Replace brake flex lines?

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nospampls2002@yahoo.com - 21 Mar 2006 21:10 GMT

'94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
front wheel was extremely hot.
Diagnosed as brake pistons sticking in calipers.
Planning to replace with remanufactured calipers.
Advisable to replace brake flex lines front and rear also?
Have heard they can collapse internally.

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N8N - 21 Mar 2006 21:25 GMT

> '94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
> Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Advisable to replace brake flex lines front and rear also?
> Have heard they can collapse internally.

It's a little early for them to be failed; but for anything over 10
years old I would definitely replace them. I'm thinking go ahead and
do it; it's a little more work now, but if it turns out they are bad
you'll have to basically do the same work over again.

You have flare wrenches, right...?

nate

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Steve - 21 Mar 2006 23:34 GMT

Collapsing is less of a problem than bursting.
Brake hoses should be replaced whenever calipers or wheel cylinders are
replaced. Cheap insurance.

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Mike - 22 Mar 2006 04:22 GMT

If you had a proper diagnosis done and are shure it's the calipers, why
replace the hoses ? That's like saying " Have heard master cylinders can go
bad and brake lines can rust out, should I replace them also?" In other
words, if it's not bad don't repalce it.

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Nate Nagel - 22 Mar 2006 11:59 GMT

>>'94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
>>Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> bad and brake lines can rust out, should I replace them also?" In other
> words, if it's not bad don't repalce it.

I disagree, I wouldn't go to the trouble of replacing the calipers
without at least checking the hoses, first visually (are they starting
to crack or check?) and second functionally (blow through the hose in
both directions to see if there's any restriction) and by the time you
remove it to blow through it you might as well replace it. Plus a hose
that old unless you reinstall it in exactly the same way, it probably
will crack. Hoses are cheaper than my time to go back and rebleed if
one turns out to be bad.

nate

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Steve - 22 Mar 2006 16:50 GMT

>>> '94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
>>> Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> without at least checking the hoses, first visually (are they starting
> to crack or check?

I'd go further than that. They're SO inexpensive and SO important that
while you have the calipers off *anyway*, why not put on new ones? Sure,
brake hoses CAN last 200,000 miles, and I'd gladly leave them there that
long if they continued to pass visual inspection and the calipers
continue to function, but the first time I have to remove a caliper for
any other reason, I put on a new flex hose just for good measure.

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Mike - 22 Mar 2006 18:34 GMT

>>>'94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
>>>Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> to see if there's any restriction) and by the time you remove it to blow
> through it you might as well replace it.

The brake hose should have been checked during the process of checking for
a sticking caliper. The first step should be to check for a blockage in the
brake hose causing the caliper to stay applied.

Plus a hose

> that old unless you reinstall it in exactly the same way, it probably will
> crack. Hoses are cheaper than my time to go back and rebleed if one turns
> out to be bad.

I do agree with you on this point, however, I live in the rust belt. Many
times I've had a "simple" brake hose replacement turn into a "major" brake
system repair due to severe rust. As with any job you should always take a
look at any related components and replace what is needed accordingly.

> nate

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nospampls2002@yahoo.com - 22 Mar 2006 19:28 GMT

Thanks for all the replies.
Appreciate your thoughts.
Will replace the brake flex lines.

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Nate Nagel - 23 Mar 2006 01:03 GMT

>>>>'94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
>>>>Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> system repair due to severe rust. As with any job you should always take a
> look at any related components and replace what is needed accordingly.

I hear ya. I have a nice little Imperial hand bender and a good double
flaring tool on permanent standby :)

nate

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Alex Rodriguez - 23 Mar 2006 20:36 GMT

>'94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
>Brake pads are binding on both sides. Yesterday after short drive, left
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>Advisable to replace brake flex lines front and rear also?
>Have heard they can collapse internally.

Definitely. They are cheap and add little work to the job.
-----------------
Alex

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clifto - 28 Mar 2006 23:57 GMT

> nospampls2002@yahoo.com says:
>>'94 Camry, 4 cylinder, 143,000 miles, disk front, drum rear
>>Advisable to replace brake flex lines front and rear also?
>
> Definitely. They are cheap and add little work to the job.

On a '94 the fittings are probably so corroded as to make it a whole
lot of work. Not that it's not worth it.

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