Went to replace my rear brake hoses and it appears the originals are permanently connected to the steel brake lines and the replacements have a fitting that requires male threads. So, it appears that I have to cut the steel lines on both sides and install the male flare fitting and double flare the steel lines. Nothing is ever as easy as I thought it would be I suppose. Ford doesn't even offer the brake lines for my 2002 truck any more. Now where did I put that double flare tool set?

 

After any truck or car is older than 10 years, Dealers don't have parts anymore unless NOS. new old stock. I have had to make a ton of brake lines on ford with weird size male threads. Sometimes I used a torch just to save an end, to reuse.

 

Yeah, but they like to brag about how long Ford trucks last. If it wasn't for the aftermarket? Some parts for my 95 Mark VIII Lincoln were no longer available after 8 years. This is one reason I traded it with only 113k miles on it.

 

I got the same answer at my Ford dealer a couple of days ago when I asked about OEM lines. They said, "We make our own". I checked on eBay & found several eBay sellers of aftermarket sets of hard lines. One wanted about $160 delivered for the entire set of lines necessary. He is only 20 miles from my home, so if necessary I will drive out there & pick them up over the counter. Still haven't got a good look at just what will be necessary.
I talked with the service manager at one of the local shops - they make their own lines also, at $69/hour for labor. I read that F150's this old frequently have frozen bleed screws that cannot be loosened. This shop will discard the old brake calipers & install new ones rather than fight with a frozen bleed screw and wind up destroying the original caliper anyway. More $ out the window. So far all the old flare nuts I have loosened are quite easy to remove without damaging the fittings.

 

The right rear caliper bleed screw wouldn't budge with a wrench. So, I put some vise grips on it and got it turning. In the past I've wrung them off (and then broke off an easy out) (should have drilled it out) and had to replace the caliper.

I'm replacing the calipers too. I've had rear brake overheating problems. At first I thought it was the parking brakes, so I cleaned the mechanisms and replaced the cable on the driver's side. But, it was the old brake hoses swelling up I'm sure. At any rate, I'm replacing all of my hoses and the rear calipers. If the rear brakes continue to overheat after that, I guess I'll take my truck out into the woods and shoot it between the head lights!! Ha! Ha!

 

A good way to unstuck bleeders, spray Zep 45 spray lubricant, blaster, or some other rust spray. let sit as long as you can,(overnite) Then take a hammer and hit it with just enough force not to flatten or bent the nipple. this works most of the time, then i get new ones, put (never-seize Copper type) on them, good to go. do this if you want to reuse wheel cyl, calipers.