Blew my front driver's-side brake line yesterday. :eek: First time that has happened to me. Luckily I was going ~5 mph in a parking lot when a woman pulled right in front of me. I hit the brakes hard and felt the line burst before the pedal hit the floor. The other half of the brake system stopped me in about 5 feet, but it was not functioning very well either. I was less than a mile from home so I limped it back.

 

I am embarrassed that I allowed this to happen, but I thought I would post so others could possibly avoid my mistake. I am undoubtedly a new member of the Lucky MFer's Club, but I caution anyone else from trying to join in this manner. I got new Centric brand lines for $20 each, so if your lines are cracked like mine were, spend the $40. If I wasn't planning on upgrading my entire brake system in the next 1-1.5 years I would pay for some steel braided lines for the offroadurabilty.

 

Once the lines get hardened they flex at one point instead of the whole hose. My passenger-side line was also cracked and frayed at the same point.

 

 

 

That's happened to me, on other vehicles. 'Tis a bit scarry.

 

Willing to bet that most of the Members on here are still running with the original soft-lines on their rides.

I've swapped them out on most of mine, the '85 BRAT still needs them replaced though. It's next on the "To Do" List.

Glad you and the car are fine.

 

Swapped my brake hoses out in 2009, a few months before a heater hose bust due to CV boot grease softening it up, leading to HG failure. Change your brake hoses. Cheap insurance. Change out heater hoses as well.

Yep. But I did inspect them. no cracks yet...

Had that happen to me once out near Hood River. Was coming down a steep greasy muddy hill that curved at the end (over the edge of the curve was a several foot drop off).

About halfway down it slid real bad and like an idiot my first instinct was to push the pedal harder. Pedal to the floor and I just took the bucking bronco ride the rest of the way down and made it around the corner, lucky it was slightly banked from ATVs. Clamped it off with vice grips and zip tied them to the strut, filled the fluid back up. And wheeled the rest of the day on 3 brakes and the E-brake.

 

In my case it proly had something to do with tearing that strut top out at TSF the week before and wheeling all day on that as well (did a bit of damage to the fender well by the end of the day), using the axle and brake line as the "limiting straps"....... that axle also grenaded the DOJ a couple weeks later......

Used to have a bad habit of not stopping the fun just because a major part broke. Or maybe it was just the fact I may as well stay in the woods and go home late so there is less traffic for the limp home.

 

I found some mid 90's Acura lines that have the same fittings and are a hair longer (except you need the longer Acura banjo bolt at the caliper). Worked out great now that I'm lifted.

Edited February 19, 201214 yr by TeamCF

Yeah, I just wanted to add

that one thing I do to extend

the life of flexible lines is I

bathe them in brake fluid

from time to time....

(at least once a year)

I will take a rag and

soak the rag in break fluid

and then liberally massage

it into the line(but gently)

I will also do this to cv boots

and any other rubber

(that is chassis related)

also in the engine compartment

on hoses and vac lines.......

KKEEP IN MIND though....

brake fluid eats paint..........

Is there an off the shelf braided option? Or something you'd have to get made?