Brake Nightmares

[Chootrain470]

What started as a simple front brake hose replacement turned into a mess last night. I began by spraying penetrating oil and using a flare wrench to no avail. The nut began to round off so I stopped.

Next attempt I cut off the rubber hose and used a deep socket. I heated the fitting up with a torch and whacked with a hammer. No use. The nut is now completely rounded. I ended up cutting off the hard line and now need to figure out how to cut the fitting off the bracket without removing the bracket.

I’m going to try vice grips first. Then a nut extraction tool. And last resort a dremel. Wish me luck.

And other suggestions are appreciated.

[1988M5]

Pull the spring clip up and away, the line will come off as-is.
EDIT; I looked at pictures of the clip and it's a closed circle on one end, I remember it as a double fork. You could still mangle it out, but you'd need a replacement.

BK
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1991 tin top GL
2002 Winnebago Vista. VW VR6 24V Eurovan front clip powered class C 21' RV.
Some BMWs.

[pathao]

I've always been told:

Everything that affects the brakes you will have top heat it up to shinny-red-hot-cherry-red, otherwise...
especially the bleeder screws.

That's why I have a small oxygen system. MAPP alone isn't enough.
Hang in there, You'll figure out a way.
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1982 AC P27 - 2.0 FI FED - 091 - BA6


English is a second language to me

[1988M5]

[Chootrain470]

[a914622]

Small pipe wrench!! 4 or 6 inch one
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87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru

[DanHoug]

[drj434343]

I have been in your position many times over the years. I've employed all the strategies already mentioned above, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

One thing to add, which I started using a few years ago, is locking pliers designed for hex.

https://toolguyd.com/gedore-grip-wrench-locking-pliers-with-hex-jaws/

I have the Irwin version shown in that article, but there are several variations. The Irwins have literally never failed to dislodge a hard line nut, even if was rounded by previous efforts. It works on the flats, not the edges of the hex.

I swear by them now and sometimes even skip penetrating oil and heat.

[Chootrain470]

[Chootrain470]

Good news.
1. I cut the retaining spring and was able to get the old connection out. A new spring is coming so I should be able to fix this next week when the new hard line arrives.
2. I did the other brake hose up front with no issues.

[skemems]

This happened on my van on both front brake lines. No need to purchase another hard line. Just cut off the hard line as close to the nut as possible, purchase new metric flare nuts (M10x1.0 I think), and reflare brake line w flaring tool.
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87 VW Westfalia - EJ25
86 VW Westfalia - EJ22
85 VW Westfalia - WBX 2.1 project

[Abscate]

When I moved to LI I gave my welder and oxy setup to a young guy in the business, but kept my little consumer brand oxy mapp for just this work.

You can heat anything on a caliper to cherry without damaging seals, just use your head and fingers to track the heat. Just too hot to touch is ok for seals

Red will move bleeders, lines, flares like magic. Aldo good for those big nuts that the tailless monkeys like to bash with hammers or buy stupid expensive “ torque multipliers”. You need chemistry, not torque on stuck stuff.

$75 today, they were $50 before the Orange Cheetoh farted

https://www.amazon.com/RX-WELD-Portable-Cylinder-C...&psc=1
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[Wildthings]

Buy a new piece of tubing and sawzal the tubing nut off and move on. You are already buying the hose and the spring so you will be all set. Beware that some tubing wrenches are junk, I bought a NAPA wrench when I couldn't find my decades old craftsman and it wouldn't loosen even a slightly tight nut without spreading. This is one place where springing for a Snap-on or Mac tool is probably worth it. I later bought another Craftsman for almost nothing, I went into a Sears to buy something and saw they had a full bin of tubing wrenches in just the right size for this application for like $1 each, so I bought a handful and handed them out to my VW friends.

A pair of Vice Grips will often break one of these nuts loose, but it may collapse the nut rendering it questionable to reuse.

[Chootrain470]

While I’m waiting on parts to address my front brake, I went ahead with the others.

The other front brake hose was done without issues. One rear drum was a real pain but I eventually got it off with a blow torch and hammer. The rear brake hoses were also not an issue.

One question:
My rear brake adjuster seems too long. I am fairly certain that I assembled it correctly. Will this be an issue? I tried bending the adjuster plate a bit but I can do more if need be.

[Chootrain470]

What if I put some spacer washers on the adjusting arm?

[Wildthings]

[Chootrain470]

I am still confused. Is it common to have this alignment issue? Can you see any issue if I just add some washers as shims?

[1988M5]

So, with brand new shoes (max outer diameter) and brand-new drums (minimum inner diameter) the adjuster needs to be that wide to get any resistance?
Doesn't make sense. Sum Ting Wong.

BK
_________________
1991 tin top GL
2002 Winnebago Vista. VW VR6 24V Eurovan front clip powered class C 21' RV.
Some BMWs.

[Chootrain470]

[tdivan82]

On some models, VW used a "U" shaped brake clip. On others, it's a "C" shaped clip with a through hole. Some VW models used both.

In the case of stuck brake line, the U clip will pull out usually with not much trouble. The C clip, as shown above, you simply cut the clip and the line is free from the body. That allows you to get a vicegrip on the nut and turn it.

Don't use mapp gas on brake lines. It's foolish to put that much heat into such thin metal. Iron calipers sure, but not the lines. You'll just end up damaging the line.

Everything costs more now after four years of Dementia Autopen, and his Wuhan flu.
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- George
'82 Westy TDI (ahu)
'96 Passat TDI