Brake lline

[canlboater]

Got a 93 manual festi with about 156k on it. Last night I was driving down the road hit the brakes at a stop sing and had pressure then lost it.....had to pull the emergency brake to stop......took a good amount of strength to not lock it up and the scare took at least 5 years off my life. Anyway I found out that it is the front drivers side brake line that busted through. It is right past the firewall on the part that is still metal line (before it goes to the flex line)....Where in the world can I find one of the metal lines that runs from the brake distributor (where it separated left from right sides) to the the flex line?

Thanks

[mattswabb]

Remove the steel line and try your best to measure the length. Then take it to the parts store and get a straight length of line with the same fittings on it. They have different lengths available. Get one long enough to do the job. You can bend it by hand just be careful not to kink it.

[canlboater]

why is it that that just sounds like a whole lot of fun.....

Is there any way to use flex line or is that not possible

[mattswabb]

I assume you mean the rubber flex line. you want to keep that to a minimum. The more flex/rubber lines the poorer brake performance you'll have. The lines bulge under pressure and this decreases the stopping power of your brakes. That's why they sell steel braided lines.

Check your other line while your at it. And yes this will be fun. Of the 2 front lines the drivers side is the hardest.

[canlboater]

don't suppose you want to head over and help? lol

[oldgrezmonke]

many auto parts and hardware stores [do you have a harbor freight store nearby?] sell a tool called a tubing bender. there may also some places that rent one. this tool is designed to support the tubing while it is being bent to prevent kinking.

[muscle_Car1]

get a little extra length just incase. Loop the extra around in a circle a few times by the master cylinder.

Mine did the samething coming to a stop sign. front drivers side blew. Replaced it then the left side blew. seeing a pattern here?

Atleast you get some experience.

[Pu241]

yeah,

Same exact thing happened to my wife's Fester coming to the airport to pick me up!

Bet it broke just where the brake line passes through the sheet metal to the wheel well, just past the hard black plastic grommet!

Get the BP blaster out!

Also if you have that number of miles on it, and you haven't replace any brake hardware, make your life easier.
Replace the calibers and flex brake lines while your at it!
You may well damage the coupling between the hard line and the flex line trying to separate them anyway. Not cheap, but not too expensive, especially to save another 5 years of your life

The pass side will be easier!
The diverside just plan sux's!
Its runs behind the fixture that the fuel filter is mounted to (good time to replace that too)! You will need a stubby wrench to get in behind the bracket!

If you bend your own make sure you can get the proper end fittings and you flare the ends, I think they are double flared!
Others here can speak to that if I'm wrong!

Pu241

[redfestiva]

One of my old Festivas brake line blew out at of all places while I was stopping at a train track! Yep! Scared the crap of me, a train is coming and my brake pedal is on the floorboard.
As I remember it took awhile to replace that front brake line. In theory it is easy but allow for stubborn fit.

Steve

[WmWatt]

www.ag384bn.bravehost.com/BrakeTip.htm contains details of replacing all the brake line on my Festiva this summer. Should find some useful info there.

[WBBulldogs]

Seeing how all these brake problems seen to happen on festiva's I'm glad I just adjusted the emergency/parking brake on mine. I was goinfg to replace the two fron brake pads on mine. Should I inspect anything while I'm doing it.

[WmWatt]

You don't have to cut and flare brake line for the front wheels. Buy the fixed length with the fittings already on it . It's cheaper than cutting and flaring. The diver's side line connects to the bottom of the combination valve on the firewall (looks like an octopus). I had to take the all of the lines off the valve and remove it from the firewall to get the driver's side fitting off the bottom. You can cut the line you are replacing but I would not cut the others as the rear lines are difficult to route out of the engine compartment when replacing. You'll probably need a blow torch to loosen the fitting in the wheel well. I worked away at the accumulated rust with a wire brush and broken hacksaw blade to get the spring clip off and the line free of the bracket before torching the fitting to loosen it.

[oldgrezmonke]

another vote for pre-made lines. brake line are double flared - hard to do properly. if you do take a shot at makeing your own lines - use steel not copper.

[canlboater]

ya this is going to be a fun weekend project. Not having my festi is killing my wallet. My other car is a 03 grand am gt....not very good gas mileage(I drive 100 miles a day)....

What size line should I get

[mattswabb]

Take your old line to the store. They need to match the size, the flare and the fitting.