Dead Reckon

I've been looking around trying to find new hard lines for the front because the nut on the end of the pass side line won't spin, soaked the thing for days, only way I could get the brake line tight was to spin the rubber portion, didn't like doing that, but I had too. I'm not gonna mess with trying to get that nut loose anymore, I don't want to break the brake line. Thing is firmly rusted on there, I'm pretty sure the car had the original calipers.

I am going to replace these lines since they are giving me trouble when I do the spindle swap from a 90's caprice to run the big lug pattern and slightly beefier brakes. I'm planning on rebuilding the front suspension, rear too, so anything like these lines I run into that isn't up to par will be replaced.

Sooo, where do I get new pre-bent front hard lines for my car?

RonFX

Hello:
I have bought from ILT and Right Stuff both, the items shipped only required minor tweaking to fit perfect. Check their catalog for your application or call the tech guys they have. Hope this helps.
Thanks, Ron

m371961

Year and model?
I have had success over the years heating the nut with a propane torch and working it back and forth with a tubing wrench.
For replacement getting pre-bent lines may be a problem and shipping may miss-shape them anyway. You can buy a pre-flared line the approx. length and bend it, or get the tools, ends and line and make them.

Dead Reckon

It's a '79 Delta 88, sorry, was tired when I posted that. Forgot it isn't in the sig anymore.

I've thought about bending my own, but the spiral that happens at the master cylinder seems a bit difficult to make, and I know it's there for a reason. I can't remember what the reason is, but it's important. I'm just not willing to trust my life or the life of someone else to my ability (or lack thereof) to bend those lines properly.

I've checked right stuff detailing, they don't list anything for my car. But considering the car will be off the road for a bit, I guess I could take the time to have them make me some if it's cheap enough. I've got a backup car I'm gonna get on the road before I take the Delta off, the Subaru seen in the picture. It's a 2003 Forester 2.5x with 203k miles I picked up for $600.

Anyway, the whole reasoning behind replacing the brake lines with the Delta is that it NEEDS ball joints, steering linkage, new or rebuilt control arms, rear wheel bearings, diff yoke and main seal, steering box (It's leaking from the pitman arm seal), steering lines, etc. So I'm just gonna redo all of it at once and be done with it. I'm hunting a parts car with a good differential, maybe even a posi if I can find one, and a good steering box, both of those are rather expensive new, if you can find a replacement diff anymore. I have my eye on a 199x caprice, but I'd have to change the front spindles to make that work, because it uses the 5x5 lug pattern, my car has the 5x4.75. Won't be able to run my rally wheels anymore, either. But I had planned to swap some Cragar 17x8" soft 8's onto the car, anyway. So the lug pattern doesn't matter much, those wheels cost about the same in either. I'll be hanging onto the rally wheels, old differential, and the spindles if I swap those too.

So, the short version is, I'm rounding up parts to fix this car over the spring / summer to build what I wanted to build with my '77. A slightly lowered (1.5-2") GM box body that has at least somewhat tighter suspension, a faster steering box, and bigger brakes. I'm ditching the 9.5" drums in the rear no matter what happens. Also, I should really think about patching the holes in my floorboard.

joe_padavano

Caprice will be the same.

Dead Reckon

They don't list anything for a 77-79 Caprice, and up in the 80's they changed to metric threads on the master cylinder. They also don't list anything for a 90's Caprice either. Sometime between 78 and 79 they changed the caliper bolt from standard to metric, and up int he 80's or 90's they changed the hard lines to metric too. Wheel hub bearing size, but not the rotors themselves changed sometime between 77-79 too. I might see if the brake lines are good on the Caprice and just swap on the newer style booster / plastic reservoir master cylinder from the Caprice. I'm pretty sure it's a bolt on.

rustyroger

Why not make your own from copper/nickel tubing?. For the front brakes 3/16" and 4mm tubing is effectively interchangeable, you simply need the correct fittings and use of a flaring tool. It is easy to work and dirt cheap.
Then you can forget about brake lines rusting out, I've been making them for 40 years or so, and never had one fail due to corrosion or construction defect.
I really don't get North Americas reluctance to use this tubing, anyone able to enlighten me?.

Roger.

oldcutlass

A lot of people are hesitant in fabricating their own lines... I agree, its not very hard or expensive.

Dead Reckon

I've heard of the cunifer alloy, that copper nickle iron alloy they've been using in Europe... Seems like something they needed here years ago, I've seen cars from up north with the lines rusted out badly.

But yeah, I may consider trying it, but it may also prove to be a costly error.

1969w3155

Try Classic Tube

rustyroger

Why would it be costly?. DIY flaring tools are cheap to buy and do a decent job. The Sykes Pickavant tool I use cost half a weeks pay when I bought it 30 years ago, but still works like new. I could probably make anyone capable of changing oil and plugs proficient in making brake lines with an hours tuition. The apprentice at work had it figured in that time, and I'm still trying to teach him which way to turn a wrench to tighten a bolt!.

Roger.

Dead Reckon

Could be costly because if I screw up, that line isn't cheap. I may have to go the DIY route though, my fabrication skills aren't the best, I'm sure I could figure it out. Hey, don't give the intern too much grief, sometimes I forget that when I use my double headed (1/4 and 3/8) ratchet I forget I have to flip the lever because it's going to turn the opposite direction.

Checked them, they have stuff for a '79 98, but not an 79 88. Wonder if the C body 98 has the same lines? I'll have to get in touch with these two companies, classic tube and right stuff to see if either of them will make me a set of lines. If I can spend a bit more and know it will fit right, I'd rather do that than risk breaking it.

I dunno, might go to youtube and find some how to's on making brake lines. I'm wary of making my own though, 'cause I've been in various vehicles with brakes that have failed. Nothing like hitting the pedal and nothing happens but it sinks to the floor, like when the master cylinder blew out on my '77 delta doing 50MPH down a hill headed to a reduced speed limit of 35MPH past a college cops like to sit at. That would've been fun to explain if I hadn't gotten the car to stop. "Sorry sir, no brakes, can't stop!"

Thanks for the help guys, I'm sure I'll figure this out one way or another.

rustyroger

When you have plucked up the courage to make your own line, and followed the instructions so didn't make a hash of it fit the lines and bleed the brakes. Then check the unions are tightened properly and have someone stomp on the brake pedal as hard as possible to check for leaks.
No leaks?, thought not. Go enjoy driving your car confident your brake lines are as good as they can be. No worries about old steel tubing with possible internal corrosion issues.
Now you can impress your friends by saving them $$$ making brake lines for them too.

Roger.