Brake Line Ruptured???

[SmokeShow]

Has anyone had the front rubber brake lines rupture while stopping???

I'm not sure if that's what happened to my wife's 02 tonight or not. I was running along at nice clip & laid on the brakes heavy to make a turn & right about when I was going to turn the peddle went to the floor & I missed my turn. My initial thought was I glazed em but the further I drove the more that didn't seem logical as I can't think of why the pedal would go to the floor if I just glazed the pads or rotor. So I got to a place I had enough room to loop into a big driveway & get stopped. It'd hold it stopped but the last 1/2" of pedal movement is only stoping power it had.

Got out to find brake fluid dripping from frame rails on both sides about even with the back of engine/front of trans. Considerably more is dripping from the drivers side. I wasn't in clothes to crawl plumb up under it & didn't have a light anyways. So I limped it home a couple miles & parked it. Had to manually downshift trans to slow down to maneuver turns but I made it.

It's still dripping a couple hours later. I'm only assuming the 235k mile front rubber hoses ruptured??

Thoughts?? Has this happened to others?!?!

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

Dangerous situation! Glad ya made it. No other help sorry haha

 

[xtremebikr04]

Never had one rupture on me, but the rubber does get weak over time.

 

[NKlamerus]

So it's dripping from both sides??

It doesn't seem right both rubber hoses would break at the same time.

I'm going with seal on your hydro boost/Master Cylinder going out. And fluid is now running down the lines into frame rails!

Keep us updated!

 

[PACougar]

So it's dripping from both sides??

It doesn't seem right both rubber hoses would break at the same time.

I'm going with seal on your hydro boost/Master Cylinder going out. And fluid is now running down the lines into frame rails!

Keep us updated!

That's my thought as well and it's a common enough thing to have happen.

 

[SmokeShow]

I forgot to mention that i popped the hood first to look & see if mc was blown/leaking. Nada. There were no signs of fresh leak anywhere in engine bay. there was nothing on any of the brake lines. There was a little bit of oily residue build up on one of the electric harnesses just forward of the brake lines under the hood but it wasnt fresh or heavy. The brake fluid is low. Id imagine bc of the leak but it mighta been a little low before but I cant say for sure.

It was after that when I noticed the fluid dripping from the frame.

 

[duratothemax]

One (or more) of the hard lines on the frame rail rusted out...I guarantee thats what happened. Somewhat typical on these trucks/SUV's.

Right where the front frame rail transitions from curving down, just behind the front wheel, to the straight part of the frame rail, mud and crap builds up there and rusts the brake lines out.

I bet the brake fluid is dripping out just behind the driver side front wheel, right?

Time to replace all of the brake lines. If it was only one that rusted out and burst, the others arent far behind. www.inlinetube.com or www.classictube.com sells pre-bent brake lines. Its only $300 or so for the complete set. Yeah, you could save some money and get a roll of tubing and a flaring tool and fittings....but really, save yourself the headache and just buy the pre-bent pre-flared pre-fitted lines. Its hard enough to replace the brake lines with the body on the frame, let alone bend custom ones yourself. Pre-bent fitted brake lines are worth their weight in gold IMO.

Ben

 

[SmokeShow]

Thanks Ben. In researching lines last night I ran across some posts of yours on DF about the inlinetube stainless lines and because of your testimony, had planned to get them if that is my problem. :thumb:

If it is in fact the lines (rubber or solid) I plan to replace both. The solid lines with the kit Ben mentioned and the rubber ones with the Russell stainless brake lines.


IF ANY VENDORS ON HERE WANT TO SHOOT ME A PM WITH A PRICE ON THE BRAIDED LINES, I'D APPRECIATE IT. :hug: If the price is good, I may get 3 sets. A set for hers, mine and the 01 chassis going under the 83.

 

[NKlamerus]

Do you have a build thread on the 01/83?

 

[SmokeShow]

There's one on here but the project dates back about 5 years and nothing new has happened. Hopefully get to put some time to it next year. I was just broke or plain lazy up to this point and now a 2.5 month old baby consumes 95% of my "spare" time. The other 5% is just keeping the house in order, yard mowed, groceries, yada yada yada.

I really do want to get going on it though so I sincerely hope to start making some progress next year if I can.