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Sketchy Brake Lines... UPDATE

Chevy305

Chevy305

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Ok so some of you guys may remember my pinched brake line on my rear axel, and then the compression fittings that I found on the main rear line when I had the bed off my truck...

Bed Restoration Part 1 004.jpg

Bed Restoration Part 1 034.jpg



Well... The line decided to finally give when I had to panic brake yesterday. The good news is that I didn't hit the car in front of me but man it was so close! The funny thing is that the line gave at a totally different spot than the sketchy spots in the line. :screwy:
Here's a picture of the tiny pin hole sized hole that formed:

Brake Lines 003 - Paint.JPG


The irony of it all is that I was driving home from getting my truck inspected, which it passed with no problem, and then I blow a brake line :doah: :rotfl:.


Anyway after I made it home on the front brakes and compression braking, I ordered an entire new set of brake lines. My plan is just replace them all at once and never have to worry about them again. So I called up LMC and ordered a set of Stainless Steel replacement lines and had them overnighted to me. After I got home from work today I found them sitting on my door step. They are VERY good quality lines! They are actually from the company In Line Tube and I am very happy with them.

Brake Lines 001.jpg

Brake Lines 002.jpg

So tomorrow I will install the new brake lines and then let them gravity bleed overnight, then bleed them with my vaccum bleeder the next day.

But I do have one question:
How do you gravity bleed your brakes?

Bed Restoration Part 1 004.jpg

Bed Restoration Part 1 034.jpg

Brake Lines 003 - Paint.JPG

Brake Lines 001.jpg

Brake Lines 002.jpg
 
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Oh and I think everyone should take a good look at their brake lines because I did not expect the lines to fail where it did.
 
gravity bleed = open up the bleeders and let gravity move the fluid down from the MC thru the system.

I would recommend hooking up a 20 oz soda bottle with a piece of rubber tube running through the cap to each bleeder and then pouring in the brake fluid. That way you dont end up with nasty corrosive brake fluid everywhere, and you have some time to bleed em out. also, its cheap, 18" of 3/16" ID hose works great

Once you have fluid coming out as fast as you pour it in, you can close the bleeder then move on to traditional bleeding.

Rears are easier if you have the truck inclined slightly as there is more tube to push fluid through
 
how much did the stainless lines run you?
 
Inline tube is somewhat near my house. I've been there many times. I've their stainless lines on my C10 and K5. I also have their stainless brake cables. Very good company. Great guys to work with.

Stainless lines are the only way to go in my opinion. And are really mandatory anywhere in northern states. I think it's criminal the factory doesn't use stainless lines on all new vehicles.
 
Update!

Ok I got the old lines out and then new lines in. What a PIA to snake all the lines around! :mad:

The fitment of the rear lines on the axel was perfect. The rear main lines were damn close but some how ended up being about 4" too long. The front lines were not even close because they must be for a C10. But oh well I check over the front lines and the have no sketchy spots in them or rust. So I will wait to do them for now.

I tried to do the gravity bleeding thing but somehow I ended up with brake fluid EVERYWHERE all over the ground because the bottle overflowed. So I proceded with my little hand pump vacuum bleeder. I probably spent about 4hrs total pumping and I still have a lot of air coming through the lines. However at this point the pedal is starting to get some resistance and doesn't go strait to the floor anymore. So I think after letting my hands rest from all that pumping I can get the rest of the air out tomorrow.

However, I did break a bleeder screw on my front passenger side caliper... My easy-out thingy won't do anything for it. So I have no idea what I'm going to do. Any suggestions?
Or how about general brake bleeding tips?
 
I would say replace the caliper, they are cheap, and much easier to replace than trying to get a broken bleeder out. Even Napa carries them for about 20 each side.
 
As far as bleeding tips, make sure you don't run the master cylinder dry accidentally, and if you want to spend the money, it's a good idea to replace the rear wheel brake cylinders and hardware if they have some years on them..
 
4by4bygod said:
As far as bleeding tips, make sure you don't run the master cylinder dry accidentally, and if you want to spend the money, it's a good idea to replace the rear wheel brake cylinders and hardware if they have some years on them..
Click to expand...

Both rear brake cylinders were replaced about a 2 years ago.

I think I may just end up taking it to a shop to get the brakes bled propperly if I can't get them by tonight.
 
Update

Ok, I did some research. I found out how to make a homemade pressure bleeder. So tonight I constructed it and after work tomorrow, we'll see how well it works.

But I did schedual the truck to go into the shop on monday morning. They will bleed the brakes, fix the broken bleeder screw on my front passenger side caliper, service the hubs and repack the wheel bearings, replace a broken wheel stud, and rotate the tires. Now I could do all these things myself, but it would make my life much easier if I just have a shop do it in one fell swoop. :smile1:
 
Update - Fixed!!!

I am so happy with the brakes on the truck now!!! All I have to do is look at the brake pedal and I can stop on a f*ckin dime!!! :D :D :D


On Sunday I tested out the homemade pressure bleeder and it worked amazingly! I got all the air out of line with the exception of the passengerside caliper which had a broken bleeder screw.

So on monday I bring the the truck to the shop anyway and they are done in about 6 hours. They pressure blead the system and replaced the calpier with the broken bleeder screw. They also adjusted the rear brakes.


The truck has never stopped this good ever! I am so happy with the brakes! I feel like I am driving a corvette!
 
Chevy305 said:
Ok, I did some research. I found out how to make a homemade pressure bleeder. So tonight I constructed it and after work tomorrow, we'll see how well it works.
Click to expand...

Got a link to this? I`d like to check it out.
 
I kind of thought the shop would just go ahead and replace that caliper, it is cheaper than the labor to try to dig out the broken bleeder screw.

Now if I would just get off my lazy butt and get my calipers replaced and bled.
 
the proper way to gravity bleed, that at least i was told in my school, was to just open the bleeder so brake fluid is coming out, you want a drip a second, then your good to go. but if you have a second person with you just do a manual bleed. but for gravity the key is to go slow in my opinion.
 
Good job getting new lines, i sure bet that it was a little crazy when they went. Safety is good.
 
The Mule said:
Good job getting new lines, i sure bet that it was a little crazy when they went. Safety is good.
Click to expand...

Yes, safety is good! :eek1:



Oh and I am selling the lines for the front because they are meant for a C10, not a K10 so they don't fit.
 
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