Rear break line...What is this called?

Post by **erikv11** » 04 Apr 2016, 18:07

I would clean it up and then be careful with the heat, it will not catch on fire if you are careful to not try to cook it. Has a high temp for ignition. Just a little bit of direct heat with a torch and you should be good. Watch out for boiling (bubbling) brake fluid, too.

I really dislike using channel locks on brake fittings unless I intend to throw them away when I am done. It is too easy to chew the fitting to bits. Channel locks on the throwaway hose, sure, but for me it is flare nut wrench only on the fitting.

Post by **abscate** » 04 Apr 2016, 18:39

Total brain fart.

No to channel locks.

A vice grip (TM) ...including the trademark, and I mean a big one is ok.

Channel lock pliers will round off the fitting.

Post by **j-dawg** » 04 Apr 2016, 21:51

If you do buy flare nut wrenches, don't get cheap stuff. I bought an 11mm from O'Reilly because I had only 10s and 12s, and it rounded out the nut like it was NBD.

I also tried cutting a line-width notch in a twelve-point box-end wrench so I could use it as a homemade $2 flare nut wrench. No dice - it just opened wide and slipped over the nut.

A replacement nut has been ordered....in steel.

Post by **oragex** » 05 Apr 2016, 03:47

A vice grip worked for me as well. Need to figure out how tight to set it, not too much, but not too little either. I think I had it on the metal line side, and two of them will work even better. Care not to twist - keep the vice grip steady on the metal line side because normally the nut will turn on the flare but surely it's corroded and the flare it's jammed inside the nut - any twist/movement will deform or break the metal line (people who broke it had a piece of it cut, reflared and added a new piece with flare at both ends)

Post by **abscate** » 05 Apr 2016, 04:53

Don't sweat it if it snaps. It is easy to rework brake line and then you own a cool new flare tool.

It's just a flare....Lance, you ok?

Post by **erikv11** » 05 Apr 2016, 07:49

If you're not using a flare wrench in order to save money (what other reason could there possibly be??), then you probably don't want to buy a flare tool ...

I have Craftsman flare nut wrenches, moderately priced and have been very good to me on rusty brake lines.
These http://www.sears.com/craftsman-5-pc-fla ... ockType=G1

Post by **850 LPT** » 05 Apr 2016, 09:07

I own the exact same set, sooo worth the money.
Why struggle with vise grips and risk messing up a fitting?

Post by **abscate** » 05 Apr 2016, 09:33

It's two different mess ups. If you just round the head, vice grips will work. I've actually loosened all my brake lines with just an open end, the fittings on these are high quality.

Clean them up with a wire brush, penetrate with solvent a day before, then see how the open end fits. Pull nice and smoothly and you can feel the difference between threads releasing and head rounding.

If the hard brake line snaps, you need to get into the flare tool regime

Post by **erikv11** » 05 Apr 2016, 12:26

So you're saying vice grips are great *after* you have already messed up the fitting?

Rear break line...What is this called?

Re: Rear break line...What is this called?