Rusted brake line fittings, FML

[ADCS]

Hey guys, has anybody encountered brake line fittings that were horribly rusted?

The fittings on my rear hard lines that connect to the flex lines are rusted to the point of almost perishing. I am afraid to even attempt loosening the fitting as I most likely won't be able to re-attach the flex lines. For now I have only been able to install my SS lines on the front.

The fronts were not an issue, it is just the rears that are rusted and its only the fitting. The line itself is mint.

Are there any other options aside from replacing the entire hard line?

[DNasty777]

Yeesh, that looks as bad as the ones on my '69 Plymouth. If you can't get it off you can cut the hard line just above the nut. Rent a tube flare tool from an auto store and flare a new nut on there. Its real easy and you should have enough room on the hard line.

[Valve_Cover]

Yea I put SS lines on my car a couple years ago and the rears looked just like yours. I wasn't planning on saving the OEM lines so I buffed off all the rust and and heated the fitting till it was red. Came right apart after that. Obviously the rubber brake line didn't live through that but I was putting in SS lines so I didn't really care

[ZipMeUpJ]

Have this same issue. What is the specs for the fitting on the hard line? Is this fitting something common that any indy shop would have when doing this job? Or Am I safer getting the fitting before hand?

[Dubsport Inc]

Undo the bracket for the fitting, pull it away from the car, then install old licence plate or some kind of metal shield behind the fitting, get two pairs of vice grips (go buy a new small set for the nut itself... trust me on this) and then heat it up a little, use the small set on the "nut" and then the other set to brace the hose and undo. When installing the new hose slalther the fitting with copper coat, the extra copper cost will come out when you bleed it! (don't heat it too much as the rubber hose will blow and then it makes anoise like a shoytgun and sprays hot brake fluid on you)

[SJorge3442]

My nut wasnt looking to hot when I checked it out the other day. After having a blown brake line in the past, I never want to go through that again. So it is as simple as cutting the rusty fitting off, then adding a nut to the line and then flaring the pipe? I never dealt with hard lines before. What kind of nut can I use, where do I get it? I wanna fix this before it gets as bad as the pics in this thread.

[walky_talky20]

What you need is a metric flare nut. Specifically an M10 x 1.0 bubble flare nut for 3/16" line. Here is the factory piece:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Site...2204/ES472204/

For just buying 1, that is not a terrible price. In this country, the metric flare nuts are expensive to buy (seemingly about twice the price of the standard stuff). Due to this expense, we often pilfer any good flare nuts from cars before they get scrapped. Usually the ones in the engine bay on the master or proportioning valves. The ones near the wheels are often rusted silly like yours.

[seanf86]

I just dealt with this on my wife's car, got the line loose but the flare nut was seized to the line, bought a new spring clip cut the old one off pulled the line out of the bracket spun the old hose off and new one on. On the pass side the line was so fucked I had to buy a new line from the abs pump to the wheel, cost me $40 for the line and less effort than trying to flare the line by the steering rack. On the rears there is a union under the car, price out a new line might be easier, I've seen corroded lines in the flarenut push so hard inside the nut the line became restricted and affected the braking.

[ZipMeUpJ]

Mine is so rusted it crumbled apart. The head of the fitting now looks like an upside down cone lol. I stopped trying in fear it would completely break down and my brake line would come off. I have a set of ECS ss lines to put on all around but both rear lines are frozen on so I waited. Going to see if I can find any of the nuts at the local yard first. I did pick up 4 rubber hoses from there when I was doing the fronts. Not all of them in the yard were rusted on like mine

[SJorge3442]

What you need is a metric flare nut. Specifically an M10 x 1.0 bubble flare nut for 3/16" line. Here is the factory piece:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Site...2204/ES472204/

For just buying 1, that is not a terrible price. In this country, the metric flare nuts are expensive to buy (seemingly about twice the price of the standard stuff). Due to this expense, we often pilfer any good flare nuts from cars before they get scrapped. Usually the ones in the engine bay on the master or proportioning valves. The ones near the wheels are often rusted silly like yours.

So I did a rear brake job on my 3.0 on Sunday and this nut NEEDS to be taken care of. If I cut the line right above the fitting and then grab a set of new lines, will I have enough flex line to reach the fitting? Like i mentioned above, is this as easy as cutting the fitting off, sliding the new fitting on and then flaring that line, securing the fitting to the line? I have never dealt with brake line stuff before, so this is all new to me. I'd be doing SS lines front and rear and doing a nice complete flush. Also, what type of flare should we be doing on this?

[walky_talky20]

Yes. It is that easy. And I already stated this in my post - it's a bubble flare (not to be confused with a double flare).

Be glad you drive an Audi. On a similar vintage Toyota or Honda, not only are the nuts rusted, but entirety of the LINES are rusted, too. Front to back. It's terrible and expensive to fix.

[SJorge3442]

Yes. It is that easy. And I already stated this in my post - it's a bubble flare (not to be confused with a double flare).

Be glad you drive an Audi. On a similar vintage Toyota or Honda, not only are the nuts rusted, but entirety of the LINES are rusted, too. Front to back. It's terrible and expensive to fix.

Yeah my old buick had the same issue. I actually borrowed a brake tool from Advanced Auto this past weekend to do my rear brakes and that kit came with the flaring tool. I'll rent it again to handle this. I'll probably grab a section of brake line to practice on. With removing a few inches of hard line, will the soft line have enough reach without worrying about the line being too short?

[walky_talky20]

We're talking less than an inch here, you're good to go.

[SJorge3442]

We're talking less than an inch here, you're good to go.

Yeah, but due to the bends, do you think I'll be able to get the vice to grab enough brake line before the bend? I'm thinking I may have cut past that last bend before the fitting.

[walky_talky20]

It depends on your tool, I guess. I think the tool I use would work. Would be tight, though.

If you have to go back too far, you can always put a union in to extend it. You can use standard (US) sizes for the union (metric unions are expensive will likely not be available to you). Use a flare fitting union, not a compression fitting - that's janky and arguably illegal.