rain_man_rich Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 (edited) So I go out to replace the front struts today. Clymer manual instructions seem pretty easy. Jack car up, take clip off brake line, two bolts on bottom, three on top. Easy peasy. NOT So i take the brake clip off and notice that I cant find a way to remove the brake line from the strut. WTF? Does anyone have a Chilton's or know how to deal with this? I figure I'm gonna have to figure out where to take apart the brake line to slide it through the hole. I may have 2 options: 1. At the point where it goes through the strut (i think theres a fitting back there) 2. At the break caliper (but im not sure if that fitting will slip through the hole in the strut) No. 1 looks likely. Then bleed the brakes... sigh...what a freaking project just for the struts... If anyone has a better idea I would love to hear it. Edited July 9, 2011 by rain_man_rich attach a couple more images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjw Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Just cut the brake line junction free from that bracket that it runs thru. If you do it right, you can still use the fastener to reattach it into it's original spot. You don't have to cut much away, either. Less than you would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjw Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 (edited) Another thing to do, is to make one cut, in the center of the bracket, farthest away from the strut, bend the tabs out of the way. Do the same on your new struts and just bend them back. On lifted rigs, I've had good luck with cutting the entire bracket off of the strut, and let the brake line hang free. But, that really only works with a lifted rig as there is too much slack otherwise. Edited July 9, 2011 by markjw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rain_man_rich Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 markjw, Thanks! gonna go with one or the other. Probably one cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rain_man_rich Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 markjw, just wanted to say thanks again. I tried your second method and all is aok. I wasn't able to bend the piece back together to get the clip back on but it's good enough on for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txakura Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 this kind of cracks me up, I just did this yesterday, same too 1990 Loyale I just took the line loose from the caliper and put the bolt back in it to keep it clean. The line comes back through the hole and you can curly cue it behind the rest of the line and put a baggy over it to keep it from dripping on you. Mark's way makes a ton of sense though, making a slit then moving it aside, then bending it back to take the retainer clip I needed to bleed my brakes anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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