brake leak plz help!!!???? quick

[parson2008]

the other nite in the snow i was driving went to hit the brakes and they locked up, just the front tires. got home and checked brake fluid it was out so i filled it up got across town home and light came back on and brakes went to floor... out of fluid again.....i found the leak and its in between the frame and the gas tank.... what is the easiest way to fix it????? thanks

 

[Bryan22]

got any pictures? kinda hard to tell why it's leaking or where from just by reading ur vague discription.

 

[razrwild]

going to need to find where the junctions are and disconnect both ends. Pull it through and bend up another line into the same shape roughly and pop it back in. Whenever its something about the gas tank I like to remove the bed rather than drop the tank. You can probably yank the bed and loosen the gas tank straps enough to weasel in there if its strapped in there at some point.

 

[04 EDGE]

i never had to remove the bed or the tank to repair/replace the rear hard line.

just tape it off so dirt does not get in and stuff it in there. it dosent have to be perfect. not sure how you plan on doing it but at my shop i use 5/16" line that comes in 25' rolls, it bends better and is easier to work with, the only downside is you will have to get fittings and flair the ends. no problem for me, i have a 400 dollar hydraulic flaring tool!

 

[parson2008]

its right next to the tank on the frame the line is leaking...... its not the gas tank... what size line is it?

 

[Bryan22]

I'm not sure what size the line is, probably be easiest to find the whole section at a junk yard and replace your busted one with the new find.

 

[04 EDGE]

DO NOT USE COMPRESSION FITTINGS ON BRAKE LINES!

and why put a "used" line on when you can get new 5/16" bulk line and make it yourself

 

[Mark_88]

You can quick fix it by removing the line from the master cylinder and putting a plug in it...or bolt...but this will only allow you to drive to the nearest parts store if necessary and get a replacment line or patch...

You can patch the lines...they make a connector that allows you to patch lines...but you will need a flaring tool and have to flare both ends while under the truck...unless you remove the line completely...

Personally, I would just replace the entire line from the master, but you will need to buy the line by the foot so you don't have to patch it...and you may want to check the flex line that goes from the rail to the axel connector...

When I got my truck it had no brakes, but the orignal owner drove it to my house and parked it...when I went to move it one day I noticed no brakes...the lines were all so badly rotted that it wasn't worth patching...so give it a good inspection all the way to the rear drums...and if you have the cash replace everything you can afford...it's much safer in the long run and you probably won't have to do it for another twenty years...

 

[Bryan22]

yea 04 edge i though about that after i posted it and erased it and the reason for finding one in a junk yard is not everyone has the "400 dollar flaring tool" that you have .

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

$400 flaring tool...........step away from the snap-on truck!

napa carries pre-made brake line with fittings and flare already on it.
find the prop. valve and go from there.on my 85 it was in the frame rail about the middle of the drivers door,yours maybe closer to the master cyl. cant help you there because i havent been under anything newer than an 88.
you can get brass coupling's to join sections together.

like said before......do not use comp. fittings!!!

 

[04 EDGE]

you can get "cheap" flaring tools, i choose to get a good one as i do this sort of work everyday, and get frustrated with the cheaper ones. i can make a professional flair in less then 60 seconds

copperhead is on the right track, but the cheapest way is to just get bulk line and the proper fittings and bend it yourself. in rare cases i have had to reuse the oem installed fittings. these can be tricky, you will need to get the old line out of the fitting. pay attention to the type of flair also, there is 2 different types.

 

[razrwild]

the only reason I mentioned removing the bed is because Im not very familiar with how the rangers are setup just yet. Wasn't sure if there was some kind of strap holding it to keep it from moving around. I usually just get a precut length from advance or wherever and bend it myself. Costs around $3 and I don't have to flare anything.

 

[JohnPi]

I had the exact same problem about 3 months ago. I got the flare tool for about $20, the fittings for about $10 and the rolled bulk line for about $25. If you get the hard line, you'll need a bender, and a lot of patience. Get the rolled line and you'll be able to feed it through the frame rail next to the gas tank without much hassle. The $400 flare tool is not required for a do-it-yourselfer, the $20 tool will be fine.

If you have the RABS, you probable just need to replace the line between the RABS module and the manifold block behind the gas tank. Not a really difficult job at all.

 

[Yellowsplash]

You have 3/16" standard inverted flare, standard sae fitting brake line. First thing you should do is inspect the rest of the brake line(s)...if one area is rusted out, chances are there is others that are not too far behind. Advance Auto or any other store has lines up to 72", some are even coated to prevent corrosion/rust. You can connect these with unions to the amount of length you need. Just make sure to measure before you go.

If you decide to replace the whole entire line, make sure to get the line specified above. Also, ford likes to use 1/4" fittings on the master cylinder and wheel cylinders. If working in these areas, make sure to grab a couple 3/16-to-1/4 adapters.

If you decide to only replace the area where its leaking, do it right...NEVER use compression fittings. Use a tubing nut, flare the line, and connect them together with a union. A flare tool can be had for under $30 bucks and is great to have in your tool collection. Always use caution when working on brake systems as you not only put yourself at risk, but other drivers around you...

 

[parson2008]

thanks alot..... how hard is too slide it throught the frame from the ABS sensor? does it slide rite through?