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Brake Line.

fordsvt98

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Jul 8, 2004
Messages
665
Location
Minneapolis, MN
98 contour svt, looking underneath the car passenger side, just infront of rear wheel under the body, closer the skirts, has 2 metal lines if i recall, small aluminum looking lines I think they are the brake lines duh, but I have to ask, ummm, 1 has RUSTED,(looks like it is aluminum though hmmm) the other is fine. My 3 q's are, by description do you think these are the brake lines, and if it is, can lines be "patched" or complete. as id like to replace this. Im gonna sand it down tomoroow but I dont wanna sand thru it so i might just only scuff it lawl. should i spray some kind of rubberizer stuff on it to prolong its life it has left? Thanks as always! Salty in MN.
 
Brake lines are steel. They are coated or plated to cut down on rust but in salt areas they still cas rust through with old age. Most any parts store carries steel brake lines in universal sizes that must be bent to fit with a tube bender. An alternative is to cut out the bad part of the line and replace it with a new length of steel line with appropriate fittings so they don't leak. Don't use copper. It is illegal because copper work hardens with age and will eventually split.

Visit a parts store and you can probably learn all you need to know. By the time you buy the tools to bend the tubing and properly flare the ends, you may find it is more cost effective to let a shop replace the line for you.
 
Okay well im just gonna patch it in then with some flare n fittings then, thanks Big Jim. I was wonderin if you could do that. How much psi do you think is flowing thru these brake lines would ya say at a given time? When I bleed brakes, It doesnt seem like much force is being expended.
 
Okay well im just gonna patch it in then with some flare n fittings then, thanks Big Jim. I was wonderin if you could do that. How much psi do you think is flowing thru these brake lines would ya say at a given time? When I bleed brakes, It doesnt seem like much force is being expended.

I hope by flare n fittings you don't mean compression fittings. You need to install the proper coupling fittings and double flare the steel line to be 100% sure the line dosen't leak or blow apart when you hit the brakes hard.

As far as pressure, I have seen upwards of 1000 psi in a brake system under moderate pedal pressure. So I wouldn't doubt the possibility of 1300 or 1400 psi under a panic stop.
 
also you cant just throw this together. the flare must be good. it can take some practice to get it right. its not hard but you should find out what a good flare looks like. you will also need a flare tool.
 
My brake lines went too, i almost wrecked the car because of that, brake fluid everywhere, holy it was scary i couldnt stop, the hell with patching and whatnot, i just went to my favourite shop he installed brand new lines and im good to go, no point of taking the risk with a component as critical as that.
 
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