Hard brake line question

[JonT]

Where do I find the hard "S" shaped brake line that runs from the caliper to the flexible line? I looked on PP but couldn't find it. I don't know the name of the part so I'm guessing its just called "hard brake line from caliper to flexible line". It got pretty mangled when I was removing the brakes. Thx

[JeremyD]

Discount/Advance/Pep Boys - have metric brake line in several lengths... Take your mangled piece down there and match it up

[Todd Simpson]

Exactly...they sell them in straight lengths and you bend to fit. My curved line was 6.5 inches and the smallest available was 8" so you just make it work.

Pick up one of the bending tools as well. Mine is a large pair of pliers with an adjustable wheel in the center for different brake line sizes. It makes sure the lines retain their "roundness" as you bend. I ended up taking the wheel off the tool and just using it in my hands to bend the lines.

Bring your old line with you as well to match the thread and flare type. You want the "european" type of lines, but there are different types for Japanese, British, etc. I had to go to 5 different stores to get 5 8" lines...in all cases they brought me behind the counter to look for myself.

[JeremyD]

good point Todd get the bender so you don't crimp em... and yes differnt sizes of flares - good news is they are pretty cheap

[JonT]

thanks--are you guys serious no one sells these??? I don't like the idea of fabricating a brake line with "unknown quality" parts

[emcon5]

Originally posted by JonT
"unknown quality" parts

This isn't a tight tolerance CNC machined part we are talking about here, it is an extruded aluminum tube, with a threaded fitting crimped on each end.

If you are worried about Kragen/Autozone/Pep Boys quality, then find yourself a NAPA or independent store. Just look for the place that the counter help is over 40 years old, you should be fine.

Tom

[JonT]

Ok--I'll be hitting Advance this weekend!

[Todd Simpson]

Now that I think about it I think I did buy these at the dealer already "S" shaped years ago. Took a few days for them to get in.

Think about all the cars with brake upgrades though...someone had to custom bend those lines to work.

[Bill Verburg]

These guys are very good to work w/

[DarrylD]

I just went through this exercise a couple days ago with some help from John Walker. He volunteered to flare a new end on a generic NAPA "European" type 12" brakeline shortened down to 10¼" for my rear caliper replacement project.

I learned something interesting watching John, he simply took a socket the size of the inside bend and put it in his vise and bent the tubing around it to make the tight bend. The tubing didn't compress or kink and it bent very easily. I learned that an expensive bending tool isn't necessary on that small of diameter tubing, or that John's really good at it.

[JonT]

A little closure here on this topic, I ended up ordering these from Sunset Porsche with factory hard lines for around $6 each.