Grand Prix hard brake lines replacement

DanJ

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Where at? I drove this thing out of the hollywood casino parking garage downtown to my parents out in unincorporated with no brakes unless the pedal was to the floor. Got pretty sketchy.

I'd almost rather pay someone as I don't really know what the hell I'm doing and brakes are kind of important.
 

DanJ

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That's the Part I don't get. The lines have a flex hose section close to the abs module or whatever that box all the lines come out of is do the lines you bend yourself have that flex section?

It's one of the rear lines by the way. I take it once one line cracks the whole system loses pressure, right?
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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as long as it was only one of the lines that blew you still have 50% braking cpacity as those are a split diagonal system.

some have em in stock but napa sells 3/16ths and 1/4in brake line in 25ft rolls so you can flare your own or you can buy lengths and couplers to just thread em together...flare it yourself can save you a fair bit over the premade and buying flare unions.

the fittings are what are refered to as "bubble flare" and even though they tell you to use a bubble flare tool, using a standard inverted flaring tool works just fine you just stop after the first step and just give it a little extra grunt when tightening to final form it to the OEM master/abs port and the rear proportioning valve port (there are 2 proportioning valves mounted inline before the line goes to the brake hoses....you must keep em (save you from buying at least 1 union.

its time to replace all of em now...as bru mentioned...another blowing is not far behind
 

DanJ

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I can already tell that I won't be able to access these lines at all without removing the ABS module so i might as well just do them all. I was wrong, it's the front passenger that blew (top line in that firewall bracket). So remove ABS module, bend and flare new lines, replace lines, reattach ABS module, bleed everything. Sounds like my day off is pretty much accounted for tomorrow.
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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:rofl:

nah you shouldnt have to remove the abs...just the LF tire and turn the steering all the way to the right

us at least 36" straight sections and just jam it down and through the mess running it behiund or through the oem bracket that keeps everything away from the PS rack, bend and thread in/attach the upper part then crawl under and bend and rout the lower part.
if you spend a few extra bucks on the nice coppernickel lines they bend so easy even HK can do it...and they dont kink as easily as the cheaper steel lines
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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i was saying 36" sections to get you down the firewall to the bottom for the rear lines without being too long that you cant work with the portion under the car pointing straight at the ground...if you jacked the car 3 feet up in the air somehow then i guess you could use a longer line to get under the car...

for the front lines id just say fuckit and run the passenger along the top of the firewall then down to the RF hose the LF i would just run straight down the the hose and delete that shitty "fifth" hose
 

DanJ

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Running the RF that way sounds like much less of a pain in the ass, and i really didn't understand that whole fifth hose deal. This car is a fucking headache. So once i get it under the car then i can connect to the rest of the rear line by using one of these deals?

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Turbocharged400sbc

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Running the RF that way sounds like much less of a pain in the ass, and i really didn't understand that whole fifth hose deal. This car is a fucking headache. So once i get it under the car then i can connect to the rest of the rear line by using one of these deals?

yeah the RF will prob be the easiest... use two pieces and have em mate in the middle area...just zip tie it to crap attached the the firewall in a "not a fuck is given" fashion.

the LF OEM line has a short rubber hose thats in line with the hardline from the abs unit to the rubber hose at the LF wheel (e.g. its a fifth hose with 4 main hoses at each wheel) you will basically be deleteing it and running straight to the hose fromt he abs unit....

yes since your stuck using premade/preflared "bubble flare" lines that are available in lengths from 8 inches to ~72 inches you will have to use "bubbleflare" unions to join them together as you go...the bubbleflare unions are usually more expensive but not by much over the inverted flare fittings

if you wanna try and do shit exact youll want to run a string along the length of each line and measure it to figure out the lengths youll need for each of the 4 circuits...dont worry about being a few inches long....ive been under many cars that had TONS of S bends to use up extra length on a prefab line. hell even im guilty of that one...only need 38" line...48" on hand...fuckit bend an S and be done with it :rofl:
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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all the oem lines are 3/16ths
no thats what i was telling you to do is replace them all...once one blows out the otehrs sre not far behind and considering the time, fluid and labor it takes to bleed out the system best to replace em all and do it once.

if you go witht he roll of tubing there wont be any flares or ferrule nuts on it, you will have to buy the ferrule/line nuts and rent a flaring tool at the parts store.

the good news is that you get to buy a nice 12mm line wrench
and with a little work you can reuse the OEM line nuts at the abs unit and the hoses by using a line cutter as close to the nut as you can then you can use a 6 point 12mm deep socket to take em out while using a pair of vise grips to grab the steel hose end fitting and keep it from spinning or bending the shit outta the hose bracket (spend a couple extra bucks for a decent one...dont use the red "OEM" shitty brand junk)

they do sell the coppernickel prefab'd lines though too if your happier with assembling them end to end or at least using a prefab line on the LF and RF circuits
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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whyen i completly replumbed HK's turbo car i reused all the line nuts at the hoses and even the one's going intot he master...all those i flared to bubble flares...the rest of it with the T's (to delete abs) and connections at the adj proportioning valve i used the inverted flare ferruls/line nuts and fittings as they tend to be cheaper and more readily available than bubble flare fittings/unions

you should be able to reuse the line nuts at the 4 hoses, the 4 ports of the abs unit, and the 4 (2 ea) at each rear inline proportioning valve.

if any of em get mangled i still have the extra fittings and proportioning valves i took off hk's pos though im sure the napa will have em with the right thread size and prob for the same cost and the fuel to come up here...
 

DanJ

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I just bought the roll of 3/16" copper nickle and plan on making them myself. When you say buy a decent one you're talking about the 12mm line wrench? Most of the flaring tools i see say double flare. That's the one you were talking about just using it up to the first step and then muscling on to form them to the ports right?
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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yeas a good line wrench will save you from having to cut lines and use a socket or use vise grips.
id also buy a decent small dia line cutter...look for the classic/old school type...a smallish chrome one with a black knob and a replaceable cutter disc typically

yup double flare tool (some places will have the bubble flare tool just just ask) but you only do the first portion of the operation than snug em home by tightening, loosen, tighten, loosen then final tighten (dont go overboard on the tightness) youll notice you can get more of a turn on the wrench each time till the last time....dont forget to put the line nut on BEFORE flaring :rofl:

btw the 25' may or may not be enough to do both rear circuits but it sure aint doing them all....that passenger rear line is looooong...though you8r more than able to "take shortcuts" just keep em away from moving parts and slit the side of the some 3/16ths vac hose to slip over the line where it might rub or it gets ziptied to the oem lines or other parts (leaving the oem lines in place and cutting or bending back the ends that are in your way lets you attach to em easy)

have fun, wear safety glasses....or if you dont have those just cutup a water bottle and tape it over your eye's
 

DanJ

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Sounds good. Napa could get it in stock for me next morning so I'm going to start on the fronts and go from there. Safety glasses i do have after shooting a piece of metal into my eye while working with a cutoff disc. Looks like i will be able to do the whole project for less than $100ish so that's not too terrible.
 
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