Poped my brake line like a tool

[15Michaeljoseph]

Okay... so I didn't really 'pope' the line, but I stripped the hard line fitting on the trailing arm hard-to-inner soft line connection, even though i used a nice new set of shiny craftsman flare wrenches, and have been spraying the area with PB Blaster for the past 2 weeks. Basically:



I stripped the nut that has the crescent wrench on it. (not my pic)

then, I heated it a bit with a lighter, and used vise grips. didn't budge, and now the nut has been reduced to a metallic salad.
SooOOoooooOOo. I weighed my options, and after a long sitdown with a bottle of scotch, my favorite kershaw, and some oldies on the radio, I decided that my life was not worth ending over this setback. Bottom line, I have to replace the hard line too. and I'm prepared for that. I have copper nickel line, and I know how to use it (basically).

My question is, HOW do I go about separating the the old lines? I need to retain that 'support bracket holder thingie' that's welded to the trailing arm, but how do i get the lines apart so that I can install the new stuff into that bracket? dremel? doesn't seem like I'll have enough room without destroying the spring clip...

[barbierij]

I'm sure you can cut the flare fitting just above the spring clip. You might as well get replacements for those anyway and I'm sure they are cheap.

Use this wheel:




and NOT these:



They will break as soon as you touch that fitting and pieces might fly into your face. If the dremel is too big to fit in there, I have one of these you can borrow

[jrobie79]

just cut the line with a cutoff wheel and pull it through? you can buy those "U" clips brand new for peanuts

[15Michaeljoseph]

So I basically just snipped one side of the U clip and bent it out. Cut the hard-line, and pulled it through. Alright sweet. Got the trailing arm sections in today, soft hoses for rear calipers will be in tomorrow (might as well replace em right?) Got the main line out today... Remember how I said there was a union? Turns out it was a goddamn compression fitting!!! Granted, I don't really know when the repair was done, but I'm surprised it lasted. Wish I knew about that being there. Going to go rent a flare tool tonight. Sigh.

--Mike

[dsphil]

If your are replacing the brake lines, I would cut the rubber line in half and slide the box wrench on the rubber side and flare wrench on the hard line.

[15Michaeljoseph]

That's true. I could have also used a 14mm socket on the cut rubber hose as well. Just cut the damn thing off. All's well now. Everything is fresh and new.

--Mike

[3vilE30]

Had the same trouble recently. I chewed up the nut on one side so bad, I ended up using a propane torch and it popped right off. I contemplated cutting the rubber line since I was going to replace it anyways but I really wanted the nut off heat is your friend.

[krayzkrn]

I've promptly returned those Craftsman flare wrenches, no better than a regular wrench. Small vice grips and some heat have worked for me.

You may be able to order the hardlines still.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1113-USA-03-1989-E30-BMW-325i&diagId=34_0153

[15Michaeljoseph]

I've promptly returned those Craftsman flare wrenches, no better than a regular wrench. Small vice grips and some heat have worked for me.

You may be able to order the hardlines still.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=34_0153

Well they did their job when I used them, I just think that one nut was too corroded for it to be effective. I ended up re-plumbing the entire rear braking system, from front to the T in back and trailing arms with copper-nickel 'cunifer?' Brake line. Super easy to bend by hand and it'll never corrode as long as I have the car, even if I keep it until I'm 90. Also replaced all rear soft hoses with NAPA replacements. I also 'painted' all fittings (on the outside) with antiseize to help control rust. #NewEngland

I flushed the system and bled the brakes twice with nice new DOT 4, and I can't even begin to describe the difference from before I tackled the job. It stops like a 'modern car', even though I need new rotors. :)

The more I think about it, the more I want to change the front soft hoses soon as well. Might as well let everything be new, right?

So maybe when this set of pads is done (about 75% meat left) i'll install one of those good rotor and pad kits from bav or ecs, and new front hoses as well.

--Mike

[rkettner]

I've been using a small pipe wrench to undo brake hard lines for a while now. Regular or 6 sided have always failed on me. Sometimes the hardline twists right at the edge of the fitting though.