Hi everyone,
One of the hard metal brake lines rotted on my 79 4x4 short-bed, and now I have no brakes. The line that rotted is in the engine compartment, just above the starter area on the pass side. The line is just spewing fluid.
How can I fix this issue? I realize that the line needs to be replaced, however in that part of the line it is in a spiral shape. Can I splice a new piece of line in? Is an entire new line available from Toyota? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Zack

 

They sell pre-formed (bent) line for more money, or bulk line for less. If you have a way of bending the line yourself, you can go that route. Try searching this site, Marlin Crawler, or Pirate. I know it's been covered before.

 

I can't seem to find anything on this situation............


Zack

 

two words, wrecking yard.

 

Not in NJ! We don't have anything of that vintage! Anyone have any spare brake lines?


Zack

 

The line has the coiled section in it because one end is probly attached somewhere on the the frame and the other to the master cylinder which is attached to the cab. If it were a straight piece of line the small movement of the cab in relation to the frame would eventually over time weaken the line untill it cracked or burst, just like bending a paper clip back a forth only on a smaller scale. You could probly buy pre-bent line but it wouldnt be worth cost in my opinion, just take the old line out and get it as straight as posible then go buy a piece of straight line already flared on both ends(or 2 pieces and a coupler) and bend it roughly the same as the factory one. 3/16 line isnt hard to bend buy hand but go slow because you probly wont be able to get as tight a bend as the factory line without kinking it and take your old tube nuts with you to the parts store with you so you can get a line with the correct nuts on it or the correct adapters. Also check your other lines over to make none of them are close to needing replaced because now would be the time to do it since you'l have to bleed the system when your done anyhow. You should be able to get everything to replace the one line for less than 10 bucks it might not look perfect but it will function just fine.

 

just go to the parts store and get a "universal" metric line .. you can bend it quite easly just using your thumbs or sockets to bend it around .. be carefull not to "kink" it though .. as for the coil .. you can use a drinking glass or something round like that and bend the line around that , to achieve the coil .. (I used my 54MM socket for this )


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