Quick help with wheel cylinder replacement

[bigalpha]

88 LWB, 6cyl.

 

The flex brake line that runs to the wheel cylinder; what size is the nut on it? Is it 10 or 11mm?

 

Thanks.

[Automan2164]

If your having trouble with the sizes, and one doesn't fit, and the other is too loose, it may be vise-grip time...

 

Rob L.

[Eagle]

The flex hose doesn't run to the wheel cylinders, it runs to the axle.

 

Exactly what are you trying to remove? The hard line into the wheel cylinders should be an SAE (English) size, not metric.

[Automan2164]

You talking about the rubber line or the hard line with the coil around it?

 

Rob L.

[bigalpha]

The hard line with the coil around it .. it runs along the axle into the back of the drum assy area. It's right below the bleeder nipple.

[bigalpha]

Sorry, my first post was unclear -- when I said flex hose, I didn't mean the rubber lines. I mean the hard metal ones that you can bend to shape. I just said flex because they bend. :chillin:

 

Plus, I wanted to keep that nut in good shape so I could resuse the line and not have to run more brake line.

[HOrnbrod]

Get a cheap set of flare nut wrenches - it's the best way to remove the nut w/o destroying it.

 

[Automan2164]

:agree:

 

Rob L.

[bigalpha]

Yep, it's too late for those. Turns out a 3/8" wrench fits almost perfectly, but that nut rounded off. I wasn't able to get it off with a fat pair of adjustable wrench either.

 

I got one side done, though, and that went easy. The nut unthreaded with no problems. I suppose I'll have to run a new hard line from for that side, since that nut will be mangled when I get it off. Bah.

[Tri_X_Troll]

Just went through this when I eliminated my prop valve. PB Blaster and vice grips are all I could get them off with. The flair wrenches actually rounded them off.

[bigalpha]

Then I'll go at it again and have a new fitting put on the hose.

[dakal]

don't ask me how i know!!!

 

only a flare wrench made by snapon will not flare the ends. i have many flare wrenches the same size.

 

it was all i could do to not throw up when i bought it.

[Eagle]

Then I'll go at it again and have a new fitting put on the hose.

It's not a hose. It's a steel tube.

 

Use anti-seize on the threads and on the flare (but not inside the tube) when you put the new line on.

[bigalpha]

Then I'll go at it again and have a new fitting put on the hose.

It's not a hose. It's a steel tube.

 

Use anti-seize on the threads and on the flare (but not inside the tube) when you put the new line on.

 

I wonder if there is a formal difference between the two (hose and tube).

 

I'll definitely use anti-seize. I don't want to go through this again later.

[Eagle]

I wonder if there is a formal difference between the two (hose and tube).

Yeah. Hose is made of rubber. Steel tube is made of ... steel.

 

The fact that you can bend the steel line by hand doesn't make it "flexible." It makes it bendable -- once. Bend it in the same place two or three times and it'll break. Despite the fact you can shape it to fit, it is considered to be rigid tubing. That's why you'll generally see it referred to in these posts as "hard line."

[bigalpha]

Where the rubber hose comes down from the main distro block to the small distro block on the axle, then to the two hard lines that run to each wheel cylinder -- what size is the port that the hard, steel, bendable lines screw into?

 

I'd like to find something to plug that hole with so I don't lose a bunch of brake fluid while that line is off.

[Eagle]

I know it's an SAE (fine) thread, and it's a straight thread, not a pipe (tapered) thread. Going from memory, I think it's either 5/16" or 3/8" and I'm leaning toward 3/8". Bolts are cheap -- buy one of each and you've got it covered.

[bigalpha]

Thanks for the advice; I'll grab one each and see which one fits. There's a really good place just down the road that has any kind of bolt, screw or fastening device you could ask for.