Rear Drum Brake Rebuild and Hard line replacement (tips for newbies)

[Jonner]

Long-timer lurker here.... looking to contribute back to the Naxja community. I'm halfway through a drum brake rebuild and thought I'd share some things I've learned along the way. I've replaced master cylinders and done plenty of caliper brake jobs but never done drums...

1) If you're not familiar with drum brakes, once you get the drum off, take pictures from multiple angles and DO NOT take apart more than one side at a time. I took 5 pictures of my brakes and sent them to my email so I could look at them on the laptop by my side while I reassembled.

2) Buy the right tools... these things are helpful. Drum brake multi-tool, T-handle hook (I used this the most), brake spoon tool, spring tool (it looks like a screwdriver handle with 2 circular ends of different sizes), and flare nut wrenches.

3) If you're replacing wheel cylinders, expect to replace the hard lines. I'm watching youtube and scouring for tips on flaring and bending brake lines. Even though the nut turned, the line didn't and it snapped clean off.

4) Having a second car takes the stress level down a huge notch.

5) NAPA's spring kit used shoe retaining springs that have the same diameter the whole way down... this means that the bottom of the retaining springs do not seat down into the shoe. This resulted in lots of cussing... until I used a C-clamp to hold the shoe in place. This trick solved the problem of aligning the springs, the pins behind it, the little spring cap and shoe all at the same time.

6) Look into a buying a pressure bleeder. I use a Motive brake bleeder which makes bleading an easy 1 man job.

AND Tomorrow... I get to source a tubing bender, flaring tool, close quarters cutting tool, 3/16" brake line, and at this point I'm hoping to reuse my flare nuts but don't know if that's possible yet.

 

[Jonner]

2 Quick questions...

1. It looks like I need 3/16" line right?
2. And my flare nuts are in good condition, is there a way to remove the brake line from inside and reuse this so I don't have to source the part (unions I think they're called)?

NOTE:
For anyone else doing this job (the rear hard brake line refab), the Ridgid tool got really good reviews:
http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/345-Flaring-Tool/EN/index.htm
I had to call around using Ridgid's distributor website, and eventually found what I needed at Grainger. If you're doing double flares you'll either need catalog # 23337 (comes with double flare adapters) or # 33927 (which adds a line cutter if you don't have one like me).

 

[kastein]

I would NOT reuse the nuts. Just buy preflared lines at the parts store of the right length or longer - you do want 3/16 line, and it has SAE threads, should be 3/8-24. Double invert flares, not bubble flares or single flares.

You can get the tubing out from inside them but there's no real reason, preflared lines are cheap and come with two nuts each. What I typically do is buy the right length or slightly longer of preflared line, then bend it to shape and reflare only the end that ends up being too long. Make sure to not trap the nuts in the wrong spots while bending, and put the nut on the tube again before flaring. Don't ask how I learned that please.

The only specialty tools I use while doing drum brake springs etc are a good pair of vise grips to put the springs in place and a leatherman or pair of needlenose pliers to help with the shoe hold-down clips - but I've got a bit of practice with it.

 

[Jonner]

Ok... so my plan was to call NAPA and pick up 25' of 3/16" line and get the proper unions. BUT it sounds like it'd be easier to pick up pre-flared line, cut the length to what I need, and reflare (using the nuts supplied on the pre-flared line).

I know these are fairly easy questions, but I've never flared or bent brake line and like a lot specific info going in so I know what I'm getting myself into. Thanks for the help Kastein.

 

[kastein]

No problem, good luck.

I am OK at flaring brake lines, but the fewer times I have to do it (and therefore the fewer times I can forget to put the damn nut back on the line first) the better my chances are.

 

[Al S]

I have been able to get the hard lines off wheel cylinders without trashing the lines. First thing I do is clean off the nut and hard line by it with a small brass wire brush. Next, it takes awhile, but keep spraying with PB Blaster, then heating with a MAPP gas torch and repeating the process. Use a flare nut wrench on the nut and slowly work it back and forth between the heat and spray cycles. Eventually it will break free. I live in the rust belt, so believe me, this will work.

 

[hubs97xj]

I rented the double flare tool from Autozone last year when I had to replace a section of hard line under the Jeep. I believe it was this one:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...-tool-set/_/N-26gg?itemIdentifier=864647_0_0_

Instructions on the back, had the right dies, easy to use. I bought a 5 or 6' section of pre-flared line and a few flare nuts/couplings, and went after it. Line up one end, bend it to shape, cut it to length, follow instructions on flaring tool (being careful to install the nuts first...), reassemble carefully. The only other tools I needed were wrenches for the fittings, a cheap tubing bender, and a small tubing cutter.

 

[Jonner]

Thanks for the help guys. I bought parts and tools today before everything closes for the holiday. I don't have time to post up now... gotta go to work. I have plenty to get this job done now.

 

[Kingkong0192]

I don't know if i just have strong thumbs or what, but i never use a tubing bender to bend brake line. I just push it into shape with my fingers and have never had a problem.

I think you said you bought one OP, but if you didn't, but yourself a 3/8" line wrench.

 

[xcm]

Make sure your cuts are 100% straight, deburr it lightly, and ensure the die seats perfectly into your cut tube, or else you will break the die... I went thru 2 or 3....

 

[kastein]

Yeah, that's a quick way to wreck your flaring tool... and I've only used a tubing bender a couple times too, generally I just bend it across my thumbs.

The copper/nickel alloy brake line is AMAZING to work with, reportedly it takes far longer to corrode and it is a dream to bend. We used it when we did the new brake lines on 90XJay's DD XJ and it was probably the easiest, best brake line project I've ever been involved in.

 

[Jonner]

I hadn't paid any attention to this thread over the weekend and revisited the Jeep again today. I have another car so I was in no hurry.

I was tightening the block where the L and R hardlines meet (on top of the axle). I realized I routed my brake line right where the bumpstop would come down on the axle if I bottomed. No good.

I started bending the brake line by hand to get it away from the bump stop's travel path.

I don't know if it makes a difference but I bought the brake line from NAPA and the parts counter guy said the polymer coated was easier to work with than the steel line. On his advice I bought polymer. Any idea if this is similar to the copper/nickel or is this completely a different material?

I'm curious what's available, cheap, and easy to use if I have to do brake lines again. (My wife's car is mighty rusty)