Rear brake line: help needed

[Paulaner]

In the process of refreshing my rear end, and needed to drop the subframe today. The driver's side brake line disconnected no problem but the passenger side was seized to all oblivion. Ended up cutting the braided line between the two hard lines. Unfortunately in the attempt of removing I rounded off and stripped the nut for the hard line even while using an 11mm crescent wrench.

Any recommendations on fixing this problem, and rebuilding the lines that are trashed? Thanks!

Attached are some pics.

 

[boonies]

i ended up with vice grips for the stubborn lines.

Vise-Grip 4 Vise-Grip Locking Wrench, 7-Inch, Silver Metallic https://a.co/d/02mwwnBJ

You can get replacement brake lines and will need to form them yourself unless you can find a parts car nearby. Kroil penetrating oil and head are your friends on this endeavor.

I fought my fronts off and learned that using the penetrating oil days before the start of disassembly is advisable.

 

[mulberryworks]

Yes, heat is the solution that never fails. It can have consequences however. Bolts & nuts heated up to glowing red will lose some strength so should be replaced.
Once I was removing a brake line from a rear axle rescued from a salvage yard and was heating the fitting connected to the rubber brake line. The line had been cut off, so I thought it would be an easy extraction, but the hose was blocked so thoroughly that the heat of the torch vaporized enough volatiles in what was left of the rubber line that it exploded with a bang. Nothing hurt, but I was very surprised. I was glad I had my welding goggles on.

I've used some heat before adding more penetrant as that should help it sink in. Gets a bit smokey though.
And an old stand by is using half ATF and half acetone. I've used it with good results, but haven't done any real comparison testing with it.

 

[ScottAndrews]

Get an 11 mm flare nut wrench. This is a box wrench with a gap in it so you can fit it over the brake line. Mostly prevents rounding off the flare nuts...

 

[JMinPDX]

Plus one on heating with a propane torch and vice grips at this point. Flair nut wrenches are a necessity when dealing with brake lines, it may be too late in this case, but you should have a set. Once the hard line is removed I suggest taking it to an auto parts store and have them fab a new one or buy the same length line off the shelf.
I had to do this for a leaking line on a 2002. I bought the an inexpensive tubing bender and bent the new line to match.
Good Luck

 

[e9Leveque]

I would recommend the 11 mm ratcheting flare nut wrench, once you get the hang of it it makes short work of these. This one even has flex head which I have found useful

https://a.co/d/07rF6lxK

 

[bavbob]

I have a set of these, I rounded off and stripped some brake lines even with my nice set of flared nut wrenches. These things bailed me out big time.

 

[Paulaner]

Thank you all for the tips and tricks. Even after multiple treatments with liquid wrench, the proper brake line wrenches, MAP gas, and vice grips the sucker would not brake loose. Going to cut it off today with the angle grinder.

Thinking about how to rebuild the damaged lines, I was doing some research and saw that ECS sells pre flared hard line at different lengths as well as their own branded stainless flexible line. Anyone thing these products will work?

Ill need to replace on the passenger side the hard line to the caliper, the hard line from the brake fluid distribution unit/pressure regulator device, and the the soft line between the two hard lines.

Will likely end up doing both sides so it all matches, but will see. I'm neck deep in a rear end refresh, so the diff, and subframe will keepe busy for a couple weekends

 

[e9Leveque]

If you're replacing two of the soft lines I would just replace all 4 with the stainless steel flexible lines. A one-time upgrade and those kits aren't that pricey. On the rear hard lines, those bends are a little crazy going from the central distribution point out to the soft line point and then from the other end of the soft line to the caliper. If you aren't buying a full pre-bent kit, I would remove the other side, use a piece of string that you run along each of the pipes and then measure to get the actual length, then order the 4 lines you need already preflared and with fittings. Alternatively you can have those made at a local hydraulic shop or plumbing shop as well. A 25' roll of cunifer 3/16" pipe with fittings included is under $25, you can bring that to them and have them cut, fit and flare all 8 ends. You would then use the lines you removed as a template for bending the new ones yourself. The cunifer bends pretty easily and doesn't tend to crimp the way metal will.

 

[Paulaner]

Yup, I think that'll be my plan. Order the braided lines from ECS and some pre flared and measured hard line. They sell it for less than $5 per hard line. The braided ones are $55 - $65 per set. Not bad. Easier than I had thought assuming I don't run into more seized fittings especially the ones running to the pressure regulator. Really don't want to F that one up. Will soak the heck out of those all week then try to remove next weekend.

 

[mulberryworks]

Yup, I think that'll be my plan. Order the braided lines from ECS and some pre flared and measured hard line. They sell it for less than $5 per hard line. The braided ones are $55 - $65 per set. Not bad. Easier than I had thought assuming I don't run into more seized fittings especially the ones running to the pressure regulator. Really don't want to F that one up. Will soak the heck out of those all week then try to remove next weekend.

A friend of mine bought a 1955 Maserati engine on a lark and slowly began to rehab it. The Lucas mechanical fuel injection pump halves didn't want to separate so it put it in a jar of penetrant and would give it a tap every few months. 5 years later, it popped apart after another tap. Such is the price of working with vintage unobtainium parts.

 

[ScottAndrews]

A friend of mine bought a 1955 Maserati engine on a lark and slowly began to rehab it. The Lucas mechanical fuel injection pump halves didn't want to separate so it put it in a jar of penetrant and would give it a tap every few months. 5 years later, it popped apart after another tap. Such is the price of working with vintage unobtainium parts.

That’s a pretty leisurely rehab schedule!

 

[mulberryworks]

That’s a pretty leisurely rehab schedule!

You have no idea. He bought it from a rabid car friend who picked it up from a salvage yard in case it was needed for his Maserati. That was over 30 years ago. My friend, the current owner of this large lump, is a mechanical engineer and has kept and admired this hand made piece of Italian engineering all this time, but as time goes on and we all age, some things should go, so he'd been taking the engine apart, and cataloging all the bits and their condition before reassembly for eventual sale on BAT. The reason this engine was in a salvage yard was one of the pistons had failed ring grooves but the rest is in excellent condition. Nevertheless, it should bring many times his original investment.

 

[ScottAndrews]

You have no idea. He bought it from a rabid car friend who picked it up from a salvage yard in case it was needed for his Maserati. That was over 30 years ago. My friend, the current owner of this large lump, is a mechanical engineer and has kept and admired this hand made piece of Italian engineering all this time, but as time goes on and we all age, some things should go, so he'd been taking the engine apart, and cataloging all the bits and their condition before reassembly for eventual sale on BAT. The reason this engine was in a salvage yard was one of the pistons had failed ring grooves but the rest is in excellent condition. Nevertheless, it should bring many times his original investment.

I'm sure it is more of a fascination with the machine than an investment. Over time the market for it shrinks, and true collectors would probably walk away if it wasn't restored by a known pro.. So increasingly hard to sell too...