Brake rebuilding time. Lots o' questions!

[FastWoman]

I got the fancy Canuck-styled vicegrips. Cool!

Now all I'm waiting for is the @$%ed EGR valve for my Saturn. I had ordered from GMPartsShop.com, and they took nearly a week to cancel my order, when I had been expecting to receive the part in the mail. Grrrrrr.... So my Saturn sits in the driveway, disabled, and I have to get it running again before I launch into the Z.

Soon...

[240260280z]

Ah, you Canucks are technologically superior to us.

[mlc240z]

Definitely soak not only the flare nuts but the back side where the brake line goes through the nut with PBlaster. Repeatedly over a couple of days.

When I did my rear brakes, the soaked flare nut on the driver's side came off fairly easy, but the line had rusted itself to the nut and twisted with the nut. Snapped it right off. I had to replace the entire rear line with a used part from Roger at ZBarn (GREAT source for parts).

Lesson learned.

If the nut loosens a bit, try tightening, then loosening, tight, loose etc. to help break the line free from the nut.

[FastWoman]

Bart, I had that happen to one of my thermo housing bolts. It was the craziest thing I had ever seen. The bolt turned great, but it would get jammed in the unthreaded thermo housing hole by corrosion. I could NOT wiggle/work the corrosion loose, and the bolt head eventually rung off. Then I had to pry the thermo housing off of the bolt's stump. (It wasn't easy.) Anyway, thanks for the warning!

Blue, that looks far superior to the round ones we use down here!

[FastWoman]

BTW, we electrificate our tools down here:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]http://thereifixedit.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/129057438342972414.jpg[/ATTACH]

Edited October 13, 2011 by FastWoman

[FastWoman]

30ounce, I've been trying to contact Silver Mine Motors, without any success. Maybe you would know the answers to the questions I'm trying to ask them:

(1) Are the steel braided lines actually STAINLESS steel, or just steel?

(2) Will their standard braided lines fit OEM cylinders and calipers, or would those have to be custom fabricated?

Also...

(3) Is there any reason to think this might be a dodgy business, or is this guy pretty trustworthy?

Thanks!

[FastWoman]

Has anyone used the MSA stainless brake lines? They're a lot cheaper:

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PBC08/24-5121

I don't think they've got a protective clear vinyl outer sheath, and I see no mention of DOT approval. Does anyone know more about these?

There's even less info on these, but they're DOT approved:

http://www.jdmhub.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=281208&path=2_626_757_89767_90578

Edited October 13, 2011 by FastWoman

[Willoughby Z]

Don't know about VA, but the stainless braided hoses "should" not pass the annual state safety inspection in Pennsylvania. I say "should", because lots of people have those hoses on their cars and pass inspection anyway... :

Sarah,

This is from the Virginia State Police website (who are responsible for the state vehicle safety program:

REQUIRED OFFICIAL INSPECTION PROCEDURE

Each inspection consists of the following items – for further details consult the "Official Inspection Manual":

1. - REMOVE OLD INSPECTION STICKER.

2. - DRIVE VEHICLE INTO INSPECTION LANE.

3. - INSPECT BRAKES FOR:

•Worn, damaged or missing parts.

•Worn, contaminated or defective linings or drums.

•Leaks in system, proper fluid level.

•Worn, contaminated or defective disc pads or discs.

(NOTE: A minimum of two wheels and drums must be removed from each vehicle at the time of inspection. Consult the official inspection manual for exceptions.)

4. - INSPECT PARKING BRAKE FOR:

•Broken or missing parts.

•Proper adjustment.

•Standard factory equipment or equivalent.

I'm aware that the "Official Manual" probably contains greater detail regarding the brake inspection. My motorcycles have always had aftermarket SS braided line and have always passed. Granted, it's a bike shop doing the inspection...

I always take my cars to an inspection station where I can observe the process and my experience that they are looking primarily for thin pads, worn drums/rotors, and leaking/damaged components.

[LeonV]

Has anyone used the MSA stainless brake lines? They're a lot cheaper:

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PBC08/24-5121

I don't think they've got a protective clear vinyl outer sheath, and I see no mention of DOT approval. Does anyone know more about these?

I thought I had deja vu for a second there. You asked that exact question earlier in the thread and we answered it.

[FastWoman]

Ah, gee... er... Sometimes I have a hard time explaining how my brain works. Yes, noted... Thanks!

[Zed Head]

It might not be clear in my response - #3 - that I was talking about the stainless lines that MSA sells. MSA sells lines made by Earl's. I bought the whole 4 piece set. They're labeled with a black tag of what looks like shrink tape that say's Earl's on it. You might be able to find the right lengths, made by Earl's, somewhere else (Amazon, E-Bay, JEGS, etc) but I went for the MSA convenience.

They looked well-made, went on easy and did not require any post installation tightening and show no signs of leakage. They've been there for 20,000 miles.

But they do come with the "Off-Road Applications Only" tag, as discussed.

[FastWoman]

Thanks, Zed. No, I didn't know you were referring specifically to the MSA. I was reading that stainless braiding, in general, is DOT-verbotten.

I have to admit that there's a tiny twitch that tells me I should go with DOT-approved. I know this has much less to do with quality/suitability and much more to do with beaurocracy. However, if I were ever to run into someone, and if their ambulance chaser layer were to figure out that my brake lines weren't DOT-approved, then I would be caught having to defend how my non-approved brake lines didn't contribute in any way to an accident that couldn't reasonably be avoided.

At least with the DOT-approval, someone has signed off on the suitability of the brake lines. Of course that also happens, in theory, with the yearly inspections, but everyone knows those inspections are (or at least can be) rather pointless.