2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rusted Through Brake Lines? Anyone Else?

[DDaubenspeck]

My father's 99 CTD QC SB 4x4 recently had a major brake fluid loss. The steel line to the rear wheels that runs along the frame rail started leaking. He found a rust-through in the line near the fuel tank.



This seem like a major safety issue on a 8 year old vehicle. This sounds to me like a safety issue. He's mad as hell and complaining to mother mopar. Luckily, he noticed the leaking in the driveway while parked, and NOT at speed. When he started it, it immeadiately threw a brake warning light and he had no pedal pressure/resistance.



Anyone else have their steel brake lines rust through and leak?



Dad's CTD has just over 180,000 miles on it. He drives it year round, and is in Southern Indiana near Evansville. There's some winter salt, but nothing like in a farther north big city.

 

[EKlem]

I had one rust through this winter. When I looked at it, I couldn't believe that it hadn't given up earlier. The problem on my truck was that the really bad section of line was hidden behind the fuel tank so I hadn't caught it earlier. I am not that surprised that it happened since everything here rusts very quickly.

 

[ASimpson]

Same Thing Exactly Happened On The Wifes Durango Right In Behind The Gas Tank. There Was A Section About A Foot Long On Both Sides Of The Hole That You Could Push On Whith A Screwdriver And Collapse It. It Had Rusted That Bad. The Guys At The Auto Store Told Me That They Use Lines Made Of Foreign Steel And It Rusts In No Time. Look At The Old Cars Running On The Original Lines Compared To The Newer Vehicles On The Road. Also Around Here They Have Started Spraying Calcium On The Road In The Winter Compared To The Salt They Used To Use I Think That Is Alot Of It Also. If You Have Ever Seen A Wheel On A Tractor That Leaked The Calcium Out Of It It Doesnt Play Real Well With Steel.

 

[vssman]

I bet it was behind the fuel tank too. I hear that's a common problem on the Dodge trucks. Luckily we have POS rear drums and the truck doesn't use them that much If he drove it (like I did), I bet he wouldn't have noticed any major difference in stopping distance. I thought I had a fuel leak from one of the lines and only discovered the brake line after finally getting around to fix the "leak"

 

[DCreed]

stainless lines avail and worth it. it still amazes me that the govmt pushes safety belts andthe like down ur throat but they still use the cheap steel brake parts that cause crashes!!!

 

[AFellows]

stainless lines avail and worth it. it still amazes me that the govmt pushes safety belts andthe like down ur throat but they still use the cheap steel brake parts that cause crashes!!!

Do you have a name of a supplier of the stainless lines? Just curious who sells them and how much they are.

 

[DCreed]

i dont know of a kit (havent looked)but the line is readily avail at most suppliers as well as flex lines.

 

[bmoeller]

Not on the Dodge, but did have a steel line blow on the Ford a long time ago.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Do you have a name of a supplier of the stainless lines? Just curious who sells them and how much they are.

A bought a couple of 2' lines (straight) from here. I told them what thread I wanted on the ends. Cost was reasonable.



http://www.classictube.com/products.asp

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

I bet it was behind the fuel tank too. I hear that's a common problem on the Dodge trucks. Luckily we have POS rear drums and the truck doesn't use them that much If he drove it (like I did), I bet he wouldn't have noticed any major difference in stopping distance. I thought I had a fuel leak from one of the lines and only discovered the brake line after finally getting around to fix the "leak"

Actually, he would have noticed a huge difference. Mine busted while I was driving, a few years ago. Fortunately, I was only about 3 miles from home when it blew. My brake pedal went straight to the floor. The line that blew was behind the fuel tank, also. I was glad I had an exhaust brake.

 

[DGrimes]

Lost a brake line up behind the fuel tank also was at 5AM going to work out on the highway. Between the 6 speed and parking brake was able to make work and fixed it after work. Just moved to Maine went to get the truck inspected and they will not pass it because of rust on the other brake lines and on the brake hoses. Any flaky rust and it will not pass, regardless if it's leaking or not

 

[vssman]

Mine was leaking pretty good for over a week and my pedal was normal. Like I posted earlier, I thought it was a fuel leak as it was running down the tank and then dripping on the ground. I only then realized it was a brakeline when I finally got around to attempting to replace the rubber fuel lines and noticed they were dry. I've had the same brake line fail in a Ford Ranger I had prior to my Dodge - the pedal went to the floor on that one. I believe either inline tube or classic tube may have a stainless kit for our truck. They make copies of tubes that are sent to them and keep the layout on file. I know a year or so ago, another member had them make the front to rear line for them out of stainless. Otherwise, you have to send them the line and they will duplicate it.

 

[Jong]

They're only mild steel... doesn't hold up well against any salt or winter driving areas. I heard of a place that offers a better option than stainless steel lines, which are expensive and can be hard to bend and can be brittle. Check this place out before buying stainless lines. www.cunifer.com

The navy uses it on all hydraulic and oil lines due to its corrosion resistance.

 

[DCreed]

looks cool have u/anyone tried them?

 

[Brand-X]

Mine went at 120,000 the coated line from autozone will last much longer have been using it for years. george

 

[RON'S RAM]

Mine rusted out also behind the fuel tank. NAPA sells rolls of stainless steel line, you just have to cut and double flare it yourself. Front brakes, careful driving and my exhaust brake got me back home safely 25 miles.

 

[RON'S RAM]

They're only mild steel... doesn't hold up well against any salt or winter driving areas. I heard of a place that offers a better option than stainless steel lines, which are expensive and can be hard to bend and can be brittle. Check this place out before buying stainless lines. www.cunifer.com

The navy uses it on all hydraulic and oil lines due to its corrosion resistance.

That looks like the brake line to use from now on. The place is only about 10 minutes from my house and I didn't know about them. I needed a special fitting for the rear of my truck. The dealer couldn't get one & parts stores said they couldn't either. I found one at a specialty shop in Worcester Ma. Next time I'll go to the Federal hill place

Thanks for the link, I will definately check them out.

Ron

 

[Joe Mc]

I noticed the same one on mine didn't look real healthy last late fall when I had the tank down to do the draw straw. So two weekends later I was dropping the tank and bending up a line. Just did the one's on the rear this past weekend - mine has 154k on it.

 

[PRattenbury]

Mine have been getting replaced one-by-one over the year I've owned my truck. Whenever I'm doing work on a particular area and notice a questionable line I rip it out and replace it. No failures while driving. I think I only have one remaining candidate for replacement up by the master cylinder. Stainless Steel Brake Co. (SSBC) or Classic Tube may have replacement lines pre-bent for certain years. If you can get your old ones out in one piece and send them to them, they will duplicate them for you in stainless. But that means down time on your truck.

 

[captgac]

I had the same problem last year. I had to have all of my brake and fuel lines replaced they were VERY bad. Chrysler doesn't have all of the lines available any more do the dealer had to fabricate some themselves.