Fuel & Brake lines

[Clod_King]

Okay, so I bought an 89 Chevy suburban that needs new brake lines, and fuel lines to be safetied. I have a couple questions.

1) I am pretty damned sure I can get stainless steel tubing from my old work for a good dealeo. Is this a good call? I am trying to keep the initial cost down. Should I just go with the standard steel tubing? Or is it worth my time, and money to go stainless?

2) What are the sizes of the brake and fuel lines? I know there is a send and return for the fuel lines, but I don't know the sizes. And I don't know the size of the brake line either.

3) Is this a huge pain in th @ss to do? or is it do-able in sub-zero (celcious, not farenhiet) temperatures.

4)The tubing comes in 20 foot lengths. is it going to be more then 20 feet per line? would I actually need to buy two lengths of this stuff? If so I will bite the bullet, if not thank you GM!!!

5) If anyone has done this, is there anything I should look out for??
-problematic areas?
-clips that always rot out?
-you have to be nekkid to do any work in sub-zero weather?

Oh and P.S. I am doing this in a cramped gravel driveway... so I cannot get any jacks or such items under the truck.

 

[73k5blazer]

Stainless is the only way to go, IMHO, if your in an area where they use corrosive crap on the roads in the winter, which is most places where it snows these days, aside from Nunavut, Alaska & NW Territory.

For the line to the rear, you'll need to break it anyhow because you'd never get it in there with all the bends. Even in 2 pieces, it's a bear. Unless your body is off?

If you get the raw stainless tubing, you'll need a real good quality flaring tool, as the stainless is alot harder than steel, and the cheap flaring tools just don't work with it.

Can't remember the sizes, fuel is usally 3/8", brake is a couple of sizes, 1 size for the rear axle pieces, and each front line, and another size for the line to the back, and I think yet another size for the feed lines from the master to the prop. valve.

Check the places that sell the pre-bent stuff. http://www.inlinetube.com http://www.classictube.com/, they might list the sizes. I've bought a couple sets from inline (cause they are right by my house!) them. BTW, a full set of brake and fuel lines is like $250, and great people to work with, not too bad if you ask me, but if you get cheap tubing, the fittings are cheap, and it could be done for alot cheaper.

I used to make sets out of steel (and get pissed when they rusted away within 2 years), so now I just go stainless. If your going to bend it yourself, get a decent quality bender and carefully remove your old lines and use them for a template. Don't worry about getting the exact exact bends, as long as it's close, you'll be able to get it in there and bolt it down.

It's not that difficult, it is time consuming if your going to bend it all yourself, a good days job to pull the lines, bend up new ones, and install them.
Getting the right sizes and fittings will take a little time too, most auto parts stores have bins of the brass fittings, you can just match them to your existing if you can't fine the sizes.

 

[Clod_King]

Thanks man, that was UBER thorough. I like those kind of responses.

 

[gmc4cw]

I get everything from www.rightstuffdetailing .com their prices are fair and its prebent. all you have to do is tear out the old lines and install the new ones. nothing to figure out like where to bend it or how many peices.

I just replaced the entire rear brakeline. the one that runs from the front to the back. its 2 peices. the rear peice is easy. the front peice takes some patience where it goes behind the motor mount. cost me $50, not bad when you think of the time you will spend fitting and flaring the do it yourself stuff.

 

[Clod_King]

so do you think it would be worth my time to go prebent?

And how long does stainless last anyways?? obviously not forever, but worth my time and money though right??

 

[diesel4me]

OEM lines....

I believe the TBI trucks had a fuel line made with both steel AND rubber sections crimped together..

I've helped replace a few on newer trucks and S-10's,they SUCK to install--they go inside the boxed in sections of the frame,and are clapmed down in hard to get at places!..

I'm not so sure you could just use 3/8" steel lines and make your own fuel lines--they have weird flares at the fuel filter sometimes..I know the factory lines are super expensive--close to 200 bucks in one truck I replaced them in!..so I'd definately try to buy a stainless steel replacement line that is pre bent and has the correct flares,and any rubber sections as needed..I wasn't impressed with the GM lines at all--looked cheap,and easily damaged..

Stainless will outlast the truck most likely--seeing a truck lasts about 10-20 years here,IF your lucky...definately the way to go if you plan on keeping it more than a couple of years,and don't want to be doing this again..

 

[gmc4cw]

stainless will outlast you and your kids. If the truck never moved again in a hundred years you would find the stainless, glass, and aluminum lying on the ground where the truck used to be.

or maybe some archeologist would dig it up and show it off as ancient technology.

 

[Clod_King]

Yeah there is definately some crazy weird rubber tube spots along the chassis. It shouldn't be too bad though. all the clips are in pretty easy to access areas, and the rubber parts are actually making my life easier.

Oh and about the stainless, I screwed that idea after getting my price and waiting time.

But yeah I just came inside to warm up my hands, now I gotta get back at 'er.