KartRacerBoy Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 My installer apparently overtightened my new ss brake lines to my hardline and about a week after it was installed, it started leaking out of nowhere and within 4 miles I had zero brakes. The master cylinder brake fluid level was just at the bottom of the reservoir. I understand the fitting at the end of the hardline is brass and can be damaged by overtightening. How is this fixed? Replace the entire hardline or is the brass malleable enough that it can be reshaped with the proper tool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 18, 2006 Author Share Posted June 18, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebpda9 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 JB weld maybe ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 get a new hard line from the dealer, replace it. Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebpda9 Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 that would be an idea, but on most cars that i have seen so far the hardlines run from the proportioning valves/abs pump all the way to the wheel so the replacement of such a line would be pretty damn labor intensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 18, 2006 Author Share Posted June 18, 2006 Aw f---. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 You could try to clean up the flare wit a flaring tool, but that probably won't work and the only solution is a new hard line, or cuting the line and making a new segment to replae the damaged portion. The good news is thatyou ae talking $5 inparts, the bad news is that you need the cerrect double flare tool and someone who knows how to use it. Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 18, 2006 Author Share Posted June 18, 2006 Well, sounds like a Subaru dealer job. Certainly I'm not letting my brake installer near it again! But I don't have alot of faith in the dealer either. Man, I could've screwed this up myself instead of paying an idiot mechanic to do it. Shhhhhhhyyyyyytttte. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugblatterbeast Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Just flare it yourself so you know it is done right. I doubt a dealer would cut and reflare a line because of liability issues. The hour of labour they would charge you will easily pay for a pretty good flare tool. If you prep the pipe end carefully the flare will turn out fine. The only time I've had problems with a flare is when I didn't cut the end cleanly. If you are really worried, just buy a piece of 3/16 line to learn on first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 19, 2006 Author Share Posted June 19, 2006 what is the best way to cut the line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugblatterbeast Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 I've had good luck with the mini pipe cutters you get in the plumbing dept. The cutter has two roller guides and a cutting wheel positioned by a thumbscrew. You rotate the cutter around the pipe while tightening the screw. You will get an symetrical, square edged cut as long as the pipe is lined up first. Dont't forget to ream the inside of the pipe lightly before flaring or the die will get stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 This is where having a musclecar buddy who has rebuilt many an automobile from the ground up comes in extremely handy. Brothers rao and bugblatterbeast pretty much detailed exactly how my musclecar buddy did his system from-scratch. <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 I've had good luck with the mini pipe cutters you get in the plumbing dept. The cutter has two roller guides and a cutting wheel positioned by a thumbscrew. You rotate the cutter around the pipe while tightening the screw. You will get an symetrical, square edged cut as long as the pipe is lined up first. Dont't forget to ream the inside of the pipe lightly before flaring or the die will get stuck. Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochNY91TSI Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Yeah, the pipe cutters work well to cut the brake line, but get lots of practice with double flaring; it's *not* easy to do. You have to get a right angle from the end of the flare to the brake line or it won't seal right. I fixed a rusted out brake line on my talon in the first try and tried to do the same thing on my girlfriends rusted out brake lines and went through 6 brass brake line unions and still couldn't get it to seal. It can be very frustrating. I don't mean to discourage you, just want to let you know that it's not easy to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverstar Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Curious as to what you did to fix this leak. I just installed a set of goodridge lines and found that on the passenger front, the junction of the hard to ss line is leaking. There seems to be a small burr on the line, but it's hard to tell with fluid seeping out. I put on the stock line and it holds well, so I have a temporary solution, but it is going to bug the crap out of me until it's fixed. There seem to be a few people that have had this issue, curious to see what the best fix has been. I've never used a flare tool before, I'd have to take off the line to cut it cleanly, so if the line is coming off, might as well put on a new one. Anyone have experience replacing the hard line on the pass side? Hard lines like this are usually not a fun job... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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