Need hard brake lines?

[Badfish740]

I figured I'd share this because it was a miracle that I found it. My BIL is away at school and his only vehicle is a beat up hand-me-down 2001 Chevy 1/2 ton with 200K on the clock that was my FIL's work truck. In the early 2000s Chevy had a bad underbody rust problem and as a result the hard brake lines rusted out. His truck has two bad lines and more that are about to go and the local brake and tire place told him that a repair job would be $1000 plus. He called me freaking out because blue book on the truck is maybe $2000 with the mileage and the body damage on it and he doesn't have the cash anyway-meanwhile he now has no way to get to his job on the weekends. Of course I told him that I would help him take the old lines out, bend and flare the new ones, etc...but I was dreading it since it's such a huge amount of work. I called one of the largest GM parts centers on the East Coast today and even they couldn't help me find pre-bent lines for a truck that's not even 10 years old. They said that basically once a vehicle gets past 5 years they stop stocking things like brake lines, fuel lines, etc... After Googling I found this place:

http://www.classictube.com

Their whole business is hard tubing (brake, fuel, hydraulic, etc...) and they stock kits for practically any application you can think of. I ordered a complete set of hard lines, pre-bent, pre-flared, with fittings ALL STAINLESS STEEL for $180 Just figured I'd pass it along in case any of your wood haulers spring a leak in the brake department

 

[PapaDave]

Badfish, nice find. Thanks for that.

 

[John_M]

Badfish, as PapaDave said, Kudos for the great find. Stainless steel is the best replacement brake line for all those who drive in the northern tier of states. John_M

 

[Flatbedford]

Not for my wood hauler. I buy the pre-flared lengths from my parts guy. I bought a double flare kit a few years ago, but haven't used it yet.

 

[mayhem]

Good find for sure. Get yourself a few cans of penetrating oil for all the nuts and do a presoak for a day or two before you start in earnest.

Save all your receipts, the NHTSA is investigating the incident rate of hard brake line failure in the Chevy/GMC trucks from 99-?? NBS body style. A recall or TSB may be issued at some point and you may have the option of filing for reimbursement. I paid $700+ to have my back brakes redone about a year ago after the line ruptured on me in a panic stop. Planning on doing the fronts in the spring.

 

[Badfish740]

Not for my wood hauler. I buy the pre-flared lengths from my parts guy. I bought a double flare kit a few years ago, but haven't used it yet.

Haha...I like my brother-in-law, but not enough to bend every line by hand!

 

[Flatbedford]

What I meant to say is not available from classic tube for my wood hauler. I don't make my own because I want to.

 

[jharkin]

They said that basically once a vehicle gets past 5 years they stop stocking things like brake lines, fuel lines, etc...

Seriously? Few cars even need items like those replaced before they are 5 years old unless seriously abused.

 

[timjk69]

Be sure to check if there is a recall on this problem.