Rusty troublesome brake lines.....
 

Attempting to replace the flexible brake lines I've stripped the nut on one of the hard brake lines and the hard line is slowly twisting with the nut on another. When I look up the right front hard brake line on pelican parts they say "no longer available" hmmm, not what I've come to expect from pelican parts, they seem to have everything....:confused:

First off I figure I better make sure I'm looking at the correct side. Any guesses on when they refer to right is that looking at the car from the front or the back?

And about these brakes lines, does anyone know if they are truly no longer made? (and why just the one I need?) is getting a custom one bent at a local brake shop my next best option? Also wondering if anyone knows if the others be "no longer available" soon as well?

right and left is always from sitting in the drivers seat or looking at the car from the rear. Hard brake lines are NLA because you can make them yourself cheaper. Lines come straight and you bend them to fit. You need a small bender to do it right and a double flair tool. A shop can help you with this if you are not comfortable doing it. Once you round the nuts, it's time to replace em.

+1 with James, hard lines are easy to fabricate and the bending tool is inexpensive. Keep the bad line so you can use it as a template while bending your new line.

Or, you can contact your local German dismantler and have a used part shipped to you.

Thanks guys. I've decided new hard lines are the way to go, especially if I can make them myself.

Any idea where I might find a diagram of where the lines run? I've checked the bentley manual and 101 projects but no pictures of where the junction fittings are.

Thanks again.

you'll want to get brake line wrenches - avoid the open end wrench - it does not grip as well

Most FLAPS carry the european flare brake lines in many different lenghts. You dont even need to buy a flaring tool. Probably less than $25 to replace every hard line on the car.

I had a similar experience with a 1981 911. Could not for the life of me get the flexible lines loose from the hard lines. I had pretty good flare nut wrenches, used lots of penetrating oil, etc. but they were stuck good. One trick I made up, I used small vise-grips clamped onto the flare wrench on the nut to really keep it from rounding the nut. I think that actually worked....
But I ended up having to replace a couple of the hard lines. I was already replacing the calipers and the flexible lines. I can't remember if AutoZone or the local German Imports place had the hard lines, but one of them did.
Good Luck.

You might want to check with Pelican, they have gotten me most of the short and long hard lines for my 83 SC


Lorne M.

Always check with our host first. If they do not have it or cannot get it, then I go else where. Otherwise i shop here. My buck stops here.

It is the least I can do for my part in returning what I have taken from all of these forums over the past 10 years. - Oh god has it been that long! :eek: