Help! Disconnecting Rear Brake Line above Rear

I am replacing the rear control arm bushings and removing the complete rear-end to clean and paint as well as new seals. I have finally gotten ALL nuts removed and I'm preparing to lower the read-end for removal. One final item is to disconnect the metal line to rubber brake hose connection above the rear.

I sprayed PB Blaster and tried a tubing wrench but the nut is not moving and the wrench is starting to round the nut. I took a fine pick and tried to clean any undercoating from the threaded area but still can't get it to come loose.

I want to be careful NOT to strip this nut since it is on the metal brake line and will be re-used when installing the rear-end again.

What can I do to get this brake line disconnected?? I'm done for today and plan to work on the car again Wednesday afternoon so any suggestions are welcome and encouraged.

Thanks in advance...

 

Idea 1: Maybe you could try that heat it and put wax on it thing.

wax gets into the threads, makes it easier .

Idea 2: toothy vise grip? be careful with this one, could damage the nut too.


Though if you want my opinion as to your best course of action, I would say cut the lines and run new line from the prop. valve/ brake distribution to that rear axle fitting. (If it is still the old rusty original lines)

Might as well since its cheap and you have to bleed it all anyhow. I would even give the axle lines a good looking over.

good luck, those can be tough to get apart without damaging the brake line if its old enough.

 

I Use Vice Grips And I Tighten It First ( Breaks The Nut Loose) Then Use The Same Vice Grips To Re Install No One Will See It Anyway

Ken

 

Caution: Flame + Brake Fluid may = Fire.

There is a clip on the rubber end of the hose where it meets the frame. Remove that clip, and you might be able to move the hose away from the frame and get those vise grips to keep it from rotating.

 

If you cut that line you cannot run it over the left wheel well and clamped like original without lifting the body from the frame.

 

I just did mine a couple months ago when i put in a rebuilt rear and that line was a PIA to undo. Sprayed the PB let is sit overnight still couldn't undo with pipe wrench. so i just cut the old crusty line on the axle just before the nut and used a socket wrench with more leverage and it came undone. I wanted to replace the rear axle brake lines anyway with new stainless ones along with the all new rear suspension.

 

I am replacing the brake lines on the rear-end with new stainless lines. I will also replace the rubber brake hose that connects the rear-end to the hard lines that are connected to the frame. The metal frame lines-to-rubber hose is where my problem is.

I removed the clip that holds it to the frame hoping maybe to get better access to the nut. This didn't help as the metal lines are not flexible enough to make a difference.

I will cut the rubber hose so that I can remove the entire rear-end as a complete assembly. This will allow me to media blast the entire rear and paint before reinstalling. I'll replace the pinion seal and check the axle bearings while it's out.

My issue is that I was hoping to NOT have to replace the metal frame connected lines but this nut is a real challenge. I cleaned around the threads as well I could and sprayed again with Blaster.

I'll get back to it tomorrow afternoon or Thursday and hope that by then the Blaster will have loosened things up. I'll try some vice-grips and be careful. With my luck it will become another project that will grow beyond what I am expecting......

 

Remove the clip holding the rear hose into its bracket. Pull it and the line down through the bracket about 1 inch. Cut the hose fitting around the line nut almost all the way through. Try the tubing wrench and a 5/8 wrench on the hose again. At the very least, the hose will come free. It may take a little working to get the tube nut to spin freely on the line...don't be shy with the pb...keep working it back and forth. If the line from the prop valve is rusted, replace it. It may be a pita, but it beats loosing your brakes when trying to panic stop.

 

how about disconnecting the hardlines from the axle from the junction and reusing the flex connection?

you could also cut the hardlines on the axle and use a 6 point deep socket on what's left of the nut.

I had to do this on a dodge dakota that I was doing an axle swap on.

FWIW: I somehow was able to replace my hardline going to the rear on my convertible w/o bending the line or lifting the body off of the frame.

 

One other point is that removing the rubber hose from the metal line will allow me to move the metal line enough to provide better access to the upper front control arm bolt on the driver side. That was the toughest one to get at for removal. I'll reconnect the brake line after I reinstall everything and get that upper control arm tightened.

 

I worked on the car again yesterday and finally got the entire rear-end out of the car. I ended up having to cut the rubber brake hose since the metal brake line nut would not spin without twisting the metal tubing with it. I used vise grips which worked well to hold the nut but it was corroded to the line and fused together.

Now I will end up having to replace the metal line from the booster back. I actually prefer to replace it with new stainless lines but I am concerned with Jim's comment about NOT being able to route the line over the left side of the frame where it rises above the rear-end. From looking at things I can clearly see the line route from the center connection along the frame.

What exactly is the problem with replacing the brake line with the body on the frame? And, can someone tell me an exact part number to order stainless brake lines that are correct bend?

Thanks for the help.....as always!!

 

I replaced that line and did not have to do anything but swap it out.

I would recommend using the regular steel lines instead of the stainless.

Sometimes it can be really difficult to get the stainless lines to seal.

Ask me how I know.......:idea2:

 

Same here. I would only use original metal lines after once using stainless.

 

Let's look at the lines in question here..



What Jim was saying, is that your going to have a tough time replacing that line, for two reasons..

1. See the clamp that has the fuel and brake line in it, right before the frame kick-up, bolted in from the top.

2. Physically getting the front to rear, 1 piece line in a complete car, is going to be difficult, without bending it all up.

Those will be your challenges, I'm not saying it is impossible, just very difficult.

It is impossible to replace the rear section of the fuel lines, without lifting the body.

Or just send that sucker up here, and I will make it look like the picture.. :TU:

As as was said, skip the stainless..

Inline tube PN is BKB70M3


Good luck Rob

JW

To be honest, if it was here, I would just loosen the front 4 body mounts up and then take the center and all 4 rear body bolts out, and lift the rear of the body up carefully and inch or two, to get some clearance... watch your door to front fender clearance carefully if you do this. also, I would take loosen up the front core support bolts, so you can get the whole body to pivot on the frame a bit.. this will be a great time to replace old body mounts also.

Good luck, you have a tough job ahead of you.

 

All Right,

I just went out to garage and took a flashlight to peer into the area between the frame and the floor pans at the 2 clip locations from JW's photo above. I now have an understanding of the considerations of replacing the brake lines relative to those clips being bolted "from the top" of the frame.

It sure would be nice if those clips were (or could) be mounted vertically in the same location. I wonder if an engineer would have considered the possibility of that clip be mounted in a different manner? Anyone modified these clips to the vertical?

I'd love to hear how others have approached completing the replacement of this one-piece brake line without lifting the body from the frame. I'm a bit anxious about what I want to attempt...

I have some thinking to do... and maybe a phone call to make. Now where is that restoration labratory phone number? :Brow:

 

The other option is to feed an unflared brake line up thru the clamp, and then bend/flare to fit.

BTW - the body lifting is not that hard.