Brake trouble

[Wa jang chang]

My trash-hauler (97 supercab 2WD) is acting up. Brake/ABS light came on and the fluid reservoir is empty. Replenished it and drove it for few miles and found out it was losing the fluid very quickly. Parked on the driveway and saw severe leaking from just underneath the driver seat. The weather has been so hot and I have not ventured to exactly identify where the leak is from yet. If it is ruptured brake hydraulic line, can the rupture be patched up or do I have to replace the whole brake line?

Wajangchang

[93_R/T_TT_Stealth]

well look at it this way your dealing with a breakline, no do u want to have the assurance of being able to stop or worrying that the patch you did to save money is gonna hold up when u need to hammer on the breaks to stop for an emergency or something,,,, I would just replace the line-the leaks usually occure where the line is threaded in, like at the block or in the area of where the line is goin into another line but it is very possible to have a leak somewhere in the middle. so just find the leak take the line to the parts store an tell the ur make model an all that jazz, dont worry the fluid wont leak out unless someone is pressin the break peddle down. good luck do the right thing,

[Wa jang chang]

I inspected the brake line and discovered that a portion of the brake line was rusted. I did some consulting on the repair/procedures and a backyard mechanic recommended I should repair it myself. He said it is very easy. Cut out the section corroded and get a brake line repair kit from any auto part shops. It comes with all the hardware you need to mend the hydraulic line, he said. The repair is proven to be safe, he said. I will try the repair and report back how it turns out.

wajangchang

[theFREAKnasty82]

I don't know about that, when it comes to brakes, you don't mess around with that. Cutting and replacing lines sounds very iffy. Personally, you could just remove the line from a fitting, i.e. the master cylinder to another threaded fitting. Most auto part stores sell brake line, only thing, it needs to be bent in the direction needed for the vehicle application.

[Wa jang chang]

I consulted a certified auto mech who said the same. So I went to Advance Auto Parts shop and got myself a foot long brake line both ends flared and matching union parts for $9.25. Then I found out I have to make flares on the existing lines where the union suppose to go. The shop sells the flare tool for $24.99 but did not have one. Inverted flares are hard to make, someone said... something new for me to try out... I guess I will learn something new fixing the brake lines.

Instead of flare union I found a compression union which does not require flare. Although the part shop folks did not recommend it for brake line repair, my co-worker recommended because he had used it and had no problem (no leak or brake failure). Spent about 1 hr to cut and bend the line and put together and then bleed the line. Recommend using a tube cutter instead of hacksaw. Key thing is making the cut smooth and even.

wajangchang