Author Topic: Brake hard lines (Read 6340 times)

madmedix · « **on:** September 28, 2007, 02:38:05 pm »

Ah, the sudden brake failure...
Jumped on the binders when a young lady cut me off and then heard a "pop" and the brake pedal went to the floor (love that e-brake). Coasted to a stop and discovered a spiral fracture of the brake hard line running from the MC to the proportioning valve (bottom right of 4).
Going to do all the lines while I'm at it. But I cannot get the the lines off! On the lines that run from the prop. valve to the soft/hard line combo to the rear drums, the tab welded to the body threatens to twist off before it'll let that 10mm line connector loosen off. They've been soaking in penetrant for 4 days now and still won't come off ( it's a 90 TD Jetta).
Anyone know any tricks or am I in for a treat here?

Cheers,
Andy

Doug · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2007, 06:57:12 pm »

Tried just about everything in the past, but now I use the torch to heat the connections till they are red. Yes, you will have to replace the flex lines because the steel union at them will probably need heat as well which will cause the rubber to blow out. At that age it is prudent to replace them. A flex line failed on my old rabbit when deep into braking one day. That excitement was not needed.

madmedix · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2007, 07:08:42 am »

OK. Got 'em off. There a neat tool my wife bought me at Sears that fits inside a socket. It has clockwise cuts inside it to grab rounded-off nuts etc and worked beautifully. Simply snip off the 3/16" line behind the connector and use this little beauty. Easily pulled off the other 6 that didn't have penetrant on them.

akrallysport · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2007, 07:27:57 pm »

Good to know about the tool... we were having problems with my friend's brake lines.

Kneale Brownson · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2007, 06:50:57 pm »

Sears sells a $20 kit and a $50 kit of its Bolt-Out damaged bolt removal sockets. I hesitated about buying the more expensive one, but it's proven to be a real problem solver for me. Not sure about the little one, but the larger kit includes a wide variety of bolt head sizes that cover most of the common metrics too.

rob76 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2007, 02:14:31 am »

Hey madmedix how many miles/km are on your car?

madmedix · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2007, 07:07:25 am »

412,000 km

rob76 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2007, 01:10:36 pm »

Ah ok, just trying to figure out how long those lines are good for!

madmedix · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2007, 07:12:14 am »

Well, got the lines done only to have the driver's rear bleed valve come right off in my hand. Left half the thread inside. :evil: Now I gotta pull the drum and probably replace the wheel cylinder.....

Doug · « **Reply #9 on:** October 09, 2007, 10:22:32 am »

Well Mad,

If you don't want to change out the cylinder then try this. Carefully centre a 13/64 drill bit in the hole of the bleeder bolt. Drill it as plumb to the direction it enters the cylinder as possible. If necessary go up to 7/32 drill bit. This one will probably tear out the last of the bleeder bolt. If you want to clean up the threads use a 6X1 mm tap and find a new bleeder bolt/screw. Any automotive wholesale worth its salt will carry an open stock selection.

rob76 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 09, 2007, 02:20:33 pm »

They're not too hard to replace, Those cylinders should be replaced anyway they are only about $15 each for Beck/Arnley made in Germany ones. Avoid the raybestos made in China ones the bleeder screws fall off of those ones by just breathing on them.

madmedix · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2007, 08:59:04 am »

So THAT's where the wheel cylinder came from

(it was done by the previous owner just before I bought it. This guy spent over a year fixing this car up for his 16 y/o son who turned around one day and said he didn't want it! :? )
I picked up another wheel cylinder just in case the fix doesn't work. I'll keep you all posted.

Cheers,
Andy

rob76 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2007, 10:09:04 am »

The shoes come off easiest by pulling the bottom of one side out first with big pliers. Don't try undoing the springs while the shoes are still on the car. It would be really maddening. Well you could easily do the bottom spring but those top ones are nasty.

madmedix · « **Reply #13 on:** October 21, 2007, 07:55:11 am »

OK. ALL DONE

I replaced the proportioning valve:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UAlvOUDxSXt6Jre9qAaj1w

And this shows the close-quarters fun behind it:
http://picasaweb.google.com/madmedix/Fall2007/photo?authkey=v4KJbHSlMaQ#5123800261900307346

Here's a second view showing the absolute joy of dealing with the hard line/soft line union, holder and that nasty bracket that holds the proportioning valve.
http://picasaweb.google.com/madmedix/Fall2007/photo?authkey=v4KJbHSlMaQ#5123800334914751410
(Hope these pictures turn out. I'll get it right yet)

Glad I sprung for the prop. valve and replaced it. Car brakes wayyy better now (the rubber bellows in the old one were toast).

BTW, see the 'tang' with the eyelet through it in the proportioning valve underneath the bellows? There is a matching one behind that parking brake cable. You MUST close the bellows and run a tie-wrap through it BEFORE attempting to bleed the lines or you WILL compromise the valve internally and have a nice 3 pound paperweight attached to your car.

Cheers,
Andy

Author Topic: Brake hard lines (Read 6340 times)

Doug

akrallysport

Doug