Hey guys, not sure if this is correct or not.

Ordered two new metal brake lines for the rear L and R of the car, and i know there are some bends to the oem lines on the car now.

The parts i got from MB parts were straight non bent metal lines. Is this the way they come and you are suppose to bend them to shape?

Apparently that is how they come. Using your old lines as a pattern carefully bend the new lines. Take care to support the inside of your bends with your thumbs and bend carefully. A kink and it is ruined. Not too difficult but take your time and form to match the originals.

Good luck.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I'd suggest using a brake bender tool as this will help prevent kinks, but if you bend them slowly and carefully over a round surface, you may be fine.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Harbor Freight has one for $8.

I bought a brake line bender about 40 years ago and found my hands work faster and just as good. Your results may differ.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yes, one new rear brake tubing I bought cam un-bent. Harbor Freight does have a tubing bender and I have one of them (somewhere?) but my memory of it is I bent by hand.

I believe you can reduce the chance of the line kinking by bending around something with a tube or cylindrical section that matches the bend of the original line.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Your best bet would have been to buy cunifer line from NAPA and a bubble flare tool from amazon - the cunifer line bends like squishy candy and it will never rust out either like the factory mercedes line.

you can also buy the nuts from autozone etc. for bending the line first get it straight then use the bending pliers from harbor freight. Remember that you are bending tube, you will end up with some tubing gain

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

For my 83 I used extra lines I had stashed for my VW's. Same flare, same size....price was right. Used a tubing bender, odd pieces of different OD pipe to get the bends.

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95 E300D working out the kinks
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, gone away
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 145k miles, summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k miles
12 VW Jetta- 160k miles

I think the key when a bending brake line is to support it over a round surface to prevent kinks. I've used metal cans. Also, the smaller diameter the brake line, the easier it bends without kinking.

Look what I made just by bending the brake line around a can:

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

I bought cunifer line in Canada from Parts Source. I measured the existing lines and found that I could replace those rear lines with standard lengths that already have the flare connections installed. Memory not so good, but I think I may have needed two lengths on one side and one on the other. These are the lines running from the tee to the wheels. Only tools I bought were a couple of wrenches.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Thanks for the all the advice guy.. Went down to harbor freight and got some brake line bending tools..

Should be a fun project.

I would use a cheap tube bender. Many U.S. cars have steel wire wrap over brakes tubes from where it passes under the frame rail to the outer bracket. Many think it is for protection from rocks, but I read it was so the factory workers could quickly bend it by hand without kinking. Makes sense, but I expect much carpal tunnel syndrome from doing that all day. Seems like they would have had a machine for that, but the wrap would still serve to avoid kinks, plus add protection.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

I second this, cunifer line is so easy to work with. Bending, flaring, routing, extremely easy.


If you need to do tight bends, go to the hardware store and find the spring section, get a spring that fits tightly over the line and you can bend some ridiculously tight curves without kinking. Only caveat with cunifer line is that it chafes easily, make sure to put rubber hose or something around sections that may contact the car to avoid it wearing through.

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1984 300TD -- summer daily driver
Many others that aren't Mercedes...

I've made many brake lines, living in the rust belt. A tubing bender is nice to have. I'll use a piece of pipe for a tighter bend.