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messed up, need to know how to fix rear brake line

compudude86

CEG'er
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
414
Location
Algonquin, IL
Ok, so I was using a hammer on the rear knuckle to free up the strut I was trying to replace, when I slipped and cracked the brake tube that goes between the rubber hose that mounts to the strut and down into the drum somewhere. How difficult of a fix would this be?
 
Go to a junk yard and pick up a knuckle complete with breaks and break line.easy
 
Go to a junk yard and pick up a knuckle complete with breaks and break line.easy

A knuckle won't include the hard brake line he snapped.

compudude86, you need to replace that section of brake line. You'll need some hard line and brake line flaring tools. If you've never done it or don't feel comfortable doing it, you'll need to get the car towed to a shop to get the line repaired. If you can, cap off the end of the line where it broke. You don't want to lose all the fluid and get air into the ABS system.
 
i should be alright, i just need to figure out the size of the line. it didnt snap, just kinked closed where the hammer flattened it. this didnt look flared though, it looked more rolled on the end.
 
its a double flare. the easiest thing to do would be to get a new line from Ford. its at least worth looking into as it may not be that expensive and will already be bent to shape with the correct flares and fittings. if you dont want to do that, then take it to the parts store and match up the length, fittings, and size with the stock straight lines they have. then bend it to shape and install.
 
I'm sure you've fixed this by now but I'm posting to help anyone that needs info from this thread later. You can buy straight tube from any parts store. You only need to know the diameter and what flare type you need. This can be found out by removing the old part and taking it with you. I've built plenty of brake lines so I know you can use something that is already made and that you don't need a tubing bender unless you just have to make it pretty. I use some vice-grips to hold the lines together and bend it by hand in the same shape of the old one. Don't clamp the grips too much or it'll dent the line. If you can't find a line short enough, you can always loop it if it is too long or put a few bends in it side to side to make it shorter.
 
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