My steel brake line that runs to rear brakes on my car has developed a pinhole in it. Is it feasible and/or safe to do a temporary fix by removing the section with a pinhole in it and splicing in a piece of high pressure rubber hose (i.e.-a piece of rubber brake hose)and securing it with hose clamps? Car has power disk in front,drum rear.Any thoughts, has anybody attempted this?jck7512@ptd.net
One solution that offers a sound, and long term repair would be to cut the line and install a compression union. You could also cut out a section of the line, and replace a section with compression unions. Anything less is a most unsatisfacory repair, even for a tem solution.
Fix it the right way - replace the deteriorated section of brake line. If that line has a pinhole, it is probably from the inside out due to moisture, so you can be sure you have other lines with the same problem.
Pre-bent brake lines are available from several sources and are not that expensive. It is worth the investment to do it right and not risk damage/harm to you, your car or someone else.
Absolutely replace the bad line. Don't try a repair. The cost of a replacement line is not that much. Tom is correct, if their is one pinhole, their will be others. Temporary fixes on high pressure hydraulic lines is not a good idea. I have lost brakes at highway speeds due to a pin hole. It is not fun. Do it once, do it right.
If you cannot afford a prebent line, go to the local auto parts store and buy a roll of the correct size line.
Last edited by catalina; 12/01/0601:30 PM.
68' Firebird 400 convertible, numbers matching, solar red w/ deluxe parchment interior. 66' Pontiac Ventura Hardtop 66' Pontiac Catalina Convertible
It's not a temp fix. It's a long term repair as an alternative to line replacment. I have both tranny lines done that way--done in 1979, and my gas line and brake lines were done in 1987. They have never had any issues, and they won't have any issues because the repair will outlive the lines. I feel just as confidant, if not more confidant with the repairs, than I would with new lines.
I don't do things the wrong way and wouldn't do/suggest such a repair unless it met the higest level of mechanical soundness. It's the correct way to repair a high pressure steel line rather than replacing it. It will meet any automotive safety inspection mandates governing repaired high pressure lines, and it's an approved repair by any technical mechanical repair publication that comes from a credible source. The only downside is that anal resto/number match folks scream bloody murder, and they would rather hang a chinese part on the car to make the judges happy, even if the part is a substandard pos. Of course the line must be sound, and I'd bet money that the pinhole is from chaffing, not corrosion.
Last I was told, compression fittings are not acceptable on hydraulic brake lines. I have never seen one fail, but i always replace them with proper double flare fittings when i am responsible for the brake repair of a vehicle. It was drilled into my head when i worked for a brake shop that compression fittings are not allowed, true or not.
That said, I've been trying to get my brother to replace the comp. fitting next to his M/C on his Pantera for the last 6yrs. It still works fine.
On my car, before i could do the full pre-bent line, I bought 3 pieces of brake line and 2 unions. I ran one long line front to center, one long line rear to center, and one short line to connect the two. It was ugly, but it was a fix that I knew would pass inspection. My line was rusty on the front from the junction to the frame, and also rusty from the frame to the rear hose bracket, where it developed the hole. This was before i had a line flare kit.
Since owning a flaring kit, I've fixed plenty of lines which were rusty on the back half, but fine on the front half. I cut several inches in front of the rust to where the line is without a doubt fine, and replace the rear section with new... also passes inspection. Line flare kits can be rented or borrowed, but can take some practice to get a decent double flare.
Here's a couple guys that agree that it's acceptable. Only use it on good quality lines though. The first link has some good pics. http://volksweb.relitech.com/brakeln.htm
My sentiments exactly Cat, although I do understand without a hoist the lines can be a b!tch to get in.
I would rather put in a poorly bent new line than try and do a reflare and connection on an old rusty one (mind you my flaring "technique" is not the best )....and I can be heavy on the brakes....
I don't have any issue with the repair you recommended. My concern is that the brake lines on his car could be 40 years old now.
I have replaced the master cylinder, rear wheel cylinders, the rear axle brake lines, the front brake lines and calipers on my car in the last year. I plan to replace the long, hard line from the front to the rear of the car this winter. All showed signs of general old age and neglect.
The problem is most of our cars sit for extended periods or have sat for years, in some cases, and the brake lines tend to deteriorate over time as the brake fluid absorbs moisture.
I like the restored cars as much as anyone else but my main concern is a safe, effective repair.
Dont use compression fittings. They cant handle that much pressure reliably. Measure how much line you need, and get it from a parts store. They will have the kind you can bend by hand with fittings on either end. If they dont have one long enough, get 2 along with a union.
)....and I can be heavy on the brakes....
