Well..

Today was a FUN ride... Looks like the brake line to my rears has rusted thru, about midway thru the cab..

Interestingly-- the pedal feel went away, then the braking.. THEN the light came on.. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOA hossie!

Anyone replaced a brake line on an older truck?? It's an '86 F-150 4x4..

My main question-- is do I start from the front, or REAR of the truck.. And do the rear brakes share a single 'brakeline?' (this is WAY before ABS!) I'm assuming they do...

It's a longbed.. Not sure what differences that will make..

ANY help would be appreciated.. I just passed a kidney stone yesterday, and wasn't feeling like crawling up under it, to see what mess awaited me...

What size tubing will I need, would even be helpful!

AJ RN

 

Whoops...

I forgot-- this is a "PRE 97" problem...

Reposted there-- moderators, feel free to delete...

 

They had rear antilock in my 88, not sure about 86. There will be 2 brake lines coming from the master cylinder. The one coming from the front resovoir will go to the rear brakes and the one from the larger rear resovoir will go to the front brakes. Just focusing on the rear brakes, the line will run from the master cylinder to the rear axle where it will tee in order to feed both rear brakes. The couplers are threaded so you can remove the bad section and bring it to most any half decent parts store to match up length, diameter and end fitting sizes. I'm not sure if the entire line is in one piece, I suspect it isn't and there will most likely be a coupling somewhere along the 10' stretch running down the inside of the left frame rail.

 

3/16" is the size of the line you need. Do a quick measurement underneath the truck of what length lines you will need (approx. from front to back into brake hose that connects to the t-block and then the 2 different lengths left and right from t-block to the wheel cylinders). Go to your favorite parts house and get approx. same length lines. You will also have to purchase some connectors for the front to back line. You can either buy a cheap bender or do it by hand (carefully). Make sure you pre-soak your old fittings that go into the wheel cylinders and t-block, these may give you trouble. If they give you trouble, you can use limited heat on them to try and break them free.
All in all, this is a very simple job.
Also remember that when you bleed the brakes you want to start with the the wheel farthest away from the master cylinder (rear pass. side).
Good luck!

 

I'm a little spooked to pull it in the garage-- with no brakes, and a lovely cold snap has temps in the twenties, today.. This sorta confirms what I'd thought... I'm about to sell a '90 Probe LX for a rusted brake line-- but it's so damn cramped underneath her-- it's a really different story-- there.

I'll snap some pics, when the day comes I can actually get under her..

AJ RN

 

If you can get to the rusted-out area, you can replace just the section that's toast.... it's not the *right* way to do it, but it works in a bind. Cut out the bad section with a tubing cutter, flare the ends, and insert a new piece of tubing. 6" piece of tubing, two flared fittings, and two couplings and you're in business..... IF and only if you can get to the area and are comfortable fcutting and flaring steel tubing.

-Joe