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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Cars / April 2006Info: Note on Ford brake-line fittings
As mentioned frequently on here, Ford often uses different size fittings on brake lines to prevent assembly errors. In some cases the threaded body is different size; in others, just the 'nut-head'. There are thread adapters made for the former case, available at local parts stores like KOI and NAPA. Some reason, not Autozone! But dont worry about nuthead size if the threads fit. EXCEPT: I recently had a problem replacing a line into a rear ABS block where the replacement fitting seemed 'loose' in the block socket. I didnt want to reflare to use the original big-head fitting so I prayed. And it sealed okay. (And yes, I checked that both it and the original fit a female coupling) HOWEVER - if you are splicing/flaring a line anyway as I will shortly to replace rusted front-to rear lines, suggest you reuse the original nut. DONT FORGET TO COUNT FITTINGS BEFORE YOU FLARE!!! Common 'ooops!' Another hint: Replacing a line, nut rusted solid? DONT fudge around, cut the line at the nut and use a six-point socket. Flex line nut rusted solid? same thing... not worth the hassle and odds are flex line will start leaking soon anyway. Also, Break loose bleeders with six point socket before using box wrench during bleed. Saves your nerves.  Signaturebeen there done that Hi Backyard, I can't speak to most of what you said here but I can speak to rusted lines. When cutting the line you are making allot of work for yourself. Patients is key here. A good penitrating oil sprayed a couple of times during the day and left overnight can work. Work the brake nut back and forth very quickly but in very small movements. It may take a minute or two to free up and at the same time apply more penitrating oil as you go but it will give free. As you are free, you are not free yet, work that nut back and forth as described a little at a time, don't try and back out like a normal nut until you feel it is ready to surcome... Safety is always part of this, if the car is 20 plus years old you may think about replacing the lines. I recenlty did my Taurus and they did not want to be removed but using the idea above all worked out well. Take your time... Easy does it... The oil will soften the rust, easy back and forths will bring it loose. I only say all this because that is the least of the fun jobs to replace a brake line! :) Gerald > Hi Backyard, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > two to free up and at the same time apply more penitrating oil as you > go but it will give free. All due respect... how does that help, when you're throwing it away anyhow? I can cut a line in 5 seconds, including time needed to get the snips from the tool carrier. Then pull out the 3/8 drive impact socket (yes, i was surprised they existed but they are REAL handy). Voila, no sweating, no 'patience' required, no damage to the receiver. No need to curse cheap tubing wrenches, no need to shell out big bucks for top-of-line ones. Most of all... the vise-grips stay in the toolbox. Right tool, right method, for the job at hand. SignatureYeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! And speaking of 'cheap tubing wrenches' and vise-grips: When removing a line that you want to keep, see if you can clamp small vise-grip around the tubing wrench... will give you added confidence that the nut will un-seize before the wrench spreads and rounds the stuck nut. Otherwise, use the penet-oil and patience method. > Right tool, right method, for the job at hand. SignatureYeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! > Right tool, right method, for the job at hand. If you're like me, any repair job requires a little 'psyching up' before you get started on it... not so much because it's tedious as the dread of Murphy's Law. Likewise the individual's patience to do the job right is finite. Only so much available until it turns to random acts of desperation and possibly on to chaos. That's why it is important to NOT waste that precious patience allotment on inconsequentials. Exhaust work? Removing the OLD parts is more a sap on the psyche than installing the new ones. Number one tool, if you dont have a cutting torch or dont want to drag it out: a 4 inch angle grinder with cutting wheel (and goggles). Yeah... you can always use an impact socket with or without the gun to break the clamp or flange bolt in two.. but it might not, might just round. I just plug in the angle grinder and get it done. SignatureYeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! > Likewise the individual's patience to do the job right is finite. Only > so much available until it turns to random acts of desperation and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Number one tool, if you dont have a cutting torch or dont want to drag it > out: a 4 inch angle grinder with cutting wheel (and goggles). Ugghh, don't remind me. I hate exhaust work. Growing up, my father was rather uhm...thrifty... yea that's it. I don't know how many hours I spent replacing just 1 muffler or 1 intermediate pipe on his cars, only to have to go back and replace another single part a few months later. Today I just light the torch and s**tcan the whole thing. Even now it drives him crazy. "You can reuse that tail pipe, can't you". Pssshhhht....Clunk..."Nope"! As for brake lines, it's the same thing. There's a fitting at each end for a reason. Snip the line, remove the fittings with a 6 point socket, 2 new fittings and 2 flares, Done. I've found that bulk line is a little softer and easier to work with than the pre flared lengths. You can do a neater job also. I've found that bulk line is a little > softer and easier to work with than the pre flared lengths. You can do > a neater job also. Pre-flared I've gotten recently from KOI is VERY workable! There's ANOTHER tip! Brittle line is cheaper... not enough that it makes more than a few cents difference in profit, but AZ figgers what you dont know cant hurt them.... if it kinks, then YOU must have done something wrong. And besides, they sell benders (never mind they dont really work worth a sh##!) Go where the shop mechanics go back to complain.... get my drift? SignatureYeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! ====== ====== > Ugghh, don't remind me. I hate exhaust work. Growing up, my father was rather > uhm...thrifty... yea that's it. I don't know how many hours I spent replacing just 1 > muffler or 1 intermediate pipe on his cars, only to have to go back and replace > another single part a few months later. Today I just light the torch and s**tcan the > whole thing. Even now it drives him crazy. "You can reuse that tail pipe, can't you". Pssshhhht....Clunk..."Nope"! ======== ======== lol I think we may be brothers. ~:~ marsh If you're like me, any repair job requires a little 'psyching up' before you get started on it... Yeah I hear you... It does require exactly this... But this is where patients comes in, while getting my nerves together to do the job everything is going through my head as to what can and what might goin right and wrong. I have learned to think out all the possiblities. Am not a pro so taking the time to think it out and taking the time to remember when I was a kid and getting scratched and bruised was all about. When I did my recent project I wanted ways that would work without having to cut things away and without having to get hurt. It took visualizing making mistakes. I got bloody only once on this project... Was nice, not only that I was able to loosen things that you may have cut out and replace. Gerald > If you're like me, any repair job requires a little 'psyching up' > before [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Gerald ZEN only goes so far in maintaining a motorcycle, Gerald... even less a car; that was my point, dont waste it. SignatureYeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! >> Hi Backyard, >> [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Right tool, right method, for the job at hand. 3/8 impact sockets are a perfect match for 3/8 air wrenches - very handy ! Bill |
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