Replacing brake lines

[The73vetteman]

I just screwed up! I was trying to replace the flexible hoses to the front calipers and have managed to round off the hex on the left front brake line without managing to get it undone. This is despite soaking it in PB for 48 hours.

Do I need to replace the whole front crossover line, and is this a big job?

Anyone got any other advice (not counting "don't round hex nuts"!)

'73

 

[72VETTE454]

Vetteman, I just got done doing that exact job on my 72. I replaced the whole front crossover pipe. It was not that big of a deal. Paragon sells a complete stainless steel kit for the entire car, they don't offer the pipes seperately. But I wasn't ready for that yet. Vette Products of Michigan sells the pipes seperate. I paid $53 including tax for a stainless steel pipe with the production style coil wrap on it. Let me know if you need more info.

 

[BeaterShark]

This is going to sound bubba (and it is), but get som vice grips and it will come off.

When I first started with my breaks, I went out and bought some nice flare wrenches as to not mess up the hex bolt. It slipped easily and rounded off the SOFT aluminum. I then grabbed the vice grips and it worked fine.

If you replace it, make sure you get lines with the steel nuts so you won't mess them up in the future.

 

[The73vetteman]

BeaterShark,

That was my experience with the flare wrenches too. Damm things just slipped and made a mess.

Vice grips it is, and I'll probably buy the new line as suggested by 72VETTE454. Does it have the steel nuts, do you know?

Thanks guys.

 

[JohnZ]

ALL brake pipe tube nuts are steel; no such thing as an aluminum brake pipe fitting.

 

[72VETTE454]

Yes vetteman, the brake pipe nuts are steel.

 

[The73vetteman]

Just to let you know, I got stuck in with the vice grips this evening and finally managed to separate hose from line. Then I managed to hook up the new hose with no leaks (at least not yet.) Had to use the grips again to tighten up the fitting. The end result is not pretty, but it works.

thanks for the tips.

'73

 

[BeaterShark]

ALL brake pipe tube nuts are steel; no such thing as an aluminum brake pipe fitting.

Well, I don't 100% know what the original material was, but if it was steel, it was the weakest, bendable, mashable, non-rustable steel I've ever seen.