The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Brake Line Blues

ok guys.....been riding around in my 50 panel for about 6 months, going to take a friend out for a ride this week , and started engine,truck was rolling back,i slamed the brakes,,,,,,pedal started easing to the floor.....looked under truck it is the brake line that runs thur crossmember under radiator..(fluid pouring) ...what the best way to fix this????i have a local car show about 5 miles from the house sat that i wanted to ride down there in my panel truck ......not to put in show :rolleyes: just to ride around down in...any quick fix?????thanks for all the help guys!!!!!!!!

JB Weld.

J-B weld is some good stuff but not for a brake line. That line probably is rusted all the way along that run. The only Quick fix is replacement. Your FLAPS ought to carry them in various lengths. Piggyback one in until you can get around to replacing them all.

Remove the suspect, or better yet, all the lines carefully, blow the old fluid into a jug for proper disposal, then bend and flare clones of the original tubing runs. Otherwise, you can buy a set of pre-bent lines. One thing will doubtless lead to another, most of the old hoses and lines probably should be replaced. But that is better than bashing into an expensive imported car and paying to fix it and the owners chiropractor bills. If you are on a budget, you could do a piece at a time, but most would say better to make it all right than gamble on old corroded steel lines and rotten hoses.
I've swapped out the old single shot master cylinders for modern dual masters, so I bought good quality tubing benders and double lap flare tools so I could make my own lines. Your time, or your money, your choice. At least the tools will be there for the fuel lines and the next truck.

Want a quick and dangerous fix? Not that I would recommend it, but years ago I had the brake line going to the rear of my truck crack. A buddy undid a fitting foward of the leak and insert a nail with the same size head as the flare into the brake line and tightened the fitting back up. The head of the nail acted as a plug for the line and got me home with only front brakes. A lot scary, but it worked.
Steve O

As cletis says, replacement is the best way to fix it. I made this recommendation as a quick fix (and temporary). As far as stupid and dangerous, it can withstand pressures of over 1700 psi and temperatures of 500 degrees. I did it as a quick fix (probably would have lasted forever) and live to tell. But I would follow the experts advice.

It was about 1979 and I had bought this rusty out 64 Chevy truck from IL. One day, with two passengers, we were going down the freeway in the fast lane when traffic suddenly started stopping all around us. Brake (break) lights everywhere. I touched the pedal and with a loud pop it instantly went to the floor not even slowing us down.
I looked over my right shoulder and there was room so I moved one lane to the right. Just before I would hit the now stopped cars in the fast lane. Perfect timing. but, this lane was stopping too. I looked over my shoulder again, ah, more room.
We went across five lanes of bumper to bumper traffic in an old rusty pickup truck at 55 mph with everybody around us coming to a stop. When I reached the gravel shoulder I pulled on the handbrake and we skidded and spun to a stop.
We looked at each other for a while. They noisily got unstuck from their seats and started thanking me. To this day they treat me like the person that saved their lives with his incredible driving skills to anyone that will listen.

If that JB Weld don't hold? Try duct tape...
and practice changing lanes.

A few years back We were in a 1955 chevy Belair going about 45 MPH approaching an intersection. The traffic signal turned red. Put the brake pedal down (all the way down). Everything was in slow motion until we stopped. Luckily the cross traffic hadn't started through and we were able to make a right turn onto the shoulder without hitting anyone. JB Weld got us home.
Tony M, In another Stovebolt forum I did see that duct tape is one of the Greatest Inventions . I never thought of duct tape before, but if this ever happens again, maybe I'll try the duct tape method .

The 1 steel brake line should cost you less the the jb weld. REPLACE the line. Replace all the lines when you can as soon as you can.

I am sorry but I disagree with all those folks that are posting the "quick fixes" here. They are dangerous! Please go back and reread his post "what is the BEST WAY to fix this?" flintriver obviously has time to fix this correctly. If he didn't have time he would not have posted on the website. I may offend some of you but those of you posting the "quick fixes" are being very irresponsible and down right dangerous! Yes, I realise when you have no other options these things may all work ONCE. However, the cost of a tow bill isn't all that much when you consider the alternative (killing someone cause your "quick fix" failed to work). Heck you can have towing added to your insurance!

Not that I am a litigious person. But if you do something so patently stupid as to repair a brake line or even suggest it, you deserve to be sued for everything you've got when someone gets hurt. Replacement brake lines are available. Buy them. Replace ALL of them. If you can't afford it you're in the wrong hobby.