I got a new hill holder valve today but can't seem to get off the brakeline that goes out the bottom. It is completely stripped on both ends (goes over to the pass side firewall and connects to another) I tried using a pair of small vice grips but even they slide before loosing the thing. Any ideas out there?

use a 10mm line wrench.

 

i have also cut off the brake line so i can slip a box-end wrench over the nut, but i would have to replae that section of brake line

 

you can unbolt the hill holder to move it around and get better access.

 

get on good with some vice grips.

 

but you mat have to remove the whole thing and set it up in a vise, to get the bad line off

 

inder the hood along the framerails and firewall, you will see where the steel line from the wheels will couple into the braking system. if you did have to cut a line, you can replace just the inner line from the coupling to the hill holder/master cylinder

 

also if you cut the line, the nit will turn easier, brcause it was seized to the line, and uncut will be hard to turn

Nothing 10mm fits. I can actually almost get an 8mm around it. I can't really cut it w/o a new one and I'm sure the local dealer will take 3 weeks to get the right one in. %$&*&^

welcome to why I can't put stainless brake lines on my Legacy.

Oh the sorrows of thoes without flare kits:( Sorry no real good advice on how to get it off and still be able to reuse the line. Vice grips would have been your best bet, but still a chance you might not be able to reuse the line.

 

Why are you changing the hill holder anyway?

The hill holder is leaking a good small bottle of brake fluid every month. Weird thing is it doesn't seem to be doing it all the time. I'm gonna go to the yokel jy in the am and cut out a stinking line. Bad thing is the newest EA-81 they have was last inspected in 99.

Bob:

 

I don't think you will be able to salvage the old one succesfully. Even if you could, I would question how safe it would be to run a line thats chewed up so badly.

 

If you are down to a single line that you cannot remove, I would trace that line back to the next coupler, and remove the line and hill holder as one piece. Once it's off the car, you'll be able to

take a large pair of pliers to it to break it down.

 

I would look at replacing the line with a used one first if you have access to some junk Subes. You could use a pair of mini bolt cutters to cut the line ahead of the coupler, and again, fool with getting it apart ouside of the car.

 

Another option is to find a "tube bending" operation in your area. These guys usually do hot rod and custom work, as well as serving professional mechanics. They usually work out of their basements or garages. They are hard to find, but they are out there. Talk to some professional auto parts shops to hook you up with the guys in your town. Don't twist up your old one too bad, or else they wont be able to duplicate it exactly.

 

Some big-time brake shops bend their own lines. They may not want to fool with a do-it-yourselfer, though. Might be worth a shot.

 

A genuine Sube replacement line should be your last resort. There are many less expensive options.

 

good luck, John

Is it a piece of line with inverted flare fittings on each end?

 

You can buy a straight piece of line at NAPA and bend it to match.

 

Or is it something SPECIAL?

Thats a very good sugestion, NAPA has many sizes of premade brake line with metric fittings. Tip: if your not sure get it a few inches longer, you can always add a few bends to make it longer.

Originally posted by Partsman

Is it a piece of line with inverted flare fittings on each end?

 

You can buy a straight piece of line at NAPA and bend it to match.

 

Or is it something SPECIAL?

 

Don't know what kind of world you live in but I got laughed at by the 3 NAPA's I just called. Metric doesn't seem to be part of their vocab.

Yeah we have that problem with the NAPA we get all the stuff for the shop from, sometimes you have to go down there and smack them in the back of the head to get what you want. Trust me they have the right ones, we have a couple of lengths sitting at the shop right now. Alot of the 90's GM's use the same size fittings.