Need ideas/help w/ anyone who has replaced hard brake lines...

[audiquattrot]

at the rear of the car (particularly at the T-fitting that sits right over the rear drive subframe).

I dropped the rear subframe today to gain access to the rusted through brake line. I bought a t-fitting and 3/16 hard line and fittings to attempt to fix the problematic areas. I've cut 3-surrounding lines that mate into the T-fitting, but am a little unsure how to tackle the nxt step....which is figuring a way to mate the 3 lines into the new t-fitting.

I'm hoping someone here has done this, or even knows what im talking about.

any ideas are appreciated. thanks.

[Pac1373]

ummm...never gotten into hard lines on the E30 yet, but I would think if you had cut out the old units, you will need a brake line flaring tool, and ferules (sp?) to make the connections.
that is unless they came with pre "crimped ends"
I may not be understanding you correctly though.
sry if this is of no help to you.
Cheers,

[DCColegrove]

It would be rather foolish to splice the lines.

You should just replace all the lines, they are available in the corect lengths but you'll need a bender.

[dougsic]

There are various style benders and any of the better ones will work O.K. I wouldn't want to try it with the cheapies though.

When replacing old lines, you might want to take pictures of the old line as it's installed in the car and if I have to cut the old ones out, I try to do so only on the straight sections and I scratch a horizontal mark on the line before cutting.

Reassemble the cut up lines on the floor just as they were installed in the car as you'll be referring to them often.

Measuring for a bend is probably the most difficult part of the entire job and it may take a few tries to learn how much line you need to allow for a radius.

Keep comparing the new line you're making to the old one you removed (and laying on the floor in front of you.)

You will need a decent flaring tool capable of a double flare. Remember to install the nut before flaring the end! I've made this simple mistake more than once!

I wouldn't even think of splicing an existing line.

Making hard lines isn't a difficult job but it does require a lot of patience and you'll be a lot better at it near the end of the job then you were when you started.

Good luck!

[dandrewg]

Don't you mean BUBBLE (ISO) flare tool?

[audiquattrot]

thanks for the advice guys. I'll let you know how everything turns out.

[emi325i]

I replaced the entire brakeline from front to back. it took me and my brother 10 hours from start to end. Next time I will sell the car and buy another one.

[330SMG]

Do yourself a favor and just buy the BMW original fitings they are cheap and available. Here is the link on Real OEM

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=1113&mospid=47309&btnr=34_0153&hg=34&fg=15

Having restored old cars nothing is easier than the prebent lines. I do not leave brakes up to chance. it is like $40 dealer price for all the lines that you are messing with.

[emi325i]

That would be nice... the ones I bought (pelicanparts, i think) were not pre-bent. they were the right length and had the fittings on it. The main line was too long to ship, so they bent it in half, too.

[Ray Smoodiver]

I had all my hardlines replaced by someone who knew what they were doing, for a price that I couldn't match. It's a bit of an art

[FredK]

I replaced the entire brakeline from front to back. it took me and my brother 10 hours from start to end. Next time I will sell the car and buy another one.

:nice:

Yeah, it is not fun at all. I replaced from the proportioning valve in the front to the brake distribution piece, and also the rear hardlines. Ugh. The bends in the rear are very, very tight.

[T.Dot_E30]

I replaced the rear lines except for the main line coming from the front.

I did it removing the subframe, takes alot more patients, but i didn't wanna touch the subframe.

The trick for me was to attach the 2 flex lines and hard lines to the T. Attach the main line, then mount the T.