Need new brake lines for a M101A3

[DESERT RATS]

Where do you get these or do you just go to a brake shop and have them made up?
Thanks. Also, what's the torque on the large axle nut holding the hub?
Thanks

 

[therealsundance]

My guess is that it will cost less to have a brake shop make them.

 

[Nonotagain]

Make them yourself.

The local autoparts store should have long sections of brake tubing.

If you want the lines to look professional, get a hand bender and a double flair kit.

For what you will pay to have someone do the lines for you, you can purchase the tools and extra lines and learn a skill for yourself.

It's not hard to fabricate brake lines.

 

[DESERT RATS]

My guess is that it will cost less to have a brake shop make them.

I think your right.

 

[DESERT RATS]

Make them yourself.

The local autoparts store should have long sections of brake tubing.

If you want the lines to look professional, get a hand bender and a double flair kit.

For what you will pay to have someone do the lines for you, you can purchase the tools and extra lines and learn a skill for yourself.

It's not hard to fabricate brake lines.

I'll call a brake shop just to see what it would cost but I think I'll stop by NAPA and see what the tools will cost too.
Thanks

 

[juanprado]

for an occasional brake line fab might be more cost effective to consider Harbor freight or ebay for the tools.

The brake lines should only need to be bent to match the routing. The lines comes with the fittings already on both ends in different lengths. Standard size is 3/16. All I think you would need is a simple tubing bender, some lines of the overall right length (make sure to consider the bends and angles) and some unions. No need to cut or double flare the lines. Do not use Copper!

 

[DeBang]

I just made brake lines yesterday for my M101A3 trailer. Got everything at a county parts store and came to about $60. Now I have the tools for future use. I only had to replace the upper line and this included an 18 inch flexible line so i can pivot (dump). Had to get the flare tool since the lines were a bout 6 inches too long.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Look into the different kind of lines that are available. There's a copper-nickel alloy that goes under several different brand names.

http://www.copper.org/applications/automotive/brake.html

It's more corrosion resistant than even stainless steel, but it's much easier to work than any thing else, because it's softer. I've used it for trans lines, and it's a breeze to use.

For a bending tool, be careful what you get. I bought one that broke the first time I put just a BIT of pressure on it. One of these:

http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/151931/00525/


I suppose it would be okay with soft copper plumbing, but not for any kind of automotive use.


I got this one, and it worked quite well:


http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9226777/00525/


After doing one with him watching, I turned my teenager loose on another line, and he did just fine with it.


Flaring tools are another story. I wasted money on the usual cheapo kind, couldn't get a decent flare with it, and then did a lot of searching and asking questions, on this forum and others. Wound up with a GOOD tool that will do them right the first time, every time, and is a pleasure to use:

http://www.tooltopia.com/mastercool-71475-supreme.aspx

 

[serious_lee]

NAPA makes pre-flared sections of copper nickel alloy brake lines (the epoxy coated stuff) and they are just as cheap as you buying a roll of the stuff and MUCH less effort. I wish I would have known this before I did my truck because I found that double flaring is kind of a PIA.

 

[3dAngus]

You are soooooo right serious_lee. I bought a brake line from O'Reilleys today for my M-37. Unfortunately, they only had 72" length and I wanted 84". I improvised and used a different routing, and today I took my M-37 out for a ride for the fist time in about six months. What Joy.

Just buy the ones made up already with the nuts on them, and pre-flanged. If there is the slightest burr in the ones you flange yourself, it might leak. So much easier to buy them already done, and just get a tubing bender, or roll it over back and forth across a dog food can or something for bending. Easy stuff, and cheap as the stuff you buy when you get all the parts and tools.