Basic Question: Disconnecting Brake Hoses
 

The rear and front brake hoses need replacing. I've read (and reread) Project 48 in "101 Projects." Are their any other tips and/or tricks to removing the hoses that you could share with me? Thanks

Nothing special...use the proper tools (flare nut wrenches) and a bit of heat if frozen.
Cover your discs/pads with a plastic bag to keep from getting fluid on them....depending on the car remove the keeper clips to give you easier access.

Wedge a stick or something between the seat (or steering wheel) and the brake pedal so that it depresses the pedal slightly. this will keep brake fluid from dripping out of the disconnected lines.

Many thanks. The rear calipers will be rebuilt as well. It seems that the metal line should be disconnected first, then the two bolts removed, then the caliper will lift off. Any thing about this process that I should know?

If you are lucky that is. Even after soaking overnight in PB Blaster, using heat and flare nut wrenches I still ended up having to use vice- grips on two of the connections.. :( it is really easy to round off those connectors when they are really frozen even with flare nut wrenches.

sometimes the nut rusts solid to the metal line, so be sure when you begin to turn the nut that the line is not turning with it. in that case you have to cut the rubber hose and turn it off the nut. then on the bench you can free up the nut with some heat, bee's wax, carefully.

Stick to Brake Pedal
 

Don't be afraid to experiment some with the stick length. I'm not always successful getting the fluid to stop dripping constantly ( ??? ), will drain the reservoir if you don't get it right. You might start by opening the bleeder and make sure it doesn't ooze constantly so that detail doesn't make a mess.

For sure use line wrenches. Don't try it with standard open end wrenches. And don't try it with cheap Chinese junk wrenches. Get some decent quality line wrenches.

Yes. The key word is plural, as in two wrenches; one to hold, the other to remove the fitting. Use flare nut wrenches when possible. An application of Kroil or equiv. might help as well. If you fear brake fluid contamination with the chosen penetrant, after loosening the fitting, blast the area with brake cleaner.

Sherwood

I've done this complete job several times, and have found a need for a flare nut wrench only on the hard line side of the connection. The hex on the hose side is plenty big for a regular open end wrench to be used, so if you don't have a complete set of flare nut wrenches, you only need to buy a single 11mm.

To prevent the flare nut from seizing to the hard brake line in the future, put a light coat of anti-seize on the brake line under the nut as well as on the threads before reinstalling.

The hard/soft line connection should be VERY LOW torque, so as long as they are not seized it should take very little effort to disconnect them.

If the nut doesn't come lose easily and heat and PB don't loosen it, I also use a vice grip plier. Put it on tightly with the flat part of the jaw grabbing two sides of the nut. If you're careful you won't damage the nuts.

I just finished this same project. The fronts are very easy and straight forward.

The rears are bit more difficult. You need to take the clip off first otherwise you will not be able to get the wrench on the hose side that connects to the caliper. Also, I found it easier to attach the new hose to the upper side first prior to the caliper side. This way you can just spin the new hose on that side and then tighten since access is a bit difficult with the two wrenches.

Use rubber brake line caps to retain fluid.

I'll just add one more time to use the proper wrench for the flare nuts. Even a good open end wrench is sometimes not enough to grab the nut and you start to strip it. - Matt

Be sure all your caliper bleed nipples have the correct rubber caps on them. Keeps dirt and scrog out of the bleeder valves.

another trick is to keep both wrenches within 10-15˚ apart and squeeze both together at the same time. thats all i got

My .02- while you are in there, add Earls speed bleeders.

Line longevity??
 

Here is another related question. I redid my brake system 11 years ago when I started resurrecting my car to its current glory (cough, cough). This included rebuilding the calipers, new brake soft lines, pads, turned rotors after a paint. I am now finding myself seeing the need to repeat some projects (I swear I have done all 101) as my daily driver ages. Hood shocks are fading for the THIRD time. Reupholstered seat seams tear again etc.

How many years are the stainless braided lines good for?

+1 for the speed bleeders. I love them and it was the first thing I did to my 84. So that I could flush the brake fluid easily.

Replace them every year unless it is a race car, in which case you replace them every race.

They cannot be checked for degradation like the rubber brake hoses which are an infinitely better choice. Some years ago, the stainless sheathed hoses had a tendency to fail catastrophically as described by the late, great Bruce Anderson in Pano. A TUV approval would go a long way to make one safe, and a DOT would go some ways in that direction.

You will now see a lot of posts saying "I used them for years and am not dead yet" just like the tobacco companies used to trot out people saying "I smoked for years and am not dead yet"