Removing front brake lines

Installing new SS brake lines up front, any tips on removing connection for the stock rubber line to the the hard line? Very narrow fastener to get a wrench on and in a tight spot...

 

Properly fitted tools - to prevent rounding the fittings. I'm not familiar with the 2nd gen components, but I've worked on many others. Spray the area with PB blaster or Kroil many times (or even days before) and let it soak.
Just be careful and don't crank on it too hard...or you can twist the hard lines. Be patient... If things aren't budging - spray more and give it time. You'll be tempted to crank on it...resist the urge!

I've had many situations where I've had to get the torch out.....not fun. GOOD LUCK!

 

What size is it? 10 mm? Probably have to use a brake line wrench like this.

 

Yes GET ONE OF THESE! It is worth it even if you only use it for this job. If you strip the nut then you will have to buy a new hard line. I stripped mine but was able to put it back with vice grips, although I know I will have to replace it in the future.

 

I've got line wrenches but the fitting is so rusted I'm afraid I'll just round it off. Access is really tight too, so I'm going to hold off for now. Thanks for the replies.

 

If your doing brakes maintenance for the first time or it has been neglected .

Here in the great rust belt I plan on just replacing the hard lines and keep them on hand

Most times when new to me things are rusted so bad no matter how much Kroil is used it is not coming apart.

 

I have rounded more of those fittings with line wrenches then without. I would use either vice grips as tight as you can clamp them, or cut the rubber line off and use a socket if you are replacing those hoses.

 

I have to ask just how do you round flare nuts with a line wrench??

Twist them off I can relate to

Poor quality line wrench??

By the time things are rusted that bad I would also be replacing the rubber lines as well.

 

BDN, Viking Brett not myself could replace my front brake lines with the Wheelers steel braided ones because we couldn't get the rubber lines off.

Keep me posted.

 

I have done this more times than I can count, caliper bleeders seems to always do this even with a closed head wrench. I have a decent set of flare nut wrenches (craftsman) and when the nuts are rusty enough, the corners just crumble. I have been looking at new SS front brake lines, and I like the suggestion to cut the rubbers ones off and use a socket on the nut.

 

I had a set of line wrenchs from advance auto and they would ring off a bolt quickly. You could litterly see the wrench bend under pressure and spin around the nut. I recently done the brake line swap as well and bought new kolbat line wrench and the nut came right off. I'd spend a few days spraying them with pb blaster

 

Wow I use Snap On line wrenches twisted quite a lot off where the nut will turn in the fitting but not on the line

Once the lines are off the first time the new ones get Never Seized

 

The ends of the line wrench just open up when pressure is applied. Granted my line wrenches are definitely on the cheap side.

 

First off....If the area is rusted bad enough, the rust deforms the shape of the nut. A flare wrench is best....but if the nut is deformed of its original shape - the wrench just rips the rusted/soft spots off and you have nothing left to work with.

Compression fittings / flare nuts aren't made of titanium. The metal they're made of is obviously softer than the pressure of which you apply to them and can strip. You just have to know when to 'back off'.

Before you actually round it.... think about taking a torch and heating the nut. This will help expand the metal / nut in hopes it'll separate from the threads and you'll be able to remove it while you still can put a wrench on it.
Just BE CAREFUL with torching brake lines ( aka OILS) and have a fire extinguisher on hand. Make sure you have someone else at home when you do this....
My husband and I have done this many times on our Jeeps.

 

^This. I used a flare wrench with great success when I changed mine. If you do use a torch, also be careful to not burn the fluid if you can help it. Obviously you'll be bleeding the brakes anyways, but still...

 

Well Commonsense just looking at lines to rusted I don`t even bother just cut them off with Side Cutters

Maybe that is why I never rounded any off