Removing brake calipers help
 

I am removing the brake calipers and maybe, just maybe damaged one of the hard brake lines. In the process of trying to remove it from the caliper I noticed the line was twisting with the nut. I guess frozen to the nut. If soaking over night does not solve the problem what other tools will I need besides new brake line and a tube bender? Is there a tool to flare the ends to hold the nut?

Thanks for any help as usual...

Greg,
Those short lines are very fragile. Also, the fittings are not your off the shelf Autozone specials. You should be able to buy a new line for like $15 from Pelican or local P-dealer. Just make sure you use the proper 9mm flare wrench and not just any open end wrench.

John

I had the same issue when I upgraded to 930 calipers. Instead of 'gently' attempting to turn the nut, try a more aggressive, quick snap of the nut (with a flare wrench), and that 'might' break it loose (a tip I got from this board). That worked on one of mine, but one of the others needed to be replaced. If this happens, don't worry...Pelican does have them. For my new calipers, I had to bend my own hard lines for the rear, and any decent auto parts store (I've purchased some from Autozone & NAPA) SHOULD carry the 'metric' lines (straight & in various lengths) with the proper bubble flare fittings on each end, so you can bend your own. It's not difficult at all (just get one of the $5 'benders' while you're there). Hope this helps...

John,
I did use a flare wrench. It looks like the line is frozen to the nut so when the nut turns so does the line. Not sure if it is broken or not but it did bend for about a half a turn before I noticed. I let it soak last night so we will see.

Keith,
I'll try a quick snap and see if that will break it free. Thanks for the tips. If I do break it then to the store I go...

FWIW, I had to make some new hard lines when I installed Carrera brakes on the rear of my car. Come to find out, VW brake lines have the same fittings on them as Porsches. I bought some "universal" straight ones from a VW repair shop and bent my own by hand. I think they cost about $2 each.

Mike

Disconnect the hard line from the hose(other end). Then just spin the line and fitting together. Then replace the line.

Mike - Thanks. I may go that route if necessary

Jamie - Now why didn't I think of that... I just hope the other end is not frozen.

Often the line interferes with the side of the nut due to the way it angles out of the caliper body threading. Some remove the caliper first in an effort to move the caliper body in such a way as interference is minimized (e.g. the line is straight out from the nut.

John

A few sharp raps on the flare nut with the flare nut wrench and twisting foreward and back against the rust will often break the nut loose from the line. The next step is apply heat to the nut and finally replacement if needed . A VW dealer has the lines and most auto parts stores should also.

Here's the deal - your problem isn't rust entirely. To rust, you'd have to have steel lines, which you don't. The lines on later model 911s are some funky Cu-Ni alloy that, over time tends to react with steel nuts and seize up.

I broke all 4 hard caliper lines when I rebuilt my caliper, but that's because I'm an idiot. If you are replacing your rubber lines (and if you don't know how old they are, replace them), the easiest thing to do is cut the rubber lines, unscrew each side from the hard lines, and then use heat to free the flare nut. PB Blaster didn't work for me, and I soaked them every day, twice, for a week.

Be careful on thehard lines on the body - the caliper lines are easy to get and cheap. The body lines are hard to get and expensive. You'd probably have to get some cutom made from steel line if you broke on of them.