steel braided brake line HELP!

ok so a few months ago i went to switch my brake lines out to steel ones. i bought a Goodridge kit, which are great quality... BUT as i started to take off the old lines i found out that the flare that toyota has on the stock line bolts is not meant to come out or go back in (if you manage to get it out). I went and bought new pre-flared lines with the bolts on them but one of the bolts is always shorter than the other( no matter what parts store i went to) so brake fluid leaks out from that side no matter how tight it is. i ended up having to make my own lines and bend them so they would fit comfortably. which was not easy or cheap.

i only did one line and said F*&$ the rest for now.

Does anyone know an easier way of installing steel braided lines? or is flaring and bending your own the only option?????

 

Hmm...I went through a brake line fiasco recently as well and swapped rear lines out twice. Its possible that the flare on your OEM hard lines was boogered up from the factory having torqued the fittings too hard.

Once the flare is messed up its hard to get a good seal on another line without torquing the fitting until it strips (fiasco #1 for me) After I learned that I suck at flaring lines I didn't have enough hard line left to try it a 4th time so I had to replace the entire hard line (fiasco #2).

I did find pre-flared lines at Advance Auto and replaced the entire line. Both fittings on mine were the same long length, though I did find lines with one short and one long.

IIRC our trucks use 3/16" lines with 10mm fittings, double flare.

I also learned that I really like to bend the new lines before double checking that the fitting is against the flare.

Instead of replacing the entire line to the junction under the driver's side door, you could cut the line, install a new fitting and flare coupling, and run a short extension to your new braided lines.

 

thats a good idea, ill do that when i decide to embark on the 3 other lines! i appreciate the input it really helped!!

 

10 x 1.0 on 3/16 or 4.75 hard line inverted double flare

Call up your local parker hose and fittings or whoever and see who can make you soft lines if need be. Your local autozone probably has lengths of pre-made lines with nuts and flares, just make sure not to get bubble flare.

If you can't find a union in metric you can always run 3/8-24 and then swap back to 10x1.0 on the other side of the line.

The 'OEM' brand tool that only flares 4.75 and 3/16 double inverted flare is great too, all the other tools suck

 

What is the difference in bubble flare and whatever the other type is?

 

Kind of surprising to hear issues with a goodridge line set. I've used a bunch on other vehicles over the years without issue. Anyone notice any improvement with these installed? One thing I've always hated about these trucks is the mushy brakes. Feels like an old Buick compared to all my other vehicles and past generation Toyota trucks.

 

The Goodridge kit is great and I had no problems with that line. The issue I ran into was the stock hard lines. The line bolt was flared too much so it wouldn't come out or go back in. I called my local toyota dealership and they said they are made that way on purpose to guarantee a "snug fit" aka so you have to take it to them for service. Once I made my hard lines the steel line went on like butter. I only got one on, the front driver line and then I decided to do the rest some other time. But honestly just having that one steel line on has made a very noticeable difference. So when I do the other 3 I'm sure the braking will be anything but mushy. I also can't stand the mushy breaks. I'll be sure to post something when I do the rest, hopefully it will help someone avoid all the shit I did wrong!