I'm having trouble removing my old front brake hoses on the 300D. The flare nut on the hard line refuses to budge out of the hose and the hex faces have started to deform now even using the proper flare wrench to begin with I soaked them every day for a week with WD40 before I attempted the first time, but no luck. The rears were fine, but not the fronts.

Any suggestions for removal without further damage to the flare nut?? This must be a common problem, because I had the same thing happen to the 560SEL rear hoses which required replacing both hard lines out of the rear tee. Replacement is a grim option on the front hard line though...I can't imagine what I have to remove to replace the right side!

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Dave

2002 Audi S6 Avant
1983 300D
1984 300D (sold)
1990 560SEL (sold)

I would get some brake cleaner and rinse off that wd-40 let it dry while you go to the store and get some pb blaster it's in the yellow and white can. put it on, let is sit for an hour, put some more on, then lightly tap with a hammer, put the wrench on and "pop" the wrench... if the wrenching has already damaged the nut, you may require locking pliers to get it off.
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!

I second that. Try vsetch's method and see what happens.

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I also agree. Any time I have to loosen stainless fastners whether it be brake lines or stainless bolts, I hit the wrench with a closed fist or palm of my hand. Never just pull on the wrench like we've all done on another type of bolt or nut. Stainless tends to lock together not sieze like other fastners. I've been doing this for years and I guess never thought to pass it on.

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81 300CD (sold) 1972 280 SEL 4.5 (sold) 1966 250 S 4 spd (sold) 1974 450 SL (sold) 86 BMW 325ES (sold), 1973 280C (sold) 1988 300 SE.

I agree with John's assessment. WD-40 won't do anything. You need PB Blaster or Kroil for that job.

I also use a bit of heat from a propane torch to loosen things up a bit........but.........you'll need to be careful and have a small flame directed right on the nut.

Anytime I'm working on old brake lines or bleeder valves I squirt the solvent on there. Then heat it with a small torch and then squirt it again. I always have a wet rag handy if the solvent catches of fire. If the cars ever been driven in the salt I do this before ever touching them with a wrench. If the nut is already messed up on the brake line you may have to use a pair of vice-grips. Make sure you clamp them as tight as possibly you can. What sucks is when the metal line and its nut turn together. You stuck with bending in a new line then. I use anti-sieze during assembly and I also spray rubberized undercoating after assembly where the metal line meets the end of the new rubber line. It just keeps the water and salt from rusting them together again.

Just last week I put new pads and rubber lines on the 240 using this method. This car is a rust bucket but I didnt have any problems.

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a few mb diesels

You can also cut the rubber hose off near the ends and get a socket or a box end wrench on it to maybe put a little more oomph on it.

Len

The problem is rarely the fitting on the brake hose. It's always the smaller tubing nut on the brake line.

and if that fails, get a Dremel and sacrifice the rubber hose metal end, just like the oil cooler lines on a OM617, but I don't see how a little heat and repeated soakings with PB Blaster can't set them free.

PB Blaster is amazing, the local NAPA sells it in gallon cans to the farmers. It also has a unique smell, sort of like airplane glue.

yep, toss that wd40 in the trunk, to use as an emergency starting aid. thats all its good for.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

NEVER heat brake lines, unless you plan on replacing the line you've heated.


Heat will break the rolling process that the line was formed with. Sure, it may still look fine - but when you slam on the brakes to avoid that stopped truck infront of you...




Flare nut wreches (of the proper size) are a must. regular open-ended wrenches on grip in two sides, whereas flane nut wrenches grab on three - less likely to stiping/ round off the nut.

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

how many things do I need to remove to put in a new line on the right side? PB blaster and the torch didn't help that side

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Dave

2002 Audi S6 Avant
1983 300D
1984 300D (sold)
1990 560SEL (sold)

I'm not following the question.

You can't get the retaining nut to separate from the brake hose? This had got to be accomplished, or you're not replacing the brake line.

You can never get the nut off the hard line. Unless you cut the flare off; then you have to replace the line!!!

Sorry........worded it wrong..........retaining nut that lives on the hard line off the brake hose..........

I edited it...........