ARG!!! Blown break lines! Rust strikes where it hurts!

[doonze]

So after my post about all my rust, it strikes me where it hurts. There is 3 days of story to lead up to the punchline, but in the end it seems BOTH my rear steel brake lines decided to spring leaks at once.

I'm trying to avoid telling the whole story, because it's a novel, pretty much my truck got stuck in the woods for 3 days. It involves a stupid ditch, a bumper, a come-a-long, rain, hiking in the rain, more rain, and trailblazing in the end to get the truck out. Pretty much think chainsaw, move 100 feet, chainsaw, repeat. Do this for over a mile in the national forest and you get the idea.

So anyway, everything was fine, we got to the dirt road finally. Breaks are fine, we have just one big puddle due to all the rain to go, it was kinda deep,up to my axles at least. After the puddle it was just feet to my friends car. We unloaded all the equipment we had hiked in the last 3 days, then we get going. I decide to make a call and I hit the brakes to stop.... and I have no brakes.

6 hours of work later I have discovered that both rear break lines were leaking, or I should say spraying, at the T where the steel lines come together. I could fine absolutely NO sign of damage from underbrush or anything, just holes rusted into the lines. ( They are replaced with new ones now, that is NOT fun) My best guess at this time is the puddle I ran through at the end got some water forced up over my axles and washed away what rust there was that was keeping the lines sealed. The brakes worked just fine before the puddle, didn't after. Anyone heard of this?? I can tell you for sure the lines were almost rusted in two for an inch back from the T on both ends. And there was not just one hole, but several. Anyone have something like this happen?

Pretty much I'm trying to figure out what could have caused BOTH brake lines to go out at exactly the same time, in the same place and for the same reason.

 

[eXcali]

It's unlikely that the mud or water washed off rust creating the holes. Your brake lines are under a lot of pressure when you press the brake pedal and if it was this close, just stepping on the pedal would have done it. It's possible that they were just about ready to blow and the water caused the already rusted lines to weaken up a little more. Or the puddle caused the rear end to flex just enuff to put pressure on the brake lines and they snapped.

 

[doonze]

I would think after the abuse I put it through before the puddle, that any flex from the puddle would have been a joy ride for the truck. I just keep thinking it had to have something to do with the water, but i just can't get my head around that idea.

Just to give an idea, the local offroad club list the area I was in on a scale from 1-10 as a 9. They were amazed when my friends stock Wrangler was able to get in and back out, I could see their faces when I tell them I almost made it in my explorer! I just got stuck in a stupid washout coming back out, the climbs didn't slow me down at all!!

I'm really proud the X did so well, stock at that. The local club says they don't know anyone who does that trail stock, except for me and my stupid friend! LOL, we had to cut through the forest to get back out only becuase it decided to rain for days after I got stuck and the trail was far to muddy and steep to attempt wet.

 

[marragtop]

Since the rear lines went, you should inspect the long line running from the front the flex line on the rear axel. That long line will probably be the next to go.

 

[Anime]

The lines just rust near the T-connection for some reason. That's the weakest part due to the rust, and apparently the rubber hose puts some stress on the connector when the rear axle is flexed and the rubber hose (which is barely long enough anyway) is stretched to the max.

Hopefully you're good just replacing both hard lines on the rear axle. Replacing the whole line from the master cyl. down the frame rail to the hose would be quite a project.

 

[doonze]

Since the rear lines went, you should inspect the long line running from the front the flex line on the rear axel. That long line will probably be the next to go.

Already did! Wanted to make sure while I was under there, it looked fine, new in fact. About the only thing under the truck not rusted! Hehe

 

[Potomac30]

My honda manual says to replace the brake fluid every three years. It's the only car that I've owned that mentions that, but it's a good idea because water builds up in the brake fluid and can rust the lines from the inside.