Brake line repair

[37 chief]

Working on a 65 F 100. The 3/16 in brake line broke off at the master cylinder. I see a simple repair. Get a new piece of tubing screw it into the master cylinder with a new flair fitting, then use a 3/16 compression fitting to attach the two pieces of tubing back together. After reading of doing this, it's a big NO NO. Now I see this repair done on the internet, with a new piece of tube connected with a compression fitting to the old line, that are sold as brake line repair. I need answers form people who live where they salt roads and corrode brake lines. Can this be done safely? I would like to just replace the line. The line goes to a block inside the frame rail, under the cab, looks impossible to access. Any thoughts? Stan

 

[Dieseltech]

Compression fittings are NOT designed to hold the pressure that brake systems can get up too, and WHY they should not be used anywhere on any brake system.

 

[joeysmith]

Double flare splices exist

 

[NDIHC]

NEVER use a compression fitting on brake lines! That's what I was taught in tech school anyway. If you can’t replace the whole line and want to use a union you will need a flaring tool capable of producing a proper double flare.

 

[ss55]

Working on a 65 F 100. The 3/16 in brake line broke off at the master cylinder. I see a simple repair. Get a new piece of tubing screw it into the master cylinder with a new flair fitting, then use a 3/16 compression fitting to attach the two pieces of tubing back together. After reading of doing this, it's a big NO NO. Now I see this repair done on the internet, with a new piece of tube connected with a compression fitting to the old line, that are sold as brake line repair. I need answers form people who live where they salt roads and corrode brake lines. Can this be done safely? I would like to just replace the line. The line goes to a block inside the frame rail, under the cab, looks impossible to access. Any thoughts? Stan

In salt country brake lines are always replace rather than spliced.

Sounds like you could be working on a money pit. Old vehicles in barn find condition bring surprisingly high money as-is compared to the cost to fix them up.

 

[Bob NY]

On a vehicle like that, it shouldn't be too difficult to run a new line from the master cylinder to the proportioning valve.

 

[JD Dave]

May sure and inspect every inch of every line for rust. On a '65 you may have a single piston master cylinder and if any line breaks you're not going to stop!

 

[shaun wallace]

No proportioning valve on 65 F 100. Line goes to Tee down on frame.

 

[jimb 8n]

this is what you need to replace that brake line. Very easy to use.

 

[Hemmjo]

If the line broke off in one spot, it is close to breaking everywhere. As others have said replace the whole piece.

ALSO . . . All of the other lines are in the same condition, ready to break.

 

[Willow Lane]

If you're in a salt area, consider going to Cu-Ni (Copper Nickel) for the replacement lines. It will outlast the rest of the truck

 

[chico1]

Any auto parts store has pre-made lines of various length and size. Just get one of those and save yourself the headache of flaring the line and them remembering to put the flare nut on!!!! We have all done it!

 

[Aaron SEIA]

jimb8n posted the right way. Titan flare tools and a roll or two of line from Amazon. But...I've been splicing brake lines with compression fittings for years. Then I got the tools. Never had an issue.
AaronSEIA

 

[MarkB_MI]

Should you use compression fittings on brakes? No. Is it done? Yes, probably a lot more often than you would think.

I'm guessing this truck doesn't get a lot of use, that you're not using it as a tow vehicle and it probably doesn't have power brakes. The chances a compression fitting is going to fail are pretty low. On the other hand, a '65 won't have a dual braking system, and you really don't want to have a total brake failure in the hills of SoCal. So I'd say it's best to do the job right.

I see two options:

1. Buy, rent or borrow a double-flaring tool (~$100), cut the line, flare it and use a flare union to install a new line.
   
   
2. If you can see the block, there's a reasonable chance you can get to it with a crowfoot wrench. Whether it will come off without applying heat is hard to say.

 

[Hemmjo]

Another issue is the surface of the corroded line. Using a compression fitting, the ferrule will be trying to seal the corroded surface.

Making a double flare on the corroded line, will also put the rough surface in play as the sealing surface.

 

[ss55]

Working on a 65 F 100. The 3/16 in brake line broke off at the master cylinder. I see a simple repair. Get a new piece of tubing screw it into the master cylinder with a new flair fitting, then use a 3/16 compression fitting to attach the two pieces of tubing back together. After reading of doing this, it's a big NO NO. Now I see this repair done on the internet, with a new piece of tube connected with a compression fitting to the old line, that are sold as brake line repair. I need answers form people who live where they salt roads and corrode brake lines. Can this be done safely? I would like to just replace the line. The line goes to a block inside the frame rail, under the cab, looks impossible to access. Any thoughts? Stan

Is this repair for occasional personal use, or is it preparation to sell the vehicle? My impression is that you are fixing up a number of inherited unregistered vehicles to sell them in your state of California.

 

[showcrop]

Apparently no one is able to read to the end of your OP. "The line goes to a block inside the frame rail, under the cab, looks impossible to access."

 

[560Dennis]

Replace the entire ,line with brake line ,it’s going to break again someplace else. You can trust.
If you Use a compression , have a good story to tell the judge why you ran into the back of a school bus . He will sentence you to the max good or bad story .

 

[Bob NY]

No proportioning valve on 65 F 100. Line goes to Tee down on frame.

In that case run a new piece from the master cylinder to the tee.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Its the one in lower center https://www.inlinetube.com/products..._iw6p8-e0dRD_ibOtCp6YIBhavLXtvqEzNKWdewV9kDVK that has the line coiled up. If both line nuts are the same and you can determine the line length go to a parts store and get a piece of nicop brake line as long are a little longer. You can then duplicate the original. That's about as cheap and easy as you will get out. If I was not tooled up I would order new lines and replace them all.