John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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4x4 trail repair
A couple of years ago David K reported he broke a rear brake line on his Tacoma, had to pinch it off with a visegrip pliers or something like that.
Well, a couple of weeks ago on our Pacific Coast excursion TW wrote about, we had a similar issue. One of the Tacomas developed a brake fluid leak
where a plastic (?) line slides over a steel brake line. We tried clamping it tighter and got only slightly less of a leak and loss of brake fluid.
Later, in San Felipe a mechanic also crimped the line stopping the loss of fluid.
Two similar stories and I thought I'd be better prepared next time. A small hose clamp doesn't work so well.
I went to NAPA bought a 10mm flare nut wrench and two fittings - one a coupler with the proper flare on it that will thread into the flex brake line,
and the other a brass plug for the other side of the coupler. Now, if a leak develops rather than pinch off the line, I can screw in the plug into the
flex line to stop fluid leak. $15.00 invested in something I'll probably never have to use. I was told that the brake flex lines have a couple of
different flare types so you need to match that with the brass coupler.
John M.
Napa receipt with the brass fitting part numbers
Two fittings assembled and the flare nut wrench - wrench fits tightly around the brass fitting.
Photo showing the flex line - the steel line I'd remove and plug, and the plastic line where the leak developed.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9233
Registered: 10-3-2003
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This time last year we snapped the stock shock in half above Scorpion Bay. It cut the brake line.
We drove with the emergency brake all the way to Constitution.
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
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Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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John, that's the only way to guarantee it never happens to you! Cheap insurance. Lol
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John Harper
Super Nomad
Posts: 2289
Registered: 3-9-2017
Location: SoCal
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So, the steel line was leaking, or the flex line? You basically want to be able to isolate that (or another) wheel from the braking system? Probably
a good little gizmo just in case, maybe can help someone else someday!
I'm not sure DK had the same problem, I thought something actually broke on his brake system inside the drum. IIRC it was the anchor stud for the
shoes, but I could be wrong. That's why he had to pinch off the brake line. The shoes would no longer work on that wheel.
That plastic just looks like a protective cover for the steel line. Not sure how it could possibly cause a leak. Perhaps a split in the steel line?
John
[Edited on 11-28-2018 by John Harper]
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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you are correct John
David's was not as I characterized it, but I don't recall his temp fix, think he did have to disable one side.
The line is plastic, it slides over the steel line for about an inch. The brake fluid was shooting out between the plastic line and the steel line in
our case. Couldn't see a hole in the plastic but any pressure on the brake pedal and the leak was on!
John
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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My rear right drum brake shoes came loose (inside the drum) because a 'knob' that they both rest on came loose (when a rivet that attaches it on the
brake backplate failed).
Once the shoes flop, the hydraulic piston seals fail and brake fluid runs out. Under Larry's (bajatrailrider) great advice and the use of HIS vise
grips, I squeezed the rubber brake line past where it leaves the metal line to stop the loss of brake fluid. A thick piece of inner tube rubber was
used to prevent permanent damage to the rubber brake line from the vise grips.
I have photos and this is all in my Trip #7 report from October 2017.
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