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, 201114 yr by rain_man_rich
attach a couple more images

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.

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, 201114 yr by markjw

markjw,

 

Thanks! gonna go with one or the other. Probably one cut.

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.

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