If you find yourself needing to replace a brake line you might consider bending and flaring one up yourself. It’s much less expensive to do it this way. It’s not without it’s challenges, but it can be very satisfying if you’re able to do the job. This process will also work for fuel and transmission lines.
Camera: Brian Kast
The best place for answers to your automotive questions: http://www.ericthecarguy.com
Tools.
Eastwood Flare Tool: http://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html/?srccode=carguy&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=etcg
$249.99
Link to Line Pliers: http://www.eastwood.com/ew-brake-forming-tool-pliers.html/?srccode=carguy&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=etcg
$24.99
Tubing Cutter: http://www.jbtoolsales.com/general-tools-129x-mini-tubing-cutter-7-8/#oid=1002_1
$8.16
Anti Seize: http://www.jbtoolsales.com/3m-08945-brake-lube-anti-seize/#oid=1002_1
Here’s some related videos.
Eastwood Line Flaring Tool Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxeA1lhSCsk
How To Rebuild a Front Caliper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4FzXGrSrmU
What’s Inside a Caliper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD7PRgeIBuw
How To Replace Brake Hoses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE9LM1ppR6g
How To Diagnose and Replace a Bad Caliper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UqTgYgd0Mk
How To Service a Brake Caliper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKpmBvfVYZg
How To Change Brake Fluid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5O_pbC8R2E
How To Spot and Service a Stuck Rear Caliper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urK2EsZn4pQ
How To Replace a Master Cylinder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trotrlIG2sk
How To Deal With a Spongy Brake Pedal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIQIBLGoZJ4
Useful article.
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-brake-problems
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Stay Dirty
ETCG
Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. EricTheCarGuy assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. EricTheCarGuy recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not EricTheCarGuy.
Always bend your own lines. The prebent stuff is such a pig in a poke. Friend bought all the Inline Tube kits to save him time and NONE of them fit AT ALL. You would think the kits were for totally different cars. Oh, and they wont take them back once you've unbended them (they bend them in half to ship). So if you mess with them, you WILL be bending your own after you eat many $100s of dollars in junk.
What did you use to plug the portioning valve?
#TMoble might not pay off your contract, they broke their promise with me. And I'm still a customer. Nice people, they are on my team! And for the insanity, this too is #Breaking The Boundaries Of #BreakingNews!
Eric, i want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have been learning from your videos since i started my automotive career 6 years ago. You are amazing at what you do. Dont ever stop teaching
Great video Sir
How is it that you have metric hex fittings on a vintage American car.? I try mot to mix metric and American sizes on the same vehicle….
Eric, can you explain how to replace a broken brake line on an F350 2006 5.4L 4WD. The line is on top near the ABS. The truck is off the road and only has 600 miles
Never ever ever in your short life buy a preformed brakeline…!! man did i learn a hard and fast and true lesson from that…what a fucking disaster that was….lol
eric im putting a rear caliber on 2003 buick lasabre ho do you you get the emergency line back on caliber thank you
This was a great video! Thnx for providing your thought processes and practical tips. VERY helpful! And thnx to your camera man. Great job!
I was just replacing calipers & front brake hoses on my 2000 Dodge Ram 2500…. And of course, 20 year old Michigan truck, a couple of the fittings were rusted and would spin the brake line. Had to bent a new crossover brake line, and now I'm going to have to make one from the proportioning valve up to the split. F^%$.
I need to put the brakes on my wife's spending. Do you think the Eastwood flaring tool could cope with such a job?
I saw that kink also hope it was just a funny angle at 29:12 ( The Kink)
Huge kink in the line. Looks like you will be making another.
Eric, you know Mommy Dearest said, "NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!!!!" Been there, done that. Just lots of fitting and bending with an much planning as you can. Done this for both brake and power steering lines. Never seen a real clear reason for OEM location and bending of lines that couldn't do with a bit of tweaking. Still, pulling the OEM line first for a template helps a lot. Thanks for the video!!!
If the factory lines are wrapped with like plastic/rubebr I think do I need to do the same with the new ones?
Whoaaaa, I have decided earlier today to give brake line replacement a chance on my 2002 Tracker. The problem is the lines to the rear are badly corroded and one blew out 2 days ago. The other part of it is, this vehicle has a load proportioning valve mounted near the rear axle which adds more work to the matter. I have nothing to lose. If I do not succeed, the Tracker goes. I also should replace a some fuel lines as well. I had previously replaced lines on other vehicles which were easy compared to this and now I am much older! The Tracker is a nightmare.
this video may be very old but it helped me a bunch. the only thing i did different was use a rubber hose to bend the tubing. most kinks are made from putting pressure on the line at a high angle over a small area, i used a 3/8 rubber fuel hose to make the bends nice. they won't be perfect but if you don't have the space or time to use a bending tool it does the trick.
Form a perfect template with coat hangers and then staighten them out to get the length of new pipe so that you can follow the template you just straigtened out – oh feck. . . .fekin genius this guy ???
Holy shit this is very informative
Learning something new about brake lines. Need to replace all 4 on my car as 1 is leaking and the others aren't too far behind (Michigan road salt and winter weather) using NiCu (Nickel Copper) over steel lines and replace all of the rubber lines to play it safe.
I need this Eastwood brake tube flaring tool
Why do you put double flares on male fittings ?? they should be single
great informative video. entertaining too
Your video title stated how to bend, but you fast forwarded through that part.
Look at that engine bay. I wish cars were still this easy to work on.
Great video ! I put flex seal on my pipes to keep them from the elements. Thanks EricTheCarGuy
I had to bend wit my eye lol
Compression fittings may be ugly but are 100% functional. There is a video of a guy cut and joined a brand new line with a compression fitting and then did a tug of war with his truck. The actual metal line snapped and the compression fittings and flared fittings held perfect.
Again the metal brake line is a weaker link than compression fittings…..
It hurts to watch you undo brake lines with an open end spanner
Massive kink at 29:11 on the driver's side! That won't last long if it flowed at all. Fatigue will open that up in no time.