Rusted brake lines, Unless you live in the desert, this will get you eventually Options

[mr-belowaverage]

Right now we're repairing a 94 AT200 with a brake fluid leak in my shop. I did my oil change on the weekend, and decided I'd better have a close look at my brake lines, too. They are rusted as hell! The metal is whitish and flaky, and they are not going to last long. 15 years of Canadian winters, freezing and thawing, road salt and pressure have added up.

Here is the problem: OEM parts are hard to find, and expensive. Some might not even be available, or seriously back ordered.

I have already replaced my main fuel line with a neoprene line that doesn't rust. What kind of lines are available as replacements for brake lines?

Now I am not talking about the short lines at the wheel that you can find SS kits for all over eBay. I'm talking about the entire brake line set, front to rear, master cylinder to each wheel.

Has anyone had to do this? Can you get long SS lines to fit? What options are available??

This post has been edited by mr-belowaverage: May 26, 2013 - 8:19 PM

[playr158]

you can't put SS lines in place of the entire system.

You can buy lengths of hard brake line and bend them yourself or OEM
those are your two options really.

[azian_advanced]

have you tried contacting the dealer? these brake lines should still be available.. you can always just coat them with undercoating to prevent rust.

[TerryE]

I can relate to your problem, my '90 ST had one rust out last winter, Bought new lines (to rears) for about $140 total for both from dealer. Note: if you order them from the dealer they will come with the fittings and bends as needed plus one extra bend in each(they bend them in half to fit in the box/truck.) Currently, I'm considering just putting a splice piece in the rusted out section( requires tubing benders (lever kind) and a flaring tool for steel plus fittings). I'm still debating whether to use single flares or double flares on the splice pieceif I go that way. You may have to loosen things like the steering rack to get the factory pipes to lay-in place correctly, (ask me about my fuel line adventure)http://www.6gc.net/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif
Still waiting for the weather to improve to work on mine.

[mr-belowaverage]

have you tried contacting the dealer? these brake lines should still be available.. you can always just coat them with undercoating to prevent rust.

lol I am the dealer.. That's why I know it will be a pain to get OE parts. And expensive.

[hurley97]

If you are the dealer you should know that the parts aren't what make the job expensive, its the labor. Replacing brake and fuel lines is usually a $800-1200 job because of labor, only maybe $250-300 (list price) of it at most is parts which includes all the clamps and covers.

[mr-belowaverage]

To be fair, you are guessing at those prices. We quoted our customer $995 for parts, without a fuel tank. We charge 10 hours for fuel and brake lines, with a tank and filler neck replacement. Total bill is approximately $2200. This is not atypical for the area.

@playr158: What makes you say it can't be done? If I understand hydraulics correctly, as long as the volume doesn't increase, the pressure delived from the input cylinder to the output cylinder will be equal. The lines I've found are rated for 3000psi and higher. I don't expect a problem from them.

[Batman722]

I changed one of my rear brake lines on my ST, all the way from the splitter on the firewall to the hub in the rear.
Both lines are about $80 from the dealer FYI, I bought them both just to be safe.

The driver's side is easy, the pass side involves dropping the gas tank a bit to fit the new line. The lines themselves don't rust, it's the brackets that hold them. They rust so bad it eats through the coating on the lines and kills them.

It's not too bad of a job, I did it on the street in front of my house.

If you're worried about them rusting again, just install new ones and spray them with rubberized coating. That should help protect them.

[mr-belowaverage]

Really? Mine are rusted end to end, very badly. And the whole thing is held up in a plastic track to protect it, too.

$80 bucks? What p/n's did you get?

[hurley97]

Actually I wasn't guessing at anything, I work at a dealership in New England and we do brake and fuel lines a lot, that is what we charge.

I looked these up on ToyoDIY just to get an idea, They are for a 94 ST Hatch MTM CDN

47321-20380 ---- TUBE, RR BRAKE, NO.1 ---- List price $62.90
47322-20490 ---- TUBE, RR BRAKE, NO.2 ---- $43.61
77251-20720 ---- TUBE, FUEL MAIN ----------- $50.64
77255-20610 ---- TUBE, FUEL RETURN -------- $43.87
77261-20280 ---- TUBE, FUEL TANK TO C -----$53.50

Total: $254.52 at list price, I'm sure if you are the dealer you can get them much cheaper.

[mr-belowaverage]

I'm going to ask parts to put together an estimate for me tomorrow, and see what they come up with. None of this adds up to me.

[RocketScott]

Go to Harbor Frieght/Princess Auto and buy a tubing bender:

Bender
For the Canadians Eh!

Then go to any shop that sells brake tubing and buy the closest premade lengths to what you need (without being shorter). It will come with the fittings on and flaring done. Use the old tube as a template to bend the new one to match. You may need to put some extra twists in it if the new line is much longer than the old one.

The last line to go out in my truck cost less than $3 for a 12" tube.

Easy, Greasy, Done.

[Sinyk]

What about a semi-arid desert? Am I safe?

[Rayme]

Just replace the bad lines..and hope you wont have to replace a caliper or 2 because of rusted bleeders !