Hello all. I'm trying to rip the "new" rubber brake lines to the caliper someone put on my rusty parts car , an 80 300CD and put em on my 81. That 11 mm bolt on the metal brake line keeps striping on me. I got one brake line off the parts car. I'm a little scared to try to replace them on the car i drive for this reason. However they are a little cracked and old so i thought i may give it a go. Anyone have any tips on replacing brake lines that are stuck real good ?

Also, i'm thinking of grinding them off the parts car unless brake fluid is flammable. any better ideas?

thanks

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What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

I hope this doesnt come off as too offensive, but here goes.

First up, wrong forum... This is the diesel discussion, I belive more people hang out in the tech forum, and this is where this belongs.


Secondly, why in the hell would you risk your life, and the lifes of thoose around you, by installing used brake parts. Call phil, owner of this site, and fastlane. He can get thoose brake lines


I dont see why you're risking all this over "mabey" $75 worth of parts

~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Well, he is driving a diesel...

But, I agree, buy new lines, period. If the fitting it is rusted really bad, cut the rubber line and while keeping the caliper bolted to the car, use a good pair of vice grips to loosen, or see if you can get a deep 6 point socket over it. I had that happen before as well, but not on the MB. Hose crimp was a tad bigger than the line nut, so I had to use the vice grips.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

When i said "new" i mean these things really are new. Shiny and black and slick, all 4 of them. The brass fittings are shiny and clean too. Someone obviously put them on as one of the last things they did before they gave up on the car. The ones on the car i drive and want to put them on look original and have cracks in outer rubber.

cheers

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What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

I dont see the problem with used brake parts. Either the part is servicable or it is'nt. A good used brake hose is no different that a good used power steering hose. Remember as soon as you drive on it it's used.

Thanks for clarifying the "new".

Get a line wrench and use that. It looks like a box wrench with a notch cut out so that it can slip over the line. It is based on a 6 point box wrench. Crescent and open end wrenches will round off the shoulders of a fitting, or even nuts and bolts, if they are either very rusty, or seized by rust or corrosion, or good ole lock tite red.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

my mistake... I thought you were just used raiding parts, that should NOT be raided...

Still wrong forum

Anyways, lots of PB, soak it whenever u think about it

~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Also once you get the line wrench, dont just push on it to loosen, but hit the wrench with your open palm. Bang the wrench dont just pull on it. Stainless fittings tend to bind when tightened, so banging the wrench will snap it loose. Hard to describe in print, but its worked for me for years. #1 proper tool, #2 proper technique!

From the forum rules sticky:
"If it's about a diesel Mercedes, post it in the Diesel Discussion forum."

last I checked, a CD was definately a diesel mercedes, thus, right forum.

I think Nate is just trolling!

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Paul
2004 E500 4matic; 72,000mi

Should be a date code stamped on the outside of those "new" hoses. If they are more than a couple of years old, I sure wouldn't use them.

Len

If the hose is "new" but been sitting with old brake fluid in it, quality could be questionable, but they will be better than known bad lines...
IF they are removed properly, and not damaged in the process.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

A flare or line wrench (not sure difference) that wraps around 4 or 5 sides of the bolt is the essential tool. And the smacking it with hammer (hands can get hurt) is the technique just as one poster said. I ruined all but one bolt on the parts car getting them off. I did not have flare wrench.

I replaced 2 rear lines on my car today. The front ones were ok. The ones i put on were date 2-26-00 . . . a little older than i would have guessed. However they looked a hundred times better than the ones i took off. I could see the white braid on the inner tube through the cracks in the ones i took off. With the flare wrench and hammer technique i had no troubles with stipping bolts. Thanks for the tips.

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What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

Be aware that the front two lines can deteriorate from within and flake off internally restricting fluid flow and cause brake pull. They can do the same in the rear but not cause a pull. I've seen many unneccesary front calipers replaced because of this. Glad I could help on the "banging the wrench"