check your brake lines PSA

[eblau]

I was installing my Hellwig rear sway last night on my 92 E250 and it required me to move my rear hard line about 1/4" off the axle tube to clear one of the clamps. I know the factory brake lines do not bend as easy as the NICOPP stuff but this thing literally busted as soon as I put a little pressure on it. I routinely get up underneath my vehicles and poke around just to look for anything that looks suspicious but its worth it to literally poke around sometimes to find these dangers that you would rather find in your driveway or shop than at 70mph on the highway. I know a lot of our adventure mobiles sit around for weeks, months... sometimes years and that takes its toll on everything especially anything involving fluids. Stay safe out there my friends!

 

[Bikersmurf]

If you haven’t already, replace the line that runs the length of the frame rail.

 

[vintageracer]

We just blew a steel brake line on my daughters rust-free 2004 GMC 2500 Yukon XL 4WD 2 weeks ago. Popped a hole in 1 of the 4 lines right under the drivers floor board where 4 brakes lines mount to the frame in a plastic line holder. The plastic line holder retained water and you could see a little rust on the brake line itself right where the hole in the steel brake line occurred. The hole in the line popped under heavy braking. The other three lines are fine with no problems noted in the plastic line holder.

Replaced the complete steel line from the master cylinder to the ABS unit mounted under the truck.

This is the second GM truck where this safety issue has occurred for us. The other occurrence was the same situation on a 1998 2 Door Tahoe with the steel brake line popping a hole in the line where the line was mounted to the frame in a plastic line holder.

 

[eblau]

I had that one leak on my F350, ended up doing all of them at that point.... When I get some time I'll do them all on the van too!

If you haven’t already, replace the line that runs the length of the frame rail.

 

[eblau]

Those generation of trucks seem to be especially prone to that issue with the brake lines, was it the clips that caused the majority of failures? The fords have this corrugated metal sheath thing in areas and that seems to hold the moisture also. Its funny sometimes the things that are put in place as a precaution to prevent a failure end up causing problems of their own.

We just blew a steel brake line on my daughters rust-free 2004 GMC 2500 Yukon XL 4WD 2 weeks ago. Popped a hole in 1 of the 4 lines right under the drivers floor board where 4 brakes lines mount to the frame in a plastic line holder. The plastic line holder retained water and you could see a little rust on the brake line itself right where the hole in the steel brake line occurred. The hole in the line popped under heavy braking. The other three lines are fine with no problems noted in the plastic line holder.

Replaced the complete steel line from the master cylinder to the ABS unit mounted under the truck.

This is the second GM truck where this safety issue has occurred for us. The other occurrence was the same situation on a 1998 2 Door Tahoe with the steel brake line popping a hole in the line where the line was mounted to the frame in a plastic line holder.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Ford’S design is especially poor. I had to replace mine in the storage compound where it’d been parked before I bought it. The line had failed and needed to be replaced before driving it home 200 miles on the highway.

 

[letgonow]

Was driving a '65 Ford work truck many years ago on 4th of July. Pulled up to a stop sign - no brakes. Sailed RIGHT THROUGH A PARADE.

Brake lines - important.

 

[eblau]

Lordy!

Was driving a '65 Ford work truck many years ago on 4th of July. Pulled up to a stop sign - no brakes. Sailed RIGHT THROUGH A PARADE.

Brake lines - important.

 

[Bikersmurf]

It’s the moment you hit the brake pedal and ask yourself why it felt like the clutch


A year after the brakes were redone by a shop... part of reason I prefer to do my own work. Not a brake line in this case... rear cylinders both failed even though they had been ‘replaced’.

 

[86scotty]

I've had this problem with Fords and Chevys. Always happens at those little clips where moisture stays. It could also have to do with my habit of buying cheap, rusty vans. Hmmmm. Perhaps I should think this through.

 

[vintageracer]

To da top for safety

 

[Deshet]

You may as well have a roll of copper line and flare kit ready.....Learn how to double flare on Youtube if you don't know how to already.
The copper line is much easier to work with.

 

[eblau]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to keep a roll of ni-cop and an "on frame" or "in line" flaring kit handy in your expo tool kit thats for sure.

You may as well have a roll of copper line and flare kit ready.....Learn how to double flare on Youtube if you don't know how to already.
The copper line is much easier to work with.

 

[eblau]

Not van related but I just bought another 2006 MINI Cooper S and had a weird click noise in the rear that gained in frequency with road speed. The previous owner just had brakes done all around so I was confident it wasn't brake related but something looked off about the calipers. A quick look at another MINI of the same generation made me realize whoever did the brakes simply discarded all of the anti rattle clips for the brake pads. Life threatening? No. Major failure going to happen from this? No. Lazy and "what else did they touch and not do correctly feeling" inducing? YES! Always assume everything the previous owner said is a lie. Verify yourself before it becomes a major expense or safety issue!