Can you help me identify this line?

[Dr.TnK]

Hi everyone.

Thank you for checking out my post. I am restoring a 1994 Ford Ranger XL extended cab 4x4 with the manual locking hubs. With the 4.0L pushrod V6. I took off the bed and removed the gas tank in preparation for frame repair and restore. Pictures attached are of the drivers side frame rail which has the wiring harness and brake lines coursing along it and easily visible. Underlined in red is the line that I need help identifying. It’s quite rusted with wire wrapped around it in a spiral at some points (maybe to prevent chafing?). Some of the pictures show the end of the line and as you can see it’s broken off. I do not know what this line is or where it is supposed to go to. It is worth noting that the truck did start easily and run and drive prior to me tearing it down. Also in one of the pictures is an arrow in yellow pointing to a rubber hose. I’m not sure if this line is supposed to go to it?

 

[pentode]

Yellow looks like the vent hose for the rear end. Does it go to the axle?

I'll defer to others who know that truck better than me, but is that a new steel line running in front of it? Any chance that was a brake line or fuel line that a previous owner bypassed and just left the old one in place? If it ran and stopped and gas and/or brake fluid weren't spewing everywhere I can only imagine it's an orphaned pipe.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yeah... someone replaced the rusted out brake line and just left it there.

 

[Dr.TnK]

Thank you both! I did not think of that. It probably is the remnants of the original brake line