Front Brake Line replacement

[BooSparx]

Hello fellow Corvair heads !!

I have a '65 Monza convertible 110 HP . . She is in VERY good shape. But just recently I have had an issue with my passenger side front brake.
I replaced the control arm, ball joints and bushings on that side about a year ago and all went very well. But recently I started to get a leak out
of the fitting were the metal line meets the rubber hose. I thought it was the rubber hose gone bad . . so I replaced that bled the whole system and drove it for a few days .. not issues. But when I checked the fluid at the master cylinder I noticed the level had gone down slightly. I knew this was a problem . . even if it was only slight. I checked the connection again at the point where the steel brake line meets the hose and it was damp with brake fluid. I have never had and only issues with the brakes over the 10 years I have had the car. I do my own brake jobs and the car has been stable as a rock . . no pulling and no leaks.

I think the flange/connection/fitting at the end of the brake line is compromised in some way and is not sealing . . it ONLY leaks from that point . . NO where else in the line and or system.

I bought new rubber hoses and a single break line for the passenger side from Clarks. I REALLY don't want to have to pull the tank to replace this one line (none of my other lines have a problem and they all have rubber hoses that are less then 3 years old) my tank is clean, flushed it and treated it 3 years ago and put a in-line filter in the gas line when I cleaned the tank.

Question is: Can I cut the line at the flange and replace the connection/fitting (using a new fitting from my new line) that meets the rubber hose and re-flare the line with this tool (see image) this way I leave the line in place (not rusted and not leaking . . (only leaks at the fitting/nut on end of line)
my thought is I cut it with my air tool cutter clean put the new fitting on and then flare it. Last question is . . I assume this line calls for a 3/16 flaring tool ?!

Please let me know your thoughts and or has anyone else done this procedure ?!

[toytron]

Hello fellow Corvair heads !!

I have a '65 Monza convertible 110 HP . . She is in VERY good shape. But just recently I have had an issue with my passenger side front brake.
I replaced the control arm, ball joints and bushings on that side about a year ago and all went very well. But recently I started to get a leak out
of the fitting were the metal line meets the rubber hose. I thought it was the rubber hose gone bad . . so I replaced that bled the whole system and drove it for a few days .. not issues. But when I checked the fluid at the master cylinder I noticed the level had gone down slightly. I knew this was a problem . . even if it was only slight. I checked the connection again at the point where the steel brake line meets the hose and it was damp with brake fluid. I have never had and only issues with the brakes over the 10 years I have had the car. I do my own brake jobs and the car has been stable as a rock . . no pulling and no leaks.

I think the flange/connection/fitting at the end of the brake line is compromised in some way and is not sealing . . it ONLY leaks from that point . . NO where else in the line and or system.

I bought new rubber hoses and a single break line for the passenger side from Clarks. I REALLY don't want to have to pull the tank to replace this one line (none of my other lines have a problem and they all have rubber hoses that are less then 3 years old) my tank is clean, flushed it and treated it 3 years ago and put a in-line filter in the gas line when I cleaned the tank.

Question is: Can I cut the line at the flange and replace the connection/fitting (using a new fitting from my new line) that meets the rubber hose and re-flare the line with this tool (see image) this way I leave the line in place (not rusted and not leaking . . (only leaks at the fitting/nut on end of line)
my thought is I cut it with my air tool cutter clean put the new fitting on and then flare it. Last question is . . I assume this line calls for a 3/16 flaring tool ?!

Please let me know your thoughts and or has anyone else done this procedure ?!

Screen Shot 2018-10-14 at 7.28.54 PM.png

As long as you have enough line to work with and are able to slide the compression nut back far enough you should be able to do that but....I would not cut the line with anything that would cause shavings that could possibly get into the line. Most good tubing cutters have a groove on the rollers that are designed to allow you to place the flare into the groove and cut close to the end. I didn't look at your suggestion for flare kit but you should double flare the end of the line. There are kits that are not too expensive that will do that just follow the instructions on the package.

Ed Stevenson

[toytron]

Here is that groove I was talking about.

Ed Stevenson

[terribleted]

If there is any corrosion in the old line where you want to flare it, it may not flare properly. Is worth a shot however. I would grab a 2 short pieces of 3/16 brake tubing from the local parts house so I could steal a fitting from one and have one the right length to replace the end of the original line by splicing if needed. I would also grab a 3/16 flare union fitting if I did not have one. If unsuccessful in flaring and reshaping the end of the old line after stealing a fitting from my new parts house pieces, I would cut the original back farther and try again using one of the short lines and a union to hopefully get a good seal. Worst case is you will have to pull the tank and replace the line with the new one you have.

[BooSparx]

No rust or breakdown at the flare on the existing brake line . . I think it's the threaded fitting that has issue. I think I can cut it clean . . there is some slack (not much) in the line to still meet the rubber hose fitting. Think I can get this cutting tool at AutoZone or Advanced Auto . . etc. ?! and is it small enough to get it in place and use it to cut the line ? !

Other question: the rubber hose mount on wall of wheel well where the line meets the rubber hose . . that has welded bolts on the other side of the wheel well ?! meaning if I undo those bolts to take it out . . bolts aren't going to fall out the backend and I now I have no way to get the mount back on.

Thanks in advance for all the info and advice !!!

Boo

[BooSparx]

Can I ask if you can post a link to the cutting tool or tell me where I can find it ?! or give me a name of the product.

Thanks again . .

Boo

[toytron]

Can I ask if you can post a link to the cutting tool or tell me where I can find it ?! or give me a name of the product.

Thanks again . .

Boo

You should be able to find one at a party's store or a home improvement store in the plumbing section. Just make sure it has the groove.

Ed Stevenson

[terribleted]

No rust or breakdown at the flare on the existing brake line . . I think it's the threaded fitting that has issue. I think I can cut it clean . . there is some slack (not much) in the line to still meet the rubber hose fitting. Think I can get this cutting tool at AutoZone or Advanced Auto . . etc. ?! and is it small enough to get it in place and use it to cut the line ? !

Other question: the rubber hose mount on wall of wheel well where the line meets the rubber hose . . that has welded bolts on the other side of the wheel well ?! meaning if I undo those bolts to take it out . . bolts aren't going to fall out the backend and I now I have no way to get the mount back on.

Thanks in advance for all the info and advice !!!

Boo

The hose bracket if that is what you are talking about generally has a captured nut (welded to the wheel hose) so you take out the bolt and the bracket comes loose with the nut still in the car's body.

[BooSparx]

Yes - that is what I'm talking about. I just wanted to make sure I won't hear nuts dropping into the chassis after I undo the bolts.
I need to take it out to get some room to work on the end of the brake line. Can I use these tools to get the job done ?!

Thanks ! !

Boo

[terribleted]

You likely can. You need both tubing cutter and double flare tool. I have found that the original steel lines do not double flare particularly well (the seam is often a bit thick and will not form nicely on a tool like the one you show (which is like mine)) so be sure to not cut up the line from Clark's to get the fitting for the repair. Save it in case you are not successful using the existing line.

[BooSparx]

Yeah . . that's a good idea to use another brake line fitting / flared nut instead of cutting up the Clarks prebent line I bought.
Thanks for that tip . .

Boo

[Danny Joe]

FYI, the fitting is not meant to seal. It only applies pressure to the flare itself, which creates the seal. I have seen a lot of compression fittings with teflon tape on the fitting threads, but it doesn't do anything.

[Wagon Master]

https://www.amazon.com/Parker-2GF-3-pk1 ... 95D2FMMZRM

[BooSparx]

Yeah . . I thought about trying a Teflon tape around the fitting but that seemed like a bad idea
when it comes to brakes. I've used it for fuel fittings and what not . . but for bakes . . I would
rather replace the fitting or the whole line.

As my dad used to say: "moving forward is optional . . stopping is not"

Thanks for the heads up !!

Boo

[joelsplace]

It isn't a bad idea because they are brakes. It's a bad idea because the threads don't seal anything.

[BooSparx]

I wanted to thank everyone for your help and knowledge base on this issue.
I was able to cut the flange off the end of the line and use another tool to make a new flange.
It worked perfectly . . I attached a new rubber hose and bled all the brakes and no leaks.

Of all the jobs I do on my late model cars . . I hate doing brake jobs the most. I hate the fluid
on my hands . . I hate the bleeders and the pumping of the brakes (one man job for me) and I hate the adjustments.

But when they work right . . it's a great !

Thanks again for all the info and saving me from installing a new line (and having to remove the gas tank).

Boo