WTB: A Set of Brake Lines

[Eric]

Hi. Had the car up on the lift, and noticed the brake lines are finally beginning to get crispy. Doesn't bother me none, but it seems to be one of the few things you can't sneak by on an inspection around here.

I can buy tubing and bend it up, but it's a royal PIA (did my pickup last year, and my kid's Cherokee this summer), especially with al of the tight, precise bends in this system, and the separate left and right rear lines, so if anyone out there who's parting a low-rust car wants to pull theirs off, I'm interested.

Thanks!

- Eric

[Artem]

You might be better off getting a set of SS lines on ebay, they go for fairly cheap and were really easy to install.

I forget how much mine were but I think they were cheaper than $90, or around there.



That is, unless you are talking about the steel lines, which is a whole different ball game.

[Eric]

Nope, the steel lines - The rubber lines are fine, and I can get replacements from Pelican for a good price.

If you get under your car and look at the steel lines, and then imagine reproducing all those bends, you'll quickly begin looking for alternatives.

- Eric

[MrMajicCity]

Whole lines SS front to rear

[Eric]

You have a full set of stainless steel hard lines? Interesting.

E-mail sent.

[MrMajicCity]

No I was saying run new stainless lines braided lines... Or nylon bendable by hand lines...

[Eric]

You can't run braided flexible lines the length of the car - for one thing, it would be prohibitively expensive, for another, it would fail inspection up here.

As for Nylon - are you kidding? If you can show me nylon lines with a burst strength that would withstand braking pressures, then please do.
They would still be illegal here, though.

I've got a guy willing to sell me a set of non-rusted lines if I can help get them off, and I can always buy a roll of copper brake line (which IS legal, and is easier to bend than steel) if any of them doesn't work out well.

- Eric

[MrMajicCity]

Yup copper was going to be my next suggestion...I know my advance sells this Teflon infused nylon or something that looks plastic rolled up into a coil that they sell for hand bendable brake line and parts shops buy that stuff up...I only know cuz I'm a mechanic by trade...I know what ever it is is not steel or metal

[Eric]

Now you've got me curious about the plastic, though I know I couldn't use it here.

- Eric

[MrMajicCity]

If you can get away with the copper lines I say run copper lines...if mine rust out I'm going to replace the master cylinder and run -3 SS LINES thru the whole car...can you say super stiff brakes

[Eric]

If I can get my hands on factory lines, all I need to do is a little manipulating and detail work.

If I make them up with copper, I have to do bending and flaring, in addition to the same manipulating and detail work.

If the factory lines don't pan out, I expect I'll use the copper.
If I do, I'll have to get a bubble flare tool, though - I've only got an American inverted flare tool.

- Eric

[MrMajicCity]

Use a beer bottle to bend the lines you can use them too

[Eric]

I usually get pretty good bends with my hands. Occasionally, I'll use a bottle or even a tubing bender, though I feel I've got better control with my hands.

- Eric