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Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union.
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Tim Donahoe
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 5:45 pm    Post subject: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

I did a search and came up with one controversial idea, so I’m asking here.

I’m about to change out my rear wheel brake cylinders and the soft brake lines. The rear cylinders will be easy (been there, done that). But I’m left wondering how to hold onto the union and T, so I can remove and install the new soft lines—without twisting up the other lines to the T on the left side, and the union on the right side.

Is it just a matter of getting a grip with vice grips on the left-side T and the right-side union? It looks very tight in there Rolling Eyes .

Thanks,

Tim
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Zundfolge1432 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 5:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

That’s what I’ve done because if you don’t it will bend the bracket. 11mm line wrench preferable Very Happy
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Tim Donahoe
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 5:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

Thanks, Zund.

In my search, one poster said he had to first remove the T-fitting bolt. But that seemed like a bit of extra work that I’d rather not do unless necessary to get vice grips on the T.

Tim
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Multi69s
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

Tim, you are right changing the brake line at that point is not fun. To make it easier, you can loosen up the original bolt, or remove it and temporally install a longer bolt. This will give you a little more room to work, and you don't want to depend on vice grips to hold the T.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

I just did this as well, I jammed a screw driver under/over the T to keep it in place, and of course used an 11mm flare wench.
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Tim Donahoe
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

I will be using flare wrenches, for certain.

I’ll have to check out that T fitting again, so I can understand where to jam a screwdriver, or loosen the hold-down bolt ... or replace it temporarily with a longer one to get more room to work.

It was 100 degrees today, so I didn’t finish the job for that reason also. I did have a very easy time of pulling the drums.

It helps to have the proper tools. 3/4 inch Sears breaker bar on a four foot pipe. A two year old could have loosened those castellated nuts. I’ll be using my TorqueMeister (knockoff) to tighten the nuts, however.

Tim
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volksworld
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 6:32 am    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

take a good look at the condition of the splines in the drum ....if the things been running for a long time with the rear nuts improperly tightened there could be significant wear...the last 1/8 inch of the drum out by the nut extends past the axle splines so the drum spline there will still be the factory thickness...if the rest of the spline is much thinner time to replace the drum...iirc i use a needle nose visegrip on that rear T
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 6:43 am    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

I didn’t realize it was such a pain to change the rear soft lines out. Make a video when you do it.
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[email protected]
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 7:01 am    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

Frodge wrote:
I didn’t realize it was such a pain to change the rear soft lines out. Make a video when you do it.


It isn’t IF everything is in good shape....

It’s when the tab holding the “t” is rusted, the hoses have never been replaced, or the previous owner gorilla torqued a replacement hose end into the t 20 years ago without any type of antiseize.

I’ve always taken a large vice grip, and clamped it on the bolt itself with the t still mounted. One jaw on the top of the hex head, the other on the end of the bolt threaded portion. This has been the way for me to cause the least damage if things are being difficult. You don’t chew up the brass, and you don’t put force on the mounting tab. If you chew up the bolt, simply put a new one in the t.

I changed the hoses on my Super recently for simply maintenance, and with antiseize, everything came apart.

I’ve also changed og hoses where I thought I had broken my wrist from punching the rear parcel tray when the fitting came loose after having another wrench daisy chained into the flare wrench for leverage.
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Multi69s
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 12:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Rear brake soft line issue at T and Union. Reply with quote

[email protected] wrote:

It isn’t IF everything is in good shape....


That is very true. I would break the wheel's hard lines from the soft lines, before I worked at the T sections. If you can get the flare nut wrench on the soft lines at the T without loosening the hold down bolt, the less chance you will have of rounding anything off. No matter how you look at it its no fun, but in comparison its an absolute B^%$th on a Squareback. Still it beats repacking the CVs any day Very Happy
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73 Squareback - 2L, T4, Automatic W/ AC
Gone, but many fond memories 69 Baja Bug 2010 - 5 Rib Bus Transaxle
Gone but not forgotten 72 Baja Bug 2010
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Auto Trans Rebuild http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516066&highlight=
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