Brake Hose Swivel?

[harriw]

Hey folks,

This is for my wife's Toyota Sienna, but thought it should go in the brakes forum anyway...

Im' replacing the rear rotors, pads, and calipers (long story) on her 2004 Sienna (AWD version has rear discs), and hit a snag. The hose-to-caliper junction is threaded. Other end of short brake hose is fixed to the wheel mount (can't spin). Had no trouble threading the new caliper on and tightening it down, but then found that the new caliper was tapped differently such that once the hose is tightened into the caliper, I have to kink it really badly to get the caliper to mount, and am afraid of causing a leak.

Is there such an animal as a brake hose swivel fitting that's threaded at both ends (one male, one female)? That would allow me to tighten down both sides nice and snug, and still route the brake hose nicely. Would also allow me to "screw in" the hose without spinning the caliper in the air...

If there is no such fitting, any suggestions on how to make things line up nicely and still be snuggly tightened?

Thanks a lot!

-Bill

 

[martin]

those calipers are a pain in the butt. the only thing to do is to pull the clip where it attaches to the hard line and loosen the hardline fitting so that you can rotate the hose. Hope that makes sense. Be gentle with the hard lines or you will end up having to change them as well.

 

[harriw]

I was afraid of that... There's a reason I disassembled at the caliper instead of at the hardline junction

What about teflon tape on the hose threads (they're pipe threads, so they're tapered, right?) Is that a no-no for brake lines?

Thanks again!

-Bill

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

No need for thread sealant, the inverted flare on the end of the brake tubing is what seals the brake fluid in, not the threads.

 

[harriw]

Ah, ok - so I can't just beef up the threads with teflon making them "snug up" at a different orientation than they currently do (since this would mean the flares inside the brake hose wouldn't make good contact with the mating surface on the inside of the caliper threads)?

I'm just trying to avoid un-doing that hardline-to-hose connection. In my experience, that's when leaks happen - when you open then re-connect older connections, be it brake lines, radiator hoses, etc. Looks like I'll have to chance it.

Is there usually a crush washer or ferrule or anything inside those hard brake line threaded fittings that I can replace? or is it just the flared steel tube inside the fitting that makes the seal?

Thanks again guys.

-Bill

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Just an inverted flare on the end of the tubing and the nut compresses it to create a seal.

That is an inverted double flare.