are slightly rusted in some spots, other spots are practically like new. All lines and hoses should be changed when their condition is not satisfactory. Just because it's not on the routine maintance list, doesn't mean it should be overlooked.

Brake lines are just one of those things people don't really look at to replace, but they need to be replaced just like anything else. They rust on the outside, and they get full of gunk from dirty brake fluid on the inside, which restricts fluid flow and creates loss of braking power.

Stacey David from Trucks! tv cut the rear rubber brake line off a early bronco and the line was pretty much completely swelled up inside, no fluid was even making it to the rear brakes cuz the line was bad.

 

Same Year Same Truck Same Problem

I was sitting in Auick Check parking lot when the brake pedal on my 95' just flew to the floor looked out the window and saw fluid sparying!

I just tyed it up with a towel and dorve it home then replaced all the tubing on both sides.

The metal rubber connection just rusted and pulled apart altleast I wasn't moving

 

I'm not too too familiar with this stuff, but I believe older brake systems used to have two reservoirs, one for the rear and one for the front. They were separate, and if one failed, you'd still have the other. I'd assume they still do that, but like I said I'm not too familiar with the details.

My dad's 88' blew a line right in the driveway....rusted metal brake line which split under pressure....stuff happens when you're not payin' attention A quick look at the line would have suggested that since it was so rusted it should of been replaced.

 

Actually, older cars had a single reservoir which supplied fluid to all wheels. If you lost one line you lost pressure to all of them. My '65 Mustang still has a single reservoir which is part of the fun of driving it...

The newer cars have a dual reservoir so if you lose one line you still have partial braking.

Justin - a little condescending on your reply earlier weren't you? I don't think folks want a lecture, just answers...