TheDean

1987 Rear Brake Line Blues
Hey everyone!

I'm having an issue with replacing the 2 rear brake lines (going from Y/T junction in pass wheel well to LSPV), perhaps some of you may have already experienced this headache and might be able to expedite my mission.

a little foreground:

I'm rebuilding my 87 4runner, 22re sr5. It was the first vehicle I've ever owned, has been through hell and back (imagine what a lead footed 15 year old living in the country might do), and just finally temporarily retired last year, due to 4th gear and pilot (guessing) bearing going kaput. I have a replacement transmission off of kijiji, and around $900 in new parts to be installed.

Now, to the fun part..

I need to replace the 2 brake lines going from Y/T junction in pass wheel well to LSPV. I have the correct pre bent lines from a local yota dealer, but trying to install them, I ran into problems. I replaced the same 2 lines on my 89 pickup last summer, with relatively little issues. to remove the lines, I had to drill a hole in the floor behind the passenger seat, so get at a bolt on top of a crossmember (I could barely touch the bolt with my finger, due to the low clearance between the floor, let alone try to get a wrench on it) holding the 3 line (1 gas, 2 brake) rubber clamp down. All the other ones were easily accessed, minus that one. When scoping out how to install the new ones, more particularily how I would fit them in place, I realized that the lines go on the outside of the top of the tortion bar, leaving me with not enough room between the floor and the top of the T bar bolt to fit the lines in. My current game plan, is to loosen the jamnut on the Tbar bolt, then loosen the bolt (as to lower the top of it) enough for me to slide the brake lines over, align them, then secure them with the rubber clamps. I realize I need an alignment after loosening/retightening it, but with all brand new steering parts, an alignment is warranted anyways. Could loosening the Tbar bolt off that much wreck anything? Option two involves lifting the body off the frame, which would render the brake line install a cinch, but I really don't want to risk taking the body off the frame in case it twists as soon as the frame is off due to past collisions/abuse, or having a bdy bolt strip out or snap or who knows what else. I can't find any shop manuals, AllData is too new and doesnt contain replacement procedures, toyota dealers have very little information on the older trucks, and the haynes manual doesn't go that in-depth to replace a line. That leaves me scratching my behind at square 1.5, and where hopefully somebody can help me! Ps, if anyone lives in Calgary and feels gracious enough to help out, I'm sure we can work something out to pay for your time! Has anybody ran into this issue before? Ideas?

Also, with the LSPV, what would the correct bleed sequence be for the whole truck once I get all the lines installed?

Thank you very much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Jake

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Loosen body mounts but leave bolts in and just pick up passenger side.

:wabbit2:

TheDean

Thank you , I may try that, or save the brakes for last and just install a body lift. My worry about the body shifting is still there, but at least I'd get use outta the kit I bought a few years ago

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Just about all these year vehicles have had the brake lines replaced. Pretty much remove what you can of the old ones most of the bolts break off.

Put the new lines in secure the best you can to prevent rubbing your good to go.

The last one They just cut the old lines and left them in place.

TheDean

The old lines are out, no problem, and the triple slot rubber line clamps (the run along the frame and hold the 2 rear brake and the fuel hardline) are all out no problem, no bolts snapped. The issue it just clearance between the frame/crossmembers (yes, there's plural that are in the way) and the body.

If I decide to go one step further from just loosening the body bolts and lifting the body partially off the frame, and go to a body kit (which I've already got kicking around), and the body kinda shifts, how much of a pain in the ass is it going to be to realign, so to speak? Cave man fabrication is welcomes in my shop.