Brake Line Replacement Help

[Shorty]

....using a flare union....

.....twitch, twitch..... that'd get my OCD going, just knowing it was there:shocked:

 

[kastein]

I don't mind a decent double flared union or two. Single flares and compression fittings are a :nono: though.

Since it's on a 96 it ended up behind the evap canister, can't even see it.

 

[Shorty]

but....but.... the factory didn't do it that way..... twitch....twitch..... dammit-- now I'm twitching and it's not even mine...... thanx, gotta go see the therapist now.....:wow:

 

[joe_peters]

but....but.... the factory didn't do it that way..... twitch....twitch..... dammit-- now I'm twitching and it's not even mine...... thanx, gotta go see the therapist now.....:wow:

You should try my personal self-help program. Every time I can't do something the way I want...twitch...I think of all the things the factories screw up to start with...urge to twitch receding...and I start to feel better almost immediately!

 

[C85D4x4]

yeah... screw that line :smsoap:

also OCD about brake lines looking good. I ended up cutting the line 6" below the pinch seam in the firewall on the passenger side and using a flare union since only the part along the right frame rail and in the right front wheel well was actually bad.

Can you post any pics of that???

I'm running into the same issue with my 96, but the line is still good. My problem was that I blew my Flex Line on the trail and had to pinch the hard line as a trail fix to get out.

The problem that I'm running into is that there is not enough Hard Line to extend the mount. I was thinking of having the Union about where you have yours, but I'm just having problems just trying to get the Double Flare tool to work in that area. Plus with my Back problems, I would end up killing myself trying.

I am actually thinking of having the Flare Union inside of the wheel well a few inches away from the Flex Line. But it would look so damn hillbilly and unsafe.

Would you think think that to be a bad location for the Union???

 

[kastein]

My MJ has the union located inside the wheel well just like you said... works fine.

It can be a real pain in the ass to get the flaring tool to work in that kind of space. Many, MANY 4-letter words were uttered while I was working on it, and I had my arms bent into a pretty strange position to get at it.

Also - I know it's too late, but that exact reason is why I carry some flare unions and flare block-off plugs (NAPA sells em, make sure it's for a 3/8-24 invert flare) in my trail kit. If I blow a brake line all I have to do is throw a union and a plug on it, bleed it as well as I can, and keep going.

 

[JrTxJ]

Instead of bothering bending all your own up, CALL THE DEALER for the hard lines. I bought all 6 of the front lines from a local dealer and they were $22 TOTAL prebent with all the fittings already on them. The passenger side was a matter of fishing it through all the wiring and random junk, but was definitely doable.

Thankfully Dundy was there to do all the hardwork.

 

[kastein]

Wait, they still stock the front right line?

holy shit, ignore everything I said in this thread and get them from the dealer.

I called them up in fall 08 for a rear brake line (the one from the union under the prop valve to the rear rubber line) and they said they no longer stock it, probably because it's so large and difficult to ship. Always figured they only stocked the front left and rear axle housing lines for that reason :dunno:

 

[tigerchief]

Patience is the key - I did mine, but the vehicle was off the road for a major overhaul. Not something you want to have to install to drive it to work in an hour, for sure.

Mark

it's one of the bigger tests of your patience you will encounter on a Jeep. I hit the boneyard and cut out another line so I could replicate it before I started ripping mine apart.

I can't count the number of times I was under the Jeep when I should have been reaching in from the top and the number of times I was reaching in from the top when I should have been under it!

In all honesty, it shouldn't be that difficult to get a line in there-- I'm just a little obsessive/compulsive about making it look like it did from the factory.

yeah... screw that line :smsoap:

also OCD about brake lines looking good. I ended up cutting the line 6" below the pinch seam in the firewall on the passenger side and using a flare union since only the part along the right frame rail and in the right front wheel well was actually bad.

*sigh* I figured as much. Was hoping someone had majic faery dust, or a miniature unicorn in a box for this.

Instead of bothering bending all your own up, CALL THE DEALER for the hard lines. I bought all 6 of the front lines from a local dealer and they were $22 TOTAL prebent with all the fittings already on them. The passenger side was a matter of fishing it through all the wiring and random junk, but was definitely doable.

They laughed at me at all the dealership around here.

Bending is not an issue, I've done it done often enough. I could probably bend a line for a 8.25 blindfolded by now. (Don't ask why I have this special and useless ninja skill).

Just one of those jobs that you know will be time consuming, and can't drink beer while doing it.

:banghead:

Thanks for the responses.

 

[mfascuba]

Actually I find drinking beer helps - it takes the edge off the anger.

Kind of like what a buddy of mine told me when I asked him about how long to let the base coat set up before shooting clear coat. He said finish the base coat, clean the gun, drink two beers, mix the clear coat and shoot it - the timing will be perfect.

Mark

 

[-96JeepSpeed-]

Re: Front Pass Brake Line Replacement Help

Has anyone here replaced their front passenger hard brake line?

I've replaced almost all the others, but this one looks like a nightmare.

I can't see how you can get the 5-6' line bent and put into place in the same way as the original. They must put those in at the factory before the motor or the electrical loom.

Have people actually bent up their own hard lines, or are there other options for replacement?

OOOOOh now thats a bitch, But yea i have done it once starting with an un-bent line, and well never do it again.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Just finished the hard brake line on the driver's side with some help. Will bleed lines tomorrow to check for leaks and such. But I know one thing. NEVER AGAIN! NEVER NEVER NEVER! That was terrible.

 

[joe_peters]

Just finished the hard brake line on the driver's side with some help. Will bleed lines tomorrow to check for leaks and such. But I know one thing. NEVER AGAIN! NEVER NEVER NEVER! That was terrible.

Terrible is a sigmoidoscopy, what you had to deal with was just a minor pain in the A**.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Terrible is a sigmoidoscopy, what you had to deal with was just a minor pain in the A**.

I suppose you are right. The Jeep didn't cut me like some other vehicles have.

 

[kastein]

You think that was terrible, just wait till you do the tranny cooler lines

I'll take bending, flaring, and installing all new brake lines over fighting those cursed quick disconnects.

 

[tigerchief]

Just finished the hard brake line on the driver's side with some help. Will bleed lines tomorrow to check for leaks and such. But I know one thing. NEVER AGAIN! NEVER NEVER NEVER! That was terrible.

I know what you mean! I had to put my sammich down to do that one.

:anon:

 

[rshackleford]

FWIW, I know Im reviving an old thread but I thought some people might like the info. I just got off the phone with my local dealer and the hard brake lines for a 99 XJ are still available. Im ordering them today, he will have them tomorrow morning.

 

[Talyn]

The lines at the master cylinder are bubble flared and have 12x1 and 10x1 metric fittings. You can not do the bubble flare yourself. You can buy a short section of line with a bubble flare at one end, or buy adapters for the MC to convert to double flare. The prop valve's fittings are 3/16" tube, double flare. However, the fittings themselves vary. There is only one that is the correct 3/8" x24 for the 3/16" line. The rest are larger. You can reuse the fittings if they come out ok. Also, listen to Kastien as he has some good info.

Don't know if you have done it yet, but I figured I would add this for future searched.

 

[mfascuba]

The lines at the master cylinder are bubble flared and have 12x1 and 10x1 metric fittings. You can not do the bubble flare yourself. You can buy a short section of line with a bubble flare at one end, or buy adapters for the MC to convert to double flare. The prop valve's fittings are 3/16" tube, double flare. However, the fittings themselves vary. There is only one that is the correct 3/8" x24 for the 3/16" line. The rest are larger. You can reuse the fittings if they come out ok. Also, listen to Kastien as he has some good info.

Don't know if you have done it yet, but I figured I would add this for future searched.

Actually you can do the bubble flare yourself - you will need a metric bubble flare tool. Available from Blue Point, Snap-On, etc. Not cheap, but available.

Mark

 

[cocco_78]

I just did replaced the rear line from the prop valve back. At the prop valve there is like a 6" long piece on the prop valve side its a 3/16 inverted flare fitting, on the other end is a metric bubble flare. So for a non abs xj the rear line will have a metric fitting and bubble flare on one end and an inverted flare with 3/8" fitting on the other end. Kind of odd.

i decided to not replace that small little piece off the prop valve so I ended up buying 2 brake lines, one with bubble flares and metric fittings, one with inverted flares and standard fittings. right on the parts counter i cut one end of the bubble flare off, slid on a 3/8" fitting, borrowed a dbl flaring tool and just did it right there at the counter. so i ended up with a custom brake line with a bubble flare and metric fitting on one end and an inverted flare 3/8" fitting on the other side.