For the record, swapping rotted brake lines on a 2001 Silverado sucks

Living in Michigan has its downsides. Having a MaxJax lift also has its downsides. Today's project was all about helping a friend keep the brake fluid inside the lines rather than all over the road.

In all honesty, I was extremely happy that we could find a complete kit of hardlines in stock at a local dealer, and it was something like $130 for 7 preformed lines. But, it is Michigan, and such a thing is probably sold most weeks. The other surprise is that all fittings came apart, and no threads were stripped during reassembly.

But it really isn't fun to be covered in rust and brake fluid for half a day.

I hear you brotha !

• signed a resident of Northern Ontario

$130 seems like a good deal considering the amount of time required to bend your own. There was no aftermarket for mine. Not envious of snaking lines all day in that frame.

Had a shop replace all lines on my '02... well, two shops. First shop guy wouldn't replace the flex lines (after we agreed on it) and they used compression fittings to join new tubing to the existing from the MC. WTF, geezus I don't care what it costs just do it right.

Second shop fixed that mess w/ new flex lines and calipers too.

I woulda done it myself but it was January in Pa. w/ no place to work except out in the yard. Hit the Easy Button, pay the man.

Hmm.. No cutting, torching, bending, or hammering? Sounds like a typical day of wrenching

Signed

Below the Mason Dixon Line

I hate doing them but feel like I'd hate it more using prebent lines, seeing as those go on pretty early in assembly, lots of stuff in the way.

Oh MAN do SIlverado lines suck. Seriously GM, who the berk decided to put the ABS pump THERE?

First step for me is pulling the driver's side inner fender out. Opens up the world for access to the master cylinder area and allows feeding of the forward line bundle through without too much difficulty.

Sadly I've done way more line bundles on these than I can count... and I still have all nine fingers so I can count pretty high! The sadly part is I did most of them before GM offered replacement line sets, previously I was yanking them out and duplicating them. Freeform lines are so uncouth.

Swapping out rotted lines on anything sucks. and we live in the land of rotten brake lines.

The pre bent kits are the way to on these. This is a project I'll have this summer on my car, brake and fuel before they give out.

One of the few things I fear on my 2002 2500hd. Of course, I'm in Atlanta, so maybe a non issue. Dunno if the world has decided if this is an if or a when failure.

In reply to DILYSI Dave:

Your location decides on if it's an "if or when" failure.

Employer bought an '03 Silverado out of Minnesota a couple years ago. Cleanest lines I ever saw on a truck of that vintage, and I started seeing these trucks when they were a year old. Truck was generally in incredibly rust-free shape, just a little bit of dark coloring on exposed bolts.

Of course, now the rocker panels are rotting off the truck...

In reply to DILYSI Dave:

With it idling in park, jump on the pedal like an elephant just jumped in front of the truck. If the pedal goes to floor and the truck no longer stops, it was a when failure, and when is conveniently now in your driveway, not in traffic.

nokincy wrote: Hmm.. No cutting, torching, bending, or hammering? Sounds like a typical day of wrenching Signed Below the Mason Dixon Line

Except we wouldn't be changing brake lines. I've never had one fail.

DILYSI Dave wrote: One of the few things I fear on my 2002 2500hd. Of course, I'm in Atlanta, so maybe a non issue. Dunno if the world has decided if this is an if or a when failure.

If you stay in the south, you'll never have to worry about it.

Toyman01 wrote:

nokincy wrote: Hmm.. No cutting, torching, bending, or hammering? Sounds like a typical day of wrenching Signed Below the Mason Dixon Line

Except we wouldn't be changing brake lines. I've never had one fail.

I knew something was odd when I saw people online talking about getting brake lines from a junkyard car when converting from X to Y.

It took me a while before I realized they were serious, and that they considered brake lines to be something permanent like that instead of a wear item like air filters where only a spendthrift would consider junkyarding.

it depends … my '97 F150 was sold new in Marion, NC (just east of the mountains) I'm the 3rd owner (110,000mi. when bought). the truck never lived anywhere other than WNC … when I bought it, the brakes had to be replaced from the booster to the backing plates (and everything inside the drums) and up front nothing was re-used …

and no pre-bent lines available … it all depends on how much brine / salt/sand is used on your roads and how often the underside of the truck gets washed