brake line

[tblake]

What a day....

So, oreilleys sold me k2500 or k3500 pads for my k1500. They fit just fine, but first drive and they were scraping. Took it back apart and found out that the pads were too wide and rubbing the rotors. Another trip back to the parts place. idiots. But they did replace the pads with the right ones and give me new rotors again.

Then I got home and installed the new pads and rotors. Took it for a drive, was good, then I did a couple firm stops and then my pedal sunk to the floor and the brake light came on.

I just can't win. The stinking rear brake line blew apart. I swear. This damn truck is gonna kill me.

So now I have to replace that whole damn rear brake line from the front all the way back. But I guess I am lucky that it happened when its warm out and not wintertime. Although I may just sell the damn truck by then.

Anyone want it? 97 k1500 z71, 350, 4x4, 115,000 miles, 3rd door, keyless entry and remote start, access tonneau cover, custom true duals, mpfi conversion, fresh lower intake gaskets, just had the cab corner and bottoms of the doors and rocker panels redone. First 6000 takes it home.

Getting too damn expensive and time consuming to keep it on the road.

Now I need to find a way to schedule in fixing the rear brake line.

Rant over, opinions?

[tblake]

Fixed it, another trip to the parts place got some brake line and ends. Get home about 8:30pm. Started bending, forming, and installing. Finished bleeding at about 11:30pm. What a pain in the butt.

[richtazz]

Replacing brake lines does suck. Did you inspect the rest of the steel lines as well? Since you live in the rust belt like I do, I'd suggest doing so. You might as well do them now while it's warm fi any look suspect, rather than later laying in a foot of snow/slush later.

[tblake]

Yep,thanks Rich,

All look good. Actually the rear one look decent from about halfway back. Just around the fuel tank area where I suppose is holds dirt and sand and salt and water hardly ever gets into to clean it it. Thats where it blew.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by tblake

Yep,thanks Rich,

All look good. Actually the rear one look decent from about halfway back. Just around the fuel tank area where I suppose is holds dirt and sand and salt and water hardly ever gets into to clean it it. Thats where it blew.

they run that line there so you'll smash up the truck and then have to buy another . your lucky 1997 and it blew out . normally this blows at 5yrs ..

as you now know that is in a tight spot. running one long length is tough with the proper bends...

some have had this blow 2X .same spot.

[tblake]

5 years is when it blows? Yikes!!!

Maybe it was replaced once in the past before I got it.

All I know is that it looked pretty bad right near the fuel tank, but the rest of the line looked decent, so I might have been able to get by with a cut, double flare and an end and union about midway up. But I decided to just replace the whole thing and be done with it.

What I don't understand is why they went on the drivers side near the fuel tank. If they would have put it on the passenger side and I wouldn't have had to real with the tank in the way the job would have literally been half the time.

[j cAT]

the DOT should require all vehicles to have all brake lines visable for inspection..then the use of lines that are made of metal resistant to rusting out..old cars prior to 1997 have better metal..the newer the vehicle , these lines rust out faster..

that brake line hidden by the fuel tank I'm sure has to have killed or injured many..

[tblake]

Originally Posted by j cAT

...that brake line hidden by the fuel tank I'm sure has to have killed or injured many..

Unbelievable.

I'm just glad I was driving it and not the g/f when the pedal sank.

And at least its a front/rear split, so not ALL the brakes went out.

One question though. Do all these trucks just seem to have soft pedals? Even before I had an issue with the brake line, the pedal seemed soft, and all the other full size C/K GM's ive driven it seems the pedals travel a ways before the brakes apply. And forget about ever locking up the brakes to stop. Seems like you'll have to stand on the pedal dang near.

I thought I read somehwere that there is a valve or switch in the brake system that will not let the fronts apply untill the back brakes have began to apply. So if the back drums are out of adjustment, the fronts wont enguage until the backs to. Is this the case for this truck? I had the back drums off recently to adjust the shoes, but it looked like they had been over heated because they were sort of glazed and cracked.

Are there any ways to make a more firm pedal? Possibly stainless front brake hoses? Or should I just redo the backs and live with it?

[corsair-pilot]

Dam, only 115k on it and rusting lines.
Well here in Az its not rust its the dam sun and heat that kills them here.
Dale

[tblake]

Yeah, 115k, and I've already had to get the bottoms of the doors fixed and the drivers side cab corner re-done due to rust. Its pretty much the norm around here.