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| | | | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 | I'm down to replacing the last wheel cylinder on my 1964 C10, and the fitting on the driver side rear seems to be rusted to the steel brake line. I can break the fitting loose from the wheel cylinder, but it won't spin on the brake line. I've been soaking it with PB Blaster and am using the correct line wrench, but so far no luck.
Any thoughts on breaking it loose without kinking and breaking the line? Maybe a little heat or trying to hold the brake line with vice grips...
Tim | | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,296 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,296 | With the amount of corrosion that you are dealing with, you might consider replacing that brake line (I'm assuming it is a short one) for safety reasons. I like to make old stuff work as much as the next guy, but sometimes you have to give up and buy new.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Agreed, replace the line.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | If it broke loose it is turning on the line. Keep turning, you have to get it off anyway to put a new line on. If it twists the tube it will break off and there you go. Take it off back to the next connection. Measure the length of the line and buy that length of brake line section. Bend it using the old one as a template and install and bleed. Or cut it off just past the cylinder fitting and remove the cylinder with it on there. or leave the whole tube section on there and wind it out thru the cylinder hole.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 | Yeah, I don't mind repalcing the hard lines, but was trying to hold off until I was ready to convert the front to disk brakes. It looks like the vendors sell the pre-bent lines only in complete kits. Guess I'll need to get back under and measure the length I'll need across the rear axle and bend that piece myself. I'm guessing that it's 1/4" line, but will get out the calipers and measure first.
Thanks for the replies! | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Some auto parts stores mix up their SAE with their Metric thread brake lines. So be sure you get SAE/U.S. threads. Take the new cylinder with you to try.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 | Well I got it off without kinking the line. Once I had resigned myself to replacing the steel brake line I guess I was willing to use a bit more force, and I think the problem was as much the line having tension on the fitting as it was rust. When I worked on straightening the line to the fitting, it began to free up and I worked it off with no damage to the line.
This 49 year old truck doesn't give up without a fight!
Tim | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 |
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,363 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,363 | I was going to suggest heat. Personally I don't think an old steel brake line is worth saving, anything over 30 years old likely needs replacing. Much better than having it split or? when driving down a steep hill and going over a cliff or into someones house.
Kicking self for selling off my Taskforce trucks.
Still looking for an LCF or conventional big bolt in decent shape.
As of 10-26-2022, A 55.2 Taskforce long bed now the work begins
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 14 | I will definitely be replacing the steel brake lines before too long, probably with stainless steel. I just bought the truck, and thought it would be wise to go through the brakes before driving it much. At this point, I've replaced all the brake parts other than the master cylinder and steel brake lines. This thing still had the original brake drums, with the fronts riveted to the hubs. What I thought would be a weekend brake job turned out to be a bigger project than I thought. I guess that's normal for an old truck restoration! :-) | | |
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