2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission rotting brake lines

[fstfish66]

any one here have rusty,rotting brake lines in the engine bay ??? i noticed it while doing the radiator degreasing,killer dowl pin,,,and flush,,,,



i havent checked the rest of the truck yet,,its a 2002 with only 96000 on it,,seems to soon to have rusty,rotting brake lines ??



my neighbor has a 2000 dakota,,just had a brake line blow,,HE HAD them all replaced with stainless steel,,,



any one make a complete kit pre-bent ?? thanks in advanve DON

 

[Batman]

If you are noticing rusty lines in the engine bay, I can assure you your lines on the side of the fuel tank are pretty shot as well. Replace them soon.



Got mine from EGR. Pre-bent stainless kit. Perfect fit. Great service.



EGR Performance Brakes, brakes for Dodge, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Tahoe, Yukon, Excursion, Dakota, Durango or whatever you drive.



g

 

[jelag]

Over the past 15 years I've owned at least 12 trucks, all of which we've used in the business... . we sell them at 500K miles... we've never had a steel line failure on any of the steel lines... all were the factory lines when we sold the trucks... .

In our area our roads are chemically treated in the winter... . to help thaw the ice. . the underside looks like heck but we've never lost a line... or a brake hose for that matter either... .

With the exhaust brakes we're doing brakes every 150 - 175K miles... . with annual inspections based on DOT standards to maintain our DOT #... never during the inspection process by a licensed provider have they ever questioned either the lines or the hoses...

We've had our share of frozen bleeders... . which we solved by using a thread protector (anti-seize) when the truck is brand new and when we do brakes... .

Hope this helps...

 

[Mishkaya]

I had the brake lines leak on me on my '01 with about 150k on it. I was considering the stainless lines from EGR, but ended up going with the stuff from Fedhill; with which I was quite pleased. Most of my lines were close to leaking with the one going to the rear leaking just behind the front wheel well... #@$%!

I did go with the braided stainless soft lines and was very pleased with the fit and finish I have to admit...

 

[LSchulz]

I've replaced every brake line on my truck except the ones going from the master cylinder to the ABS control unit. I did replace the ones from the ABS unit to the junction blocks on the frame rail, as well as the crossover line on the front end, the line down the frame to the rear end, the crossover piece there, and the lines to all four wheels. If you live where they salt the roads, it's bound to happen sooner or later.

 

[Crazy Horse]

In our area our roads are chemically treated in the winter... . to help thaw the ice. . the underside looks like heck but we've never lost a line... or a brake hose for that matter either... .

fstfish66, there is a big difference between deicing chemicals throughout parts of this country. I know most of the area around the great lakes uses a very high percentage of pure salt due to the mining that is done in that region. Particularly under Lake Erie. I've seen tunnels under the lake that can accommodate driving Euclid Dump Trucks side by side under there, so salt in this area is almost "Dirt Cheep". In the 60's and 70's I know for a fact they used 100% salt for deicing in the Cleveland to Lorain area as I was a cert. mechanic at the time there. I saw brake and fuel lines rot out in 2-3 years. You could drive a 1/4 mile on a wet salted road and when your truck dried the sides where coated white. Some parts of PA also used 100% at that time. When I moved to Alaska in 82 they used a sand with about a 10% salt mixed in for deicing. Anchorage went to a liquid deicing in the late 90's at intersections and continued the sand mixture on state roads. The liquid agent they was said not to be corrosive but it was a pain to get off the paint in the spring.

One piece of advice I will give to all is if you get a new truck or replace master cylinder or wheel cylinders, cap the new bleeder screw with a rubber cap as shown in the photo. Be sure that it is tight fitting over the end of that new bleeder screw. A bleeder screw that rusts in place mostly gets frozen due to the corrosive moisture that gets into the bleeder screw hole. I've been using these on my new vehicles since my 74 Bronco in Ohio and have never had a bleeder screw give me problems. The photo is one of the plugs I saved from the old days of doing brake jobs in the 70's.

 

[rrl989]

I recently replaced all of my lines because of line failures x2 do to rust.

 

[fstfish66]

hey thanks for all the replys,, so far i have 2 links to look at for replacements lines,,



when im off this week im going to inspect all the lines and hoses,,, when i was degreasing my radiator, and replacing all the hoses,,,water pump. . t stat i noticed the lines from the ABS unit were looking a little rusty, and couldnt believe my eyes,, i have never sprayed water in the engine bay,,and dont own a boat, so im never near salt water,,,



8 years old 96000 miles,, maybe its just me,,but seems like a short time to have to do a big service on a truck i bought for longjevitiy... and maybe my last new truck ide ever neeed,,, im kinda dissapointed at some of the bad designing,,of the blo bi bottle and the fuel lift pump,,,,, now needing brake lines,, just seems a little to early to me,,,





and a lot of guys use these trucks for commerical work,,,



thanks for all the replys a great bunch of guys on this board,,,,

 

[rrl989]

If you live in snow country, then road salt could be the reason ?

 

[The patriot]

I'm in NJ, hardly snow country.

I replaced between the two front brakes my line last fall due to it bursting during a "panic stop".

The dodge caravan in front of me lost that fight. :-laf

I have a UTE bumper with a receiver that i have my license plate on. The LP holder is made of 1/4" steel welded to 2" x2" receiver steel. It weighs about 35 lbs. It took a little scratch. :-laf:-laf

 

[RByrum]

I'm gonna check my lines out

my blo by dissapointed me too, what a system

rubber cap... sound idea corroding from the inside

 

[fstfish66]

i can surley understand road salt attacking things,,but not in the upper engine compartment,, today ill slide under make a list of parts and order every thing,,,ill do a search on stainless lines,



the blo bi bottle was easy to relocate,, i wish i did it loooong ago,,,, the cost was less then 3 bucks,,,lol



i used the orignal hose,,and put a threaded nipple in the end,,the length was perfect,,,bought a PVC elbow with one end threaded in side,,,it fit the nipple perfectly,,,then ran a piece of pvc pipe i think it was 3/4 O,D, from the front elbow along the motor keeping it tied to the motor mount bosses back and over thru the transmission cross memebrs,,,was a natural down hill run,,,,another elbow at the end of the PVC pipe, a short piece of pipe into the orignal blo bi bottle,,, the bottle is visable from the side of the truck if you are far enough away walking towards it,,,small price to pay to keep the fan,,,,and radiator clean,,,

 

[fstfish66]

ok it appears EGR is the only company, with pre bent stainless brake lines for the dodge truck,,lots of other have them for cars,,and dodge trucks up to 1984,

EGR stainless 359. 00 plus shipping

braided stainless hoses 263. 00,,,ill stick with factory type rubber replacements,,



called 2 local shops that i know and trust,,,they dont want the job,,,i figured as much before i called,,because they didnt want the radiator flush either,,lol all any one wants to do these days are,,state inspections,,,thats a farse,,, shocks and brakes,,,quick easy money,,,,



one other shop,, local,,,know the guys,,never had work done there,,there parts counter usually cant find a listing for a dodge pick up with a cummings,,so i usually dont go there any longer,,but nice people,,,,500 bucks labor,including the cost of 5 rubber hoses,,



so ill look and see what they al look like and see if im comfortable waiting till spring,,and do it my self,,,im thinking,,,pre-bent,should be a breeze,,,??



QUESTION,,,,?????? any thing differnt about bleeding a ABS brake system over a non ABS vehicle??? thanks for all the info,,,,

 

[fstfish66]

any thing special about bleeding anti lock bracks???



and any one that has replaced all the brake lines,,did you have to drop the fuel tank to do the rear line???



thanks in advance

 

[JCyrbok]

any thing special about bleeding anti lock bracks???

and any one that has replaced all the brake lines,,did you have to drop the fuel tank to do the rear line???



thanks in advance

some of the best money I have spent was on a Motive Power Bleeder. Completely changed out my brake fluid in about 15minutes with no mess. While you are are it install some Speed Bleeders.



Motive Products



Speed Bleeder Bleeding Brakes Bleeding Motorcycle Brakes Automotive Bleeder Screw Brake Bleeder



I'll be following ur thread on this as I have my fingers crossed that my lines make it through winter (knock on wood, salt over shoulder, rabbit foot in hand etc)LOL



J-

 

[rrl989]

any thing special about bleeding anti lock bracks???



and any one that has replaced all the brake lines,,did you have to drop the fuel tank to do the rear line???



thanks in advance

Nothing special about bleeding, and I was able to replace the rear line without dropping the tank.

 

[RHestand]

I R&R all my rusted out brake lines a couple of years ago. I bought a 25' roll of plastic coated steel brake line and a double flaring tool from NAPA, put my truck on jack stands and got started. I wasn't in a big rush and it took me Sat. & Sun.
I did R&R the fuel tank because I couldn't see a better way to reroute that line. (A local mechanic said he always just reroutes and leaves the tank in place. He also wanted $500 + price of pre-bent lines. Also he said there was a good chance he would have to R&R the calipers and wheel cylinders, due to rust. $?)
For the most part, I removed the orig. line, bent one to match, then installed the new one. Also I think I was able to wire brush and reuse all the orig. fittings, and frame v-clips.
The worst part was R&R the fuel tank by myself. But on the positive side, I got to see if the tank was clean inside. It was.
The orig. non-coated lines lasted ten WI winters, so if the new plastic coated ones last that long, I'll be satisfied. Besides, by that time I'll be almost 80!
As a side note, and trying not to be cynical, when it comes to doing a tedious job like this, I've seldom been happy with the results of local auto repair shops.
Ray

 

[fstfish66]

ok thanks for the reply on bleeding the anti lock brakes,,



also i agree finding any one to a good that you would be happy with would be hard,,heck its hard just finding a shop that will do work,,,other then emmissions, shocks,brakes,,, no one wants to get dirty i guess,,



i havent had time to inspect all the lines yet,,,but i was able to take a quick look at the rear,,,and the lines running to each rear caliper appeared to be plastic coated,,,from the factory,,next ill look at the line behind the tank senerio,,and hope i decide i can make it till spring to do my self,,,altho i work a crazy rotating 12 hour schedule,,,and have a few vehicles needing regular maintence,,,, 500 bucks labor will be a bad taste in my mouth let alone my wallet,,



just recently had the truck to the alinement shop,,,not a frotn end problem,, got a tire with a belt seperating,,,,planned on another 15000 miles out of these tires,,,stuff happens in 3,s i guess

 

[abranz]

In northern Idaho we deal with salt on the roads for about 5-6 months of the year now. I apply a product called fluid film to the underside of the truck with attention to brake/fuel lines. It is hands down the best anti-corrosion product I've used. Not lost a line since beginning to use it.

Anthony

 

[fstfish66]

In northern Idaho we deal with salt on the roads for about 5-6 months of the year now. I apply a product called fluid film to the underside of the truck with attention to brake/fuel lines. It is hands down the best anti-corrosion product I've used. Not lost a line since beginning to use it.

Anthony

ive never heard of this or any product like it,,,do you spray it on or brush it on ?? how long does it last?? thanks for all replys,,,