How To: Replace Brake Hose and Line (Cutting, Flaring, and Bending)
Brake line and brake hose wear out over time. Steel brake line corrodes, and rubber brake hose becomes less flexible over time and eventually cracks. Brake hose can also collapse and not allow brake fluid through, which can make the brake caliper stick, causing the vehicle to pull to one side during braking. Replacing brake hose is more common than replacing brake line, unless you live in a northern climate, where more frequent use of road salt can cause rust. Both brake hose and line can leak eventually. In this video we will show you how to properly replace brake hose, remove your old brake line, cut and flare new brake line, and then how to install it.
Supplies Needed for This Job:
00:00 Welcome Back
1:09 Raise Your Vehicle
2:00 Replace Brake Hose
4:09 Brake Line Basics
4:34 Replacing Pre-Cut Brake Line
6:50 Cutting Brake Line
9:37 Flaring Brake Line
12:11 Bending Brake Line
15:38 Installing New Brake Line
16:22 Fill the Master Cylinder
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Transcript:
Park on a level surface.
Jack up your vehicle and put it on stands.
Brake hoses run from the wheel to the frame of the vehicle… and metal brake lines run from the frame to the master cylinder.
If brake fluid is leaking near a wheel, you’ll need to remove the wheel where you’ll be replacing hose or line.
Whether you’re replacing hose or line or both… when you detach an in-line fitting, you’ll want to use a plug or cap to keep excessive brake fluid from leaking.
There’s no specific way to plug the line… In many cases a short piece of hose with a bolt in the end of it works well.
Leaving the lid on the master cylinder keeps dirt and moisture out of the brake fluid, and slows the draining fluid while you plug the line.
Also, line wrenches are important for this type of job or any job where in-line fittings need to be loosened… the open end of the wrench has six sides rather than four.
They work pretty well with frozen fittings, and it sometimes helps to try tightening slightly before loosening… but if you run into excessive rust, you can use penetrating oil to help loosen things up.
[brake hose]
So let’s start by replacing the brake hose.
Have a drain pan in place under the wheel well.
Use your line wrench to loosen the nut holding the hose to the junction box.
Plug the hole at the junction box to keep it from leaking brake fluid.
Use pliers to remove the retaining clip… then remove the other end from the brake caliper.
Let the fluid from the hose run into the drain pan.
Once the old hose is removed, attach the new hose at the caliper first.
Now, remove the plug at the junction box… attach the hose there… and clip it into place.
Be sure to tighten fittings to manufacturer’s specifications to avoid leaks.
Repeat these steps for each brake hose that needs to be replaced.
After you’re done replacing all brake hose that needs replaced… if you’re not replacing brake line, you’ll need to top off your master cylinder and bleed your brake system to remove air from the lines [video link].
[brake line]
Now to replace brake line.
Depending on your vehicle, you may be able to replace an entire line as one piece… or you may need to replace shorter sections.