Need help ASAP!!

[79BIG10]

Hopefully someone can give me some insight on this fast. I'm trying to replace the brake hoses while I've got the front end out and the lines won't come loose. I've got a crow's foot (back up wrench) on there and sprayed with Liquid Wrench and nothing budges. If I can get the "clamp" off from the frame I would have more to work with.

How do you guys remove brake hoses on the front brakes and also how to remove the factory clamp to hold the hoses to the frame rail? This is almost all I need other than getting the parts back from the machine shop tomorrow to have this done. (If all goes well. )

[beaterC10]

I cut mine off at the hardline and replaced the hardline. I feel your pain.

[79BIG10]

how did you get the clamped piece off?

[beaterC10]

Do you mean the tin nut that clamps the end of the hose through frame rail? After I cut the hardline I was able to get a socket over the end of the hardline and loosen the nut.

If you are talking about the bolt that attaches the hose bracket to th a-arm, I just twisted on the bolt and broke it off.

The only problem with cutting the hardline is those lines are short with a few different bends. It took a couple trie to get one bent to fit.

You might also be able to cut the tin nut with a chisel and remove the line. I know on mine the nut on the hardline rounded, the hose was dry rotted, and the clamp nut was frozen At that point I figured I it couldn't get much worse, so bending a new line was a lesser evil than spending hours trying to save the stuff.

Have I told everyone how much I like working on midwestern trucks?

[79BIG10]

Originally Posted by beaterC10

Do you mean the tin nut that clamps the end of the hose through frame rail? After I cut the hardline I was able to get a socket over the end of the hardline and loosen the nut.

That's the one I'm talking about but don't want to redo the line if possible.

I may have to end up doing that though

[beaterC10]

I just noticed you're from Texas. I thought it was against the law for stuff to rust there. For me the deciding factor is how long I have spent wrestling with something while I am either drowning in sweat or freezing up.

[Captkaos]

Did you take the hardline on the engine side that goes to the hose off first? If it is off it makes it A LOT easier to remove the rubber hose. You are talking about the nut on the opposite side of the frame from this pic right?

[79BIG10]

LOL That's the thing it's not rusted. It's just so stuck together I can't get them apart.

[79BIG10]

Right Chris. I'm talking about the hard line nut. I can't get it off of the rubber hose fitting or the fitting that holds it in place when it goes into the frame itself. I cut the old lines off before the a-arm bracket.

[Captkaos]

Ahhh, so you are trying to get the hardline nut off the fitting passing through the frame.. That is a pain. I rounded one off using a line wrench once. Have you let the penetrating oil soak in some? As a last resort I have went to small Visegrips to get it off.

[79BIG10]

I'll try again later on to see if I can get that nut off. Now if I can get the line nut off how do I get the holder that's on the frame? On the new line it has a C clip to clip on.

[bisquik65]

Use a small propane torch...Heat the nut up on the steel line for about 2 minutes....Then take a small hammer and hit the nut....Spray with oil...Then it will come loose...It works for me in on the rusty ones...And mabye a good pair of vise grips...works too. Hope this helps,Erick

[eagle23]

Like Erick, I used a propane torch to heat the sob, after I had used several penetrating solvents to no avail.

When it finally let go, it sounded like gunfire...no kidding.

Be patient and persistent, or is that stubborn? I get 'em confused

Brian

[79BIG10]

I don't have a torch but I all ready rounded off the nuts using a set of vice grips. I guess I'll have to change out the lines now

[BIGCHEVYMAN]

i use a die grinder and cut the steel collar off flush with the frame then you can pull the hard line through the frame . you have just enough slack to get a wrench on the back side and put vice grips on the front side. sounds barbarric, but it works for me every time.

[MylilBowTie]

Originally Posted by BIGCHEVYMAN

i use a die grinder and cut the steel collar off flush with the frame then you can pull the hard line through the frame . you have just enough slack to get a wrench on the back side and put vice grips on the front side. sounds barbarric, but it works for me every time.

That's what I did on mine. It did take some time to do but it was worth it. Took a cut off wheel to cut it pretty flush with the frame. Then on to a air grinder with a round cutting stone. Then I BFH and decent size punch to knock the little ridge that couldn't get to. Bent the hard line back a little on toward the engine bay. Got the flat metal washer off, then the rest of the steel collar that was left from the metal brake line. Put the flat metal washer back on, careful not to let it slid down the line. But the metal brake line back through the frame installed the rubber line. Tighten the flat metal washer back up and it was all done. I had to fight with the retaining clip in the UCA and use a wrench to hold the nut still and loosen the bolt on the out side. I had a weekend to do this and it took a full day of messing with it. Trial and error being my first time and all old 84 stock gm parts.

I also soaked down the metal fittings with Kroil for about a week before.

[boxrodz]

When I swap my brake lines out, I also used a penetrating oil and let it set for a while. Then, I was 'just' able to get a flare nut wrench inside the framerail to 'break' loose the brake line fitting from the brake hose fitting. Once it 'broke' loose, it came off fairly easy. (I used a flare nut wrench to avoid rounding the fitting.) Although the frame is 'keyed' to the brake hose fitting, I used a 5/8" wrench to hold it in place while breaking loose the brake line fitting with the flare nut wrench. I started on the passenger side and it was tight with all the plumbing alongside the inside of the frame rail. On the driver side, I used a different approach. I removed the brake pipe inner nut by taking an adjustable wrench and using the tip of the wrench to loosen the inner nut. It was slow going, but fortunately it wasn't on too tight. Then, I was able to pull the hard line thru the framerail to loosen the brake line fitting from the brake hose fitting. This method is easier if you can get the inner nut loose. I assembled and tightened the fitting reversing this method.

The 'fun' part for me started before I replaced the brake hoses. A week before I started this, I soaked the bleeder screws with penetrating oil (Power Blaster) knowing that I had to bleed the brakes once the brake hoses were replaced. In the end, after breaking bleeder screws, dulling drill bits and breaking screw extractors, I ended up with not only new brake hoses, but also with new front brake calipers and rear wheel cylinders. I hope you have better luck...

Originally Posted by MylilBowTie

...
I also soaked down the metal fittings with Kroil for about a week before.

I've heard good things 'bout Kroil, but I can't find it around here. A local hardware store tried to get their hands on some, but was unsuccessful.

[Slonaker]

This was one of the most frustrating things I have ever done on my truck. My plan was to use a screwdriver to turn the sheetmetal nut, then pull the hard line through the hole in the frame. The nut would not budge. I could not get any kind of wrench or pliers on it. I just could not reach it with much of anything.

Then I started trying to disconnect the hard line. I managed to strip the fitting on it with a flare nut wrench. At that point I gave up. I was so frustrated that I knew I would not make any progress.

Knowing that I would tackle it again in the future, I went to a junkyard and got several of the sheetmetal nuts and some nice hardlines off a clean truck with no engine. When I had most of my engine torn apart about a year later, it made it much easier to access the lines. I used vice grips to remove my old hard lines, then a large socket to remove the sheetmetal nut. When I was done, I put it all back together with the clean used parts I had taken off the junkyard truck.

I don't think I could have done it with the accessories on the engine. It is just too tight in there, and my hands are too big.

Slonaker