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Slonaker · 09-24-2004, 07:18 PM

I'm not sure, from your post, if you are having a hard time with the giant stamped sheetmetal nuts on the inside of the frame or the actual brakeline fitting. I fought them both on mine, and eventually gave up.

I initially tried removing the fastener on the outside of the frame, but could not get them off. Then I moved to the inside of the frame. Everything I tried on the giant nuts slipped off because they are so thin. Everything I tried on the brakeline fittings just rounded them off.

I replaced them about a year and a half later when I had the engine mostly disassembled. Without all of the accessories on the front of the engine, there was enough room to work in there. That was the only way I could actually get in there with decent tools to get at everything.

I first went to a junkyard, and got the hard lines that screwed into the ends of the brake hoses at the frame. I took them from trucks that already had the engines pulled out so that I could actually get in there. It took me a couple of tries beforeI could find lines that would come off without rounding off the fitting. I also took a couple of extra nuts, just in case.

At home, I had to use vise grips to remove the old lines with the stripped out fittings. Then I could put a large socket on the sheetmetal nut and unscrew it. That allowed the line to pull through the frame. From there, it was easy to put everything back together.

I don't know the proper way to do it, but that is what I ended up having to do. I hope it goes better for you.

A mechanic friend says that he has had too many brakelines round the fittings off like mine did, even using flarenut wrenches. Yes, I was using flarenut wrenches when I rounded mine off! He says that he and all of the mechanics he knows just removethem by putting vicegrips on the fitting and breaking it loose with one quick tap of a hammer. That did work well when I was removing the fittings that were already stripped, but I don't know how much damage it would do to a good brakeline fitting. I prefer not to use vicegrips on anything unless it is already stripped out.

Slonaker

09-24-2004, 07:18 PM	#8
Slonaker Insert Witty Text Here Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 3,415	I'm not sure, from your post, if you are having a hard time with the giant stamped sheetmetal nuts on the inside of the frame or the actual brakeline fitting. I fought them both on mine, and eventually gave up. I initially tried removing the fastener on the outside of the frame, but could not get them off. Then I moved to the inside of the frame. Everything I tried on the giant nuts slipped off because they are so thin. Everything I tried on the brakeline fittings just rounded them off. I replaced them about a year and a half later when I had the engine mostly disassembled. Without all of the accessories on the front of the engine, there was enough room to work in there. That was the only way I could actually get in there with decent tools to get at everything. I first went to a junkyard, and got the hard lines that screwed into the ends of the brake hoses at the frame. I took them from trucks that already had the engines pulled out so that I could actually get in there. It took me a couple of tries beforeI could find lines that would come off without rounding off the fitting. I also took a couple of extra nuts, just in case. At home, I had to use vise grips to remove the old lines with the stripped out fittings. Then I could put a large socket on the sheetmetal nut and unscrew it. That allowed the line to pull through the frame. From there, it was easy to put everything back together. I don't know the proper way to do it, but that is what I ended up having to do. I hope it goes better for you. A mechanic friend says that he has had too many brakelines round the fittings off like mine did, even using flarenut wrenches. Yes, I was using flarenut wrenches when I rounded mine off! He says that he and all of the mechanics he knows just removethem by putting vicegrips on the fitting and breaking it loose with one quick tap of a hammer. That did work well when I was removing the fittings that were already stripped, but I don't know how much damage it would do to a good brakeline fitting. I prefer not to use vicegrips on anything unless it is already stripped out. Slonaker __________________ '86 Chevy C10 (Sold 04/19/13 ) Stock '01 Silverado Last edited by Slonaker; 09-24-2004 at 07:21 PM.