Hey guys I have never posted in the diesel forum, but from what I have read, this is where the best mechanics hang out! That is why I am posting a quick brake question here. I hope you will allow this one transgression. I am trying to change out the rubber portion of the front passenger brake line on my 1996 F250 4x4 PSD that I bought about 5 months ago. I got the fitting at the caliper off with no diffuculty at all, but the fitting holding the rubber portion to the steel line at the frame is giving me problems. I have been PB Blastin' the thing for days and got my torch on it tonight but still haven't gotten it apart. Someone told me that it is probably just corrosion holding tight, but I just want to make sure that I am doing things correctly (I am a rather novice mechanic, learning as I go). I don't want to strip anything. Should I be able to just wrench on the rubber section while holding the steel section? Does the threaded piece on the steel line spin independently (around) the steel line itself? There is a flattened section on the otherwise round fitting on my replacement part where it goes through the bracket on the frame. Is the bracket keeping the existing piece from spinning? If so, how do I get it loose? I know this shouldn't be that hard! I really appreciate you guys' help.
Nate
PS- Here is a link to a picture of the setup I'm looking at.

 

The metal fitting should turn on the line and unthread from the fitting on the rubber hose.

 

yes. hold a wrench on the end of the rubber hose below the bracket and turn the small fitting around the steel line.

 

Hold the rubber piece, big wrench, and spin the small nut. You are about to learn how to make a double flare in the end of the steel line unless you get it to break loose. These corrode and usually break. The rubber line comes out the bottom of the braket on the frame after you pull the steel tab pressed into the slot on the rubber line. But Leave that in until you get it broke loose.

 

One tip I would like to give. If that nut that is on the steel line part doesn't spin on the line and it probably won't (which will destroy the line as Jim hinted at) get it broke loose just a hair then take the clip holding the rubber line in the bracket then pull it down just enough to be able to turn the rubber line rather than the steel line.

 

Ditto.

I would invest in some Flare Nut Wrenches, or some call them line wrenches if you don't have any, don't want to round off the nuts.
I have in the past used some RTV/silicone to seal tube to nut area against corrosion..don't know if it works as I never had to replace line again.
Guess I made life easier for some other chump down the line..

 

Line wrenches are a good thing for these little buggers....or you'll be using vice-grips next. Hey, thanks for putting the silicone on the last set of brakes lines I had to break loose, really someone did that, must've been you
BTW: It worked!

 

line wrenches might get em apart but i would save the headache, time and risk of really destroying the hardline and buy/borrow a tube flaring kit then cut the hard line.

 

If he doesn't have a tube flaring kit then he might want to just replace the steel line. He said he was a novice mechanic. The steel line isn't very much and he will know that he won't have a leak in his brake line.

 

You're welcome.....was it a short bed Cheby ? It was my 4 wheeler mudder toy.. I tried to seal up everything...but alas...the damn body rusted away..

 

A hermetically sealed truck body is what you need. You know, I thik it was a short bed chebby but I couldn't tell, it was too badly rusted