Write-Up: Brake Line Repair

write-up: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/brakes-suspension-f6/write-up-brake-line-repair-t996-15.htm#103853

Ok, got a new master cylinder in. Brakes were firm, with a little fade. I chalked that up to a little air in the lines. Well it is a tad worse then that, the rear left brake line has rusted through.

We $h!†. Does anyone have experience with brake lines? I poked around a bit and it seems like no one sells them. I think I may have to pay some one to do this. I really dont think I am up to bending up a set of new brake lines.

Anyone have any advice? Man I really wanted to take the riv out this weekend....

Whatever you do, don't try to repair the line. Make or get the replacement that fits. Good luck. I did that job on a '74 Cutlass a few years ago, and hope I never have to again.

Man I wish I had a lift in my garage..

I got the same problem except all my lines are rusted to $h!†. My car has been sitting for a year and a half. Im not about to do it.....take it to a shop where you can get a gaurentee or warranty....that way if something goes wrong, you can blame it on them

Well I decided to do it myself. The section I am replacing is easy. It goes from the right rear to the left rear. Brake line sections from napa are pretty cheap, so its no biggie. I will prolly replace this one myself and later have a pro do replace all the other lines.

The bigger issue now is that the car suddenly wont start. So I cant even move the car to fix the brake line. If the car isnt running by july I swear I am going to shitcan the whole project.

Well I did the one brake line. First off the Rivi has METRIC brake lines. I ended up having to replace 2 sections. One from the joint under the front passenger, and the other from the rear right to rear left run. The longest pre-made line I could get was 60 inches, and the run to the rear was 75-77. Anyway I ended up using 3 sections instead of the factory 2. Not preferred, but it worked good.

Once the car is running nice, and maybe after I move, I plan to do the rest of them.

i did the exact same thing 2 weeks ago... i started with 2 60" pieces from the unions near the pass fron...then i got a coil of line to do the rest an only used 2 more unions.... note also the rivi uses bubble flares atleast min did,and the flare nuts are metric..but have american threads..i found this out after taking a metric thread guage an couldnt find the thread i was lookin for...ended up being american....i also had the liberty of using a hydraulic flaring tool....huge help!

bending isnt really that hard if you have a hand bender in hand. I did my brake lines on my 75 Z28. If you have the brake line off with you shouldnt be that hard flangin is alittle tricky. But you could trie it on an unsused piece and if its not good cut it off with a hand pipe cutter till you get a feel for it.

TType_Riviera wrote:

i did the exact same thing 2 weeks ago... i started with 2 60" pieces from the unions near the pass fron...then i got a coil of line to do the rest an only used 2 more unions.... note also the rivi uses bubble flares atleast min did,and the flare nuts are metric..but have american threads..i found this out after taking a metric thread guage an couldnt find the thread i was lookin for...ended up being american....i also had the liberty of using a hydraulic flaring tool....huge help!

Yeah mine were bubble flares. And it would have been sweet to have a flaring tool. I had to make 3 trips to Napa. First for standard threaded sections. Then for metric. Then again for another length and for some unions. The threads I checked were metric, but now you got me paranoid. Ill have to go back and check em. This was on a '97 though, maybe there were changes.

i could be wrong though to..because i know flare nuts for brakes are 6@$†@®d sizes...maybe i just got lucky that the guage fit it...

Every fastener except the wheel nuts seems to be metric on my '98. Never checked the brake lines, but I'd go for the metric wrenches first.

My brake lines look horrible, rusted and falling off the holders, Are there any companys making stainless lines for the riv? I have found the stainless hose thread, but I need lines and would love to put on stainless ones so I only have to do it once in my life.
mike, 97 riv.

definitely not for a riv
Metal brake lines are seldom found prebent for anything. I have no special knowledge of it but I would imagine stainless could be available somewhere. But to speak realistically, it would cost a shit ton more money than the steel lines and if you just replaced all those lines with the standard steel, those lines would probably outlast the practical life of the car.

My lines were rusted to shit also. Not leaking yet, but i decided to have them all replaced - Front to Back while my trans was out for rebuild. Used bulk steel coated lines from the rear up to the ABS unit. From the master cylinder down is a GM only pair of lines that have a flex line swedged in. Needed to order those to finish the job.
Don't know what the replacement lines are coated with but they have a dull black finish to them. Bought the tubing from the local Auto Parts store.
I went with the steel coated as opposed to stainless because of 2 reasons:
1. Cost and availability
2. The originals lasted 10 years of New England winters, figure the replacements will do the same.

Ah, well I've heard bending and flaring stainless is hard to do. Might hire an expert if you aren't experienced. I would try it though if any of my lines ever rust through.

If anyone wants to try bending their own, the tubing and tubing bender is available through Summit.

I've bent fuel line for my Charger. I've done it a few times and gotten lines that would work but none fit just right. Close enough to work, but not right. This job will test your patience and in the end you're unlikely to have anything you'll be proud of.

Thank's for all the information, I have always hated double flaring tubing, so there is no chance I will run stainless now that I have all this info. I will be running coated steel lines in pre flared pieces.
thank's
Mike

Jack the R wrote:

I've bent fuel line for my Charger.

Do you still have the Charger and if so, what year? Post a pic or two!!!!

Some old-school brake places do a great job bending and flaring lines for replacements.

As for stainless lines, I would not bother. I would prefer to use these alloy lines:

http://fedhillusa.net/default.aspx has more tech info.

Called Cunifer in the trade. It's a copper nickel alloy.

http://www.fedhillusa.com/ is the 'commerce' site.

You will want to rent their flaring tool:

http://store.fedhillusa.com/flaringtools.aspx

I am told you can set it up on a Black & Decker WorkMate (portable workbench) but I have not done that so you are on your own there. A permanent, sturdy workbench would be fine. That failing, a good shop with a good flaring tool will have *no* problems working with Cunifer.

Albertj


Albertj

Well our Buick suffered another setback.

The rear brake line that goes from passenger side to the drivers side in the rear blew out.

Upon further inspection the lines from the front unions @ firewall to the rear all should be replaced- they are rusted horribly bad.

Does anyone sell a prebent sections? GM even?

I dont think I can bend these lines!

Ive bent a line before on my 95 monte carlo, but it was a 10" section and not that big of a deal... But this thing is scary...

Help!

I had all my lines replaced a couple of years ago while the trans was out for overhaul and the research I did came up empty on buying pre-bent lines.
The shop had to get a roll of coated steel tubing and double flair all ends with new connectors / fittings.
I also replaced all the rubber hoses that go from the car to the calipers with stainless braided. The braided stainless to the calipers were actually the same price as buying rubber from Raybestos.
There are 2 lines that have to be bought from GM, they run from the Master cylinder ( I think) down to the ABS unit. They are stainless hard tubing, pre-bent, but have a section of flexible stainless tubing that is about 4" long in each one to allow for movement and expansion and contraction.
Even though I paid the shop that was doing the trans to go ahead and replace all the hard tubing that was easier to get to without the trans in the way, it still wasn't cheap.
They ordered and replaced the 2 up front from GM (special Order) and I bought the ones for the calipers from ZZP and did those myself.
But I know I spent over $350.00 to have the shop do what they did and that was with the easy access of not having the trans in the way. I should be good for another 10 years, I'm hoping. You may be able to find a local shop that will quote you less. I was stuck as they deemed the car unsafe after seeing the condition of my hard lines and I agreed.
Sorry.
Now this summer, I am going to try and do all my fuel lines myself. They are also getting bad and before they start leaking...... They are aluminum and should be easier to work with.
I have all the special flaring tools for them. Bought a good kit last year in anticipation.

I think I will call around a few shops tomorrow.

The lines from the front to the rear I may be able to do. However the one that is truly blown open I dont think I can...

EDIT

He said about $350 to have the brake lines done.

Im only concerned about the ones from the firewall back though.

EDIT