When I took my 52 Chevy 3100 to my mechanic for some work, he said that the flexible rubber brake lines on the front wheels were badly deteriorated and needed to be replaced. I had replaced them several years ago when I installed stainless steel brake lines. After a few years I noticed the outer rubber coverings on them was starting to peel off. But to my eye the braided steel underneath the rubber seemed in good condition so I wasn’t worried about it. The mechanic has replaced them so it’s no longer an issue but I’m wondering what you guys think about how unsafe they were just because the rubber coating was coming off. I could see that without the rubber coating the steel would be exposed to the elements but no more than the rest of the brake lines. I can’t imagine that the loss of the rubber substantially weakened the woven steel line underneath.

My dad always told me, "Don't force it, get a bigger hammer".