Any source for prebent brake lines? '94 | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Any source for prebent brake lines? '94

I see, thanks for the info. I have a '94, so it has ABS all around. 3/16 lines, bubble flares, and metric fittings, then.

Yeah, I'm going to save the old ones and inspect for comparison.

No. Temporarily blocking loose fittings with a suitable blocker as to not allow air in the HCU system while I work on the lines. What object would serve as a good block? Don't wanna get air in the HCU otherwise it'd get costly.
 



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Other brake line threads
Rusted brake lines (Pics)
Rusted Rear brake line

The rear line should be 100% standard.. I recall in the above threads attaching standard fitting right to the HCU.. The front lines off the HCU are definitely metric and definitely a weird size...
 












a 3 dollar tool is all you need.

that one is overkill.
 






www.lmctruck.com has prebent brakes lines and anything else you need for your truck. I saw them in their catalog the other day and they werent at a bad price either.
 






Awesome. The threads were helpful.

I'm going to yank the bad line out & update. Mine was built along with '95s, so who knows? :D

Found a neat tubing bending tool. Options on the maker??

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004T81Y/ref=wl_itt_dp/102-9233317-1418569?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2Y9CRW2J0JN54&colid=1KQWCRBV5COEX

a 3 dollar tool is all you need.

that one is overkill.

I agree with quicklook2... the tool in you link is 99% similar to the $5 version available at most autoparts stores.. The tube benders that would be worth some money are the ones that can make tight bends in tube..
 






I like overkill.

Why buy a cheap bending tool and take a risk when you can get PRECISE tools for a lifetime? $20 ain't bad. Besides, I live in the rust belt....won't be my last brake line job.

I'm also ****-retentive. You can be sure I'll do my damndest to make the new tube look exactly like the rusted factory one. :D

I am supposed to use flare nut wrenches on the lines, correct?
 






I like overkill.

Why buy a cheap bending tool and take a risk when you can get PRECISE tools for a lifetime? $20 ain't bad. Besides, I live in the rust belt....won't be my last brake line job.

I'm also ****-retentive. You can be sure I'll do my damndest to make the new tube look exactly like the rusted factory one. :D

I am supposed to use flare nut wrenches on the lines, correct?

anything that tool can do i can do with the cheaper tool, it is your choice though, so get what you want.

you need flare tools to put everything together and ford use both metric and sae so good luck.

also, when you buy lines they will not be exactly the right length and th ends are the best places to fudge on.

no matter what tool you get, it is very difficult to get the lines exactly and close is all you need in most cases.
 






UPDATE!

Excellent advice, guys.

I bought the $18 tube bender. Best $18 I ever spent - I even successfully made the new line look like the old one. I bought two 20' straight 3/16 lines at NAPA for $5 each. By the second tubing, it was perfection. Couldn't tell the different except that the tubing was shiny. :) Not bad of an investment - even though it's imported, it was of good quality. A little heavy, too.

Bled the brakes after putting in the new lines. She locks up as good as she could. Woohoo!

You know how when you fix one problem, another appears...well, I think the coolant sending unit doesn't work. The gauge never register even though I get hot air from the vents. Also, the coolant is rusty brown. :eek: I know what I have to do next.
 






glad you got it done.

brake lines are a hassle but once you get the hang of it the job is not too bad.
 






It wasn't too much of an hassle. It was pretty easy to change out the rear lines. I should mention, however, for someone who has never done this kind of thing, it got expensive. I coughed up $50 for a quality double-flaring kit, $15 for a tubing cutter, $25 for a tubing bender, and $70 for a set of flare nut wrenches in SAE & metric. $150 alltogether not counting taxes & shipping. I suppose a mechanic would charge about the same, but you now are armed with the knowledge to repair brake lines and have the tools prepared in the future. :)
 






wow, i wonder how i get mine in with only sae flare nut wrenches and a 3 dollar tube bender.

i usually buy the pre-flared tubing.

like you say you are prepared to do it again when the need arises and it is going to sometime.

i am never one to not buy tools with any excuse and it made you happy and that is all that counts in the end.

job well done!
 






I only needed the SAE wrench for the fitting at the wheel cylinder, but at the junction block, it was metric. :confused: So I had to buy both. Both were a set. Flare nut wrenches are good to have, anyway.

I bet so. If I had to replace one, I know I'll replace another soon. The other lines look OK, but who knows.

It's a good sense to only buy tools what you needed, not what was on sale at Sears. ;)
 






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