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Brake line replacement...

2K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  alpinegreeneon 
#1 ·
Hello! One of the brake lines sprung a leak in my 2004 Dakota and of course it had to squirt right on the exhaust system and create smoke everywhere! LOL I was thinking about just replacing all the brake lines. I was just wondering if there was anything particularly difficult or time-consuming to do this? It looks like I can purchase a kit with all the line for roughly $120... any advice appreciated! Thank you!
 
#3 · (Edited)
I have gradually replaced every metal brake line on my rust-bucket GMC & on a rust bucket Fire Bird that I used to own & I always just went to Advance & bought the stock line that they carry & bent it myself to fit. I found it to be somewhat time consuming but not crazy difficult. $120 sounds like a real good price if that's for everything & prebent should make the job a lot easier. Quite often the fittings on those old lines will be corroded beyond recognition & if you can get a pair of vice grips on them that helps. If not, I have often snipped the old brake line at the fitting & pressed a 6 point socket on to the fitting. As far as advice specific to a Dakota, I have none because my Dak has never seen salt, but in general I would agree with the above poster's advice of using a GOOD penetrating oil. Kano Kroil is the best that I have ever personally used, expensive (about $100 a gallon from Amazon) but, imho, worth it ("don't spoil it, Kroil it!").

Many moons ago I changed a brake line on an old Taurus that I no longer own & I did a real nice job of removing the old line & clamping the new one in every place I could get a clamp. Now I don't bother to take the old one out, I just leave it where it originally was installed & instead of using clamps on the new one, I go with multiple tie-wraps & tie it to the frame or even the old (now dormant) brake line. There is a right way to use tie wraps & a wrong way -- the right way would be to put a tie wrap around the brake line & then one around the frame (or whatever) & then use a third that goes inside the first two tie wraps. This way you are not tying the new brake line directly to the frame where vibration may gradually damage it, but you have a stand-off of sorts between the new brake line & the frame (or whatever). You can buy extra long tie wraps, but they still won't probably be long enough to go around the frame rail, but you can put two of them together to make a super-extra-long one. If you did it the wrong way you would probably be okay, but the way I just described is the "aviation way."

General advice would be not to clamp the line anywhere until you have both fittings started & not to put final torque on either fitting until both are started & finger tight. I'd also say that prior to fishing the new line through any tight spots it is going to have to go through, to put a cap or some tape over the fitting to prevent you from inadvertently getting any nasty shit inside your brand new line & all the potential issues that could create inside your system.
I'd also probably say, in general, to do & complete one before you started on another one.
Also, to change one, bleed it, change the second one, bleed it, & so on. But that could just be me. If you did it that way you should still go around & bleed them all a final time after you get the last line in, but I still think it might be easier to get the system bled that way. I believe that in general you are supposed to bleed the brake farthest from the master cylinder & work your way in to the master cylinder. Also, I don't even bother to ask my S.O. for help on bleeding brakes anymore (too much bitching & grief), so I have some pieces of 2x4 cut to the right length to hold the brake down after I pump it up. That is also time consuming, but to me, the peace & quiet is worth it.

Good luck with this.
 
#4 · (Edited)
After thinking about what I just typed, I think I would revise that advice somewhat.
I've changed a few brake lines but I've never done them all at once, so I think that instead of changing/bleeding, changing/bleeding, I'd just go ahead & change 'em all & then do my bleeding. I'd for sure do both of my backs from the "T" & the back line to the "T" from the ABS box all together & bleed them, anyway.

And in the interest of accuracy, I didn't actually change every single line on my Fire Bird, as the ABS box was up above & the lines to the master cylinder were not corroded. On your Dak the ABS box will be up top also; on my GMC it is mounted on top of a frame rail which is why I wound up changing those lines on that truck. You probably shouldn't have to replace the ABS box to master cylinder lines on your Dakota.
 
#5 · (Edited)
. . . oh, and "one last thing", one of the great things about buying those prebent lines that you are talking about getting is that your ABS Box has fittings with different threads than the fittings on the other end of your brake line (at the caliper). Meaning that if you weren't buying those prefabricated lines, you'd need to get adapter lines & unions to put on your ABS box to connect the rest of your line to, or, you would need to cut one end of the stock line you were using & put a new fitting on that end & then reflare it. I've done both. If there is a next time for me, I'll get prebent lines like you are.
 
#7 ·
Oh, and if you decide to go with what I referred to as "tie-wraps" instead of clamps to secure your new brake lines with, I think most everybody but me refers to them as zip-ties. (I just remember that we called 'em tie-wraps when I was in the Air Force & that stuck with me.) They are cheap at WalMart or Harbor-Fright.

I hope this job goes well for you.
 
#8 ·
One of the best purchases I have ever made was a self bleeder kit. I tried the hand pump style from harbor freight but it ended up busting with the first brake job I used it for. After that I got the simple bottle with lines and a magnet to hang on your frame and it works beautifully. Can pick them up at any auto parts store. Saves you time and grumbling from people you are try to get to help you :LOL:
 
#12 ·
A friend of mine did it and he did not use prefabricated lines. I offered to buy the kit he said he preferred to Ben them himself it allowed him the flexibility to reroute things if needed Etc... he's a great mechanic he always goes that extra little bit to make sure things are done right
 
#13 ·
Yeah, I was thinking later that maybe getting a section of brake line, that was going to be that long, in place & routed from front to back might be a trick. I would say that those 4' sections with unions do offer some flexibility of installation.

Anyway, good job on getting that done!
If those new lines last another 17 years, it might outlast . . . fill in the blank!
 
#14 ·
I found a spare junction block 52009888AD in one of my parts bins. It's not new, has rust on the steel bracket, but should still be very usable. The brass blocks are perfect. The 3 way junction block is for 4WD and 4 wheel ABS. I no longer own a Dakota so if anyone needs one, it's free plus shipping, send a PM.
 
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