1st gen clutch line - best place to get?
 

Okay, I was an idiot and nicked a chunk out of my clutch line (metal one from master cylinder). Anyone know a good cheap place to pick up a replacement. The line is small and thin but long and I'm worried what that will mean for shipping from an online co. and going to the dealer is not something I enjoy doing.

Any and all *reasonable* suggestions are welcome ;)

Try http://www.car-part.com/ to find a used one, should be the same on any rig with a similar engine. Or make up a section of hard line to splice the two ends back together.

Thanks for the link - do you happen to know the name of the part? I don't :pat:

I was considering using my grinder to cut of the section and try welding on slight larger ID tubing but I can't say that my welding is all that good and it would probably take me something like an hour to arc weld it (not kidding sadly).

Not sure the name of the part, I'm sure a Toyota parts counter guy could look it up for you. What I was suggesting is just getting a flaring tool and some fittings and making up a short splice section of tubing, or just duplicate the whole piece of hard line.

Hmmm. I'll look into that. I don't normally deal with metal so I'm not sure what my options are.

Thanks!

I think I got a replacement line from Napa. I just took off the old one and matched the end fittings and length to one of their bendable brake lines. Couple bucks and a few minutes to install.

Greg,

Can you take some pictures?
I'm kind of interested to see what you did.

I think he is talking about the rubber flex hose from the end of the hardline on the firewall down to the slave cylinder. I think you are talking about the hardline running along the firewall from the master cylinder down to the slave.

Roger you are correct in your assumption of my part in question.
I was looking into the flaring suggestion last night and may give that a try. I'm a bit concerned with how I'm going to do it but it sounds like the best way to do it, short of buying another one.

I was talking about the metal line also. It's the same thing as the brake lines that run from the master cylinder. Napa has pre-made line of different lengths with the fittings installed. You just have to get the correct end fittings and a long enough length to route it down to the flex line. I went out to look and take a pic for you, but I guess I must have done the replacement on my other truck. I tend to confuse the projects sometimes. Hope this helps.

Did you use a torch to get the line bent properly?

It's a semi-flexible line. You can bend it with your hands, you just have to make sure you bend slowly or bend it around a beer bottle or something so you don't kink it.

Thanks Greg!
How do you suggest I ask for it at NAPA? Is there a specific name I should use or just describe it to them?

Just ask for bendable replacement brake lines, they should know what you mean. You may want to bring one of the ends with you to match, there are two different end fittings in about four or five sizes each. I know some of the stores don't have the metric sizes, but try a couple locations and you should find them. Remember when you take off the fitting all the fluid drains out (then gets on your hands, soaks into your pants, gets rubbed through your hair, runs on the floor....) so have a small pail or bucket handy.

:banger:
Thanks a lot! I'll have to see if there are any NAPAs here in the OC. It's such a culture shock to move from a place that had spare metal, auto stores, off-road shops within 20 miles to a place that has its nearest Home Depot almost 20 miles away!

Little update...
Finally got the flaring tools and went to work on this project. Used a pipe cutter to cut around my mangled boo-boo. Went to work flaring and all seems okay. I ended up chopping off a good 4" from the line. I unscrewed one brace and slowly bent and worked up the line to the master. One of the last things I did though was inadvertantly cause a minor kink :pat:

I had my roommate come out and pump the clutch a few times while I was bleeding it and everything seemed okay - except for the fact that I hadn't gotten any dot III and ended up bleeding the damn thing dry.

Should I worry about the kink or am I good for now?
Just to be more complete, the kink is at the curve going into the master. As far as I can tell, the rest of the line is kink free :)