When do you check your brake lines?

[wdchuck]

The clutch on my F350 disintegrated in the early spring and it was pushed into the garage for a comfortable place to do the deed. Well, even though parts removal went pretty well, the assembly was just completed today, you know how it goes sometimes. There were no puddles under the truck in spring, but during the summer one showed up, brake fluid. Well, since the front end was up on stands anyway the truck wasn't going anywhere so that could wait until the initial work was done and so it did until today, all done.

The line that was bad went from the master cylinder to the equalizing or differential RABS unit, at least that might be the name for it. Inside the drivers frame rail under the firewall is a block with a pigtail and two brake lines sprouting from it; one to the master cylinder, one to feed the rear brakes. The unit, rebuilt, is over $200 if you can find the right one. Trying to fit the lines to it is another matter, tedious, inexpensive, but possible.

The purpose of the unit, to my understanding is to equalize the rear brakes but when the unit is failing or failed, then the pedal gets pretty squishy and goes nearly to the floor for complete braking. Bleeding the rear brake lines from master cylinder to the farthest drum has a particular sequence and should be followed.

The moral here is, check your lines before you have to check your shorts.

 

[wdchuck]

Another thing that caught my eye while the truck was sitting and will change my belief of ' all done ':

The emergency brake cable assembly had slack in it, but that I can futz with after I get the truck out of the garage where I have more light/space to deal with it.

 

[unclemoustache]

I had a brake line go out on me right in the middle of a busy intersection. Managed to get through it all right, though. Next time they went out, my E-brake was also not working. Fortunately that intersection wasn't a busy one. It's not easy to stop a 3/4 truck with NO stopping ability whatsoever!:msp_ohmy:

 

[kjw58]

bad brake lines

I have found over the years that almost any vehicle that is parked for extended periods on limestone will have a lot more corrosion under it, especially the brake lines !!!

 

[Circle B MN]

Road salt here is hard on all parts of a truck. Just have to keep a constant watch on it all.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

 

[Mike PA]

I've had some bad experience with rusted brake lines. Had a line fail on me with a car stopped dead in front of me. I was lucky and was able to stop just in time, sliding in as I did it. We have annual inspections here in PA, whcih should catch these issues, but sometimes the brake lines get overlooked. In my case, most of the line was just fine, but I had one spot with severe rust. I've since learned to check my brake lines myself and not rely on teh garage to see it during inspection. I bet I look at that once or twice a year. Just replaced the front brake hoses and the steel lines on my F150 about a year ago. Thay had not rusted through, but it would not be long.

 

[RandyMac]

My car is old, I live in a highly corrosive area, I look every month.

 

[beerman6]

I usually check them after the pedal goes to the floor and I change my shorts.

 

[Boogieman142]

whenever I inspect it.

 

[Whitespider]

I usually check them after the pedal goes to the floor and I change my shorts.

Yep, that's exactly how I do it.

Last year the rear line in my pickup rusted through while I was helping my son move... full load of his "stuff" in the box, I pulled into the driveway of his new digs when the line blew... he's lucky to still have a garage door. Drove it the 45-miles home that way. Ended up replacing all the lines from the master cylinder to the rear wheels because they kept crumbling away.

Of course I wasn't smart enough to look at the front lines at the time and a month later the left front lets go as the wife was leaving the grocery store (water pump was out of her van), both the three-year-old and the 13-year-old in the cab with her. She called me at work, scared to tears because she'd near wiped out the shopping cart rack. I drove it the 6-miles home that way.

I figure they're all new now so I don't need to check 'em.

 

[Cerran]

I check my brakes at least once a year but living in the PNW I doubt the lines would rot through before the car is long dead. I love not having salt on the roads.

 

[Patrick62]

dirty laundry

I missed a propane tank one time cause of a line :msp_w00t:
we don't lose hard line out here often, but the rubber ones can get a bit scary. And I think that I am running around with a truck that can weigh 14000 with a single line master cylinder... yikes!!!!! (gonna change that soon).

One of my golden rules:
two things are necessary. Brakes and steering. Most everything else is a accessory. Keep your best tires on the front, and keep the brakes in working order. No playing games with loose tie rods, funny brakes, etc.

Anything else is optional. Engine can run rough, clutches fail, parts falling off, no big deal. Atleast I can steer it and stop the remains in the relative security on the side of the road

 

[pdqdl]

Here's a tip: Before you drive anywhere, step fast and HARD on the brake pedal, like you were going to die if the vehicle doesn't stop.

If you are going to rupture a line, it's best to do it while you are parked in your driveway.

 

[Biker Dude]

That's an excellent idea! I usually wait until the line blows before replacing it but I've never had a real close call running over anything when one blew. I think I'll adopt the "test stomp" method from now on.

 

[Frank Boyer]

It sounds like your RABS valve went bad. Those were a problem. Many times the MC was changed a few times before the RABS valve was replaced. Usually they bypass internally.

Keep the best tires on the rear. It is much easier to control a slide from the front with the steering wheel, than to control a slide caused by a rear tire failure.