Snapped brake line connector

[achampagne]

I was finally able to try connecting my rear brake line to my explorer rear end. As I was unscrewing the hard line from the hose, the connector on the hardline snapped off.

What should I do from here? I am guessing that the whole brake line has to come out now and be replaced. Is the front to rear brake line one whole piece, or is it a few different sections so I could replace just one part?

 

[Zmans]

I was finally able to try connecting my rear brake line to my explorer rear end. As I was unscrewing the hard line from the hose, the connector on the hardline snapped off.
View attachment 58903
What should I do from here? I am guessing that the whole brake line has to come out now and be replaced. Is the front to rear brake line one whole piece, or is it a few different sections so I could replace just one part?

Hey,
Here’s my .02; if the line looks like that replace it and don’t mess with trying to”fix it.”

 

[97RangerXLT]

Replace. Get a small tube bender (less than 10 bucks) a double flare tool (more bucks. But you can rent) and several connectors. Start from your axle and work your way forward until you hit solid lines or the master cylinder. Check the front lines while you are in there.

AJ

 

[pjtoledo]

should be a splice in the line near the fuel filter.
getting the new line up between the frame & gas tank is much easier if the tank is removed, or at least moved.

 

[achampagne]

Replace. Get a small tube bender (less than 10 bucks) a double flare tool (more bucks. But you can rent) and several connectors. Start from your axle and work your way forward until you hit solid lines or the master cylinder. Check the front lines while you are in there.

AJ

So I can just make a custom brake line? How do I do the connectors at the end?

 

[55trucker]

I had to replace that same length of brake tubing a few years ago as well (Ontario, we get salt here & the rustproofing didn't get in behind the fuel tank). I discovered that the front end of the brake line at the block had a metric ISO flare on it and the back end had an SAE flare. You may discover the same.

For a Florida truck what you have there doesn't look too happy at all.

 

[97RangerXLT]

So I can just make a custom brake line? How do I do the connectors at the end?

yep. that is what the double flare tool is for. you remove the old line and get a length as long as you need it to be from any of the big box auto stores. the line itself will be only a few bucks and will include one flared end and a connector. use the tube bender to bend it to the same dimensions as the one you are replacing, and then you will need to get either a splce kit to splice it into the old line (usually a compression fitting, they work but can be finicky or leak over time) or get a block and use the double flaring tool. put the new connector on, flare the end and put it on the block, put a connector on the original line and double flare it and put it in the other side of the block. this is the best way to do it. seriously, the cost of the materials will be under 20 bucks most likely. you are only limited by how bad you make your bends in the tubing.

I was able to recreate the lbrake line on a 1987 Mercury grand Marquis from the proportioning block all the way down the frame in this manner. ended up costing me about 30 bucks, and that included a slim and long 13mm wrench to get in between the frame and body, the tube bender, tube cutter and the brakeline and splice kit itself.

AJ

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

There should be a factory splice or ABS block up around the drivers door area on the inside of the frame. Unless someone like me eliminated that, lol. I would replace at least that section if not more. I have actually gotten irritated enough that I tend to replace all lines on my vehicles with nickel/copper alloy lines. I hate rust and live in the rusty steel buckle of the rust belt.

You can buy or get a loner tool from like Autozone to flare the ends of line or try to work with pre-made sections. It’s not all that expensive. I used to buy coils of steel line from the auto parts stores, it was like $16 for a 25’ coil years ago when I bought it that way. Buy some ends and good to go. Master cylinder is usually metric bubble flare on these and you can buy an adapter for that. Everything else should be standard double flare. No need for a bender, just take your time working the bends in so you don’t kink it. I have three benders and rarely use them. Of course I also upgraded to a lever style brake flaring tool that lets me do single, double and bubble flares, but at about $200 isn’t really worth it for someone who doesn’t have a virtual fleet, lol. You will need a tubing cutter and I would recommend a file or deburring tool for cutting line and cleaning up the ends