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Fun with brakes! (or not...)

F

FordMan77

Active member
Finally broke down and got my rotors turned and some new pads today for the GP. Got everything back together and was out doing my 8 60-10mph runs to bed the pads in. Upon the 3rd stop the pedal dropped to the floor and I now have little/no brakes once again.

After getting it back on the jack it appears that the line coming from the ABS master running to the pass. side front caliper decided to rust out right where it bends down around the firewall somewhere. Could barely see it from underneath. I just gently shut the hood and walked away for now. Now I have 2 out of 3 cars down,lol..

1. Is this line available from anywhere in pre-bent factory form? Will be searching shortly but thought someone could shorten that search.

2. How in the world do I get to it? From the looks of it I'll have to remove the brake master from the booster, then the booster from the firewall, and the ABS unit so I can get enough room to get to it. Then I have to fish it out from around the back of the motor somehow.
 


There is a complete stainless kit available online but I've always just bent my own. You and just undo both ends and bend one up. It's possible to get to it with or without the entire front end off the ground.
 
if you can get to the area that broke you can cut the bad line out and patch it. just make your cuts in a open area to work in. then get nicopp line, bends very easy, bend it up like the old line, then use compression fittings or unions and line nuts and a flair tool.
 
Thanks! I just found an OEM delco one on RockAuto for $54. Thing looks like it bent up like a pretzel, lol.

The area that broke is in a 4" section right at the bottom of the floorpan/firewall and then it bends up to go over the exhaust. Not in a good area to splice it and would likely take longer than if I just yanked the whole line out. I did my own Ni-Copp line for the rears when it let go last year so yea, I thought about it. I already own the double flare kit to make it since I had to run a new rear line for my boss' F150 recently and I decided to keep the kit. If I went with Ni-Copp I could just re-use the factory fittings on both ends.

That said, if I went with the OEM pre-bent one, how much of a PITA is it to get it out? I "might" be able to get away with just removing the ABS system to get to the fitting there and then just follow it back and unbolt it as it goes. Looks like there is a clip somewhere on the pass. side that holds it before it goes into the rubber hose section. Likely pull the pass. side tire as well.
 
The fact that it goes near the firewall and winds its way through the back of the engine bay makes it sound like a PITA... But honestly, of all the lines, that one is the easiest to install. It humps over the exhaust pipe, hugs the firewall, nothing to it. Drop the sub-frame a little if you need to get your hand in there to seat the line in those plastic brackets. Removing the passenger wheel and drivers wheel helps a ton. Removing the ABS unit will give you more room in that corner, but I recommend against it. Unscrewing all the fittings that go to the ABS unit, just to get more real-estate for 1 line isn't worth it. Hell, I did all my fuel lines and brake lines with the ABS unit and cruise control intact. Unscrewing all the fittings from the ABS is one thing, but getting them to thread back in.... man that is a fukking NIGHTMARE!!. I had the experience of doing it twice, and both times it almost brought me to a fit of spitting rage. Those fittings do not wanna go back into that ABS unit.
 
Depending on how perfect you want this to be, I'd snag some nicopp line and have at it. That stuff is super easy to work with and will never rust. It's always a pain to deal with the line down over the tunnel, I did a flip last summer that blew that line. I came up to the lip where the seal of the hood is on the fireall,.... straight across and back down. Tossed some loom on it and most wouldn't think it wasn't a vacuum line. Is it right? nah Is it going to be an issue? nope. Quicker and eaiser.
 


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