Brake line help please

['77az280z]

Ok, so my brake line broke off into my hallow bolt that plugs into my calliper, so i bought a new brake line. The bolt that is plugged into the brake hose is really freakin hard to break loose . I need some suggestions with minimal tools on how to break it free since im at work and dont have access to a whole lot of tools . Thanks guys.

[Walter Moore]

Minimal tools?

A wrench and a hammer should be enough. Use short, sharp, shocks, (as Pink Floyd used to say...) and eventually you will break the bolt loose. But beware: if you get frustrated and start to really HAMMER on it you will break the bolt clean off.

Good Luck.

[ajmcforester]

Minimal tools?

A wrench and a hammer should be enough. Use short, sharp, shocks, (as Pink Floyd used to say...) and eventually you will break the bolt loose. But beware: if you get frustrated and start to really HAMMER on it you will break the bolt clean off.

Good Luck.

I add a little penetrating oil

['77az280z]

Ok well, i have used penetrating oil and tried little knocks with no luck. It really seems to be seized in there, any other suggestions?

[d240zx2]

Yep. One more. Take the caliper to your local auto parts store and get a remanufactured unit. New caliper, no more problem.

['77az280z]

The problem wasnt the bolt in the calliper, i actually have new callipers thats why i wanted to get mine off. The issue is the steel brake line going into the brake hose, the bolt there wont budge.

[Zed Head]

Vise-grips will work but you have to get it right the first time so you don't round the fitting end off.

They do get freakin' tight and when they let go you'll think you broke it.

Edit - it might help to take the hose end out of the mount so you can get a wrench/vise-grip on the big fitting and the broken end. Set the wrenches/vise-grips up so that you can squeeze them together rather than pulling on them.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Zed Head

[Inf]

Do you mean the 10mm flare nuts on the end of the hardline where it goes into the flexible segment?

Be careful, make sure you get a real flare nut wrench for them. A standard open ended wrench is an awesome way to round the hex corners off or warp/crush the nut, then you're seriously hosed.

Mine were pretty mangled by a PO who obviously tried to use vise grips or something. They need to be re-placed someday, and I am not looking forward to it (specifically the body-side flare nuts).

Edit: Like Zed Head said, remove the fitting from the body mount. Usually there is a little metal spring clip that is holding it in, and you just have to grab some pliers and carefully pull it off the fitting. It should pop free then.

Once it's free and clear, you can get a big open ended wrench on there (I think it may have been like 17-19mm, somewhere in there). I find it's easier to turn if I have it grabbed in a wrench rather than those flimsy little sheet metal 12 point cutouts on the body mount. If the flare nut is in serviceable condition, definitely only use a 10mm flare nut wrench on it. It's a great investment anyway, and I wouldn't try working on the brakes without one. Get a good one, Craftsman at the very least.

Before you do any manhandling of it though, I'd definitely put some penetrating oil on there and really let it go to work for at least a day or so. The first time I pulled all the brake fittings free, they were stuck pretty bad. I went around twice a day for a few days spraying Kroil on all the parts, so I was sure to soak a ton of it in. It was much easier to get those suckers free after that.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Inf

['77az280z]

Thanks alot guys it was a big help! I ended up getting it off with the vice grips, sorry i didnt post earlier. Anyways another crisis averted!!!! Hahaha thanks, the next day my battery blew up and voltage regulator went out *sigh*

[ajmcforester]

. . . Anyways another crisis averted!!!! Hahaha thanks' date=' the next day my battery blew up and voltage regulator went out *sigh*[/quote']

Welcome to the world of classic cars

[lbpdz]

The good news is as soon as you get that straight - you will have another problem

Turning the wrench is only half the fun =/