Watch for Brake Line Frame Scrub

[Alan Reagan]

It's been raining alot here, so the truck is filthy. When I noticed something shiny on the driver's side frame forward of the rear wheel yesterday, it caught my attention. Just past the circular cross brace before the lines go into to drop down bracket, the lines were scrubing the frame. All the paint was gone in an area about 2 sq in. I took a little steel wool to it, primed and repainted.



Then I pulled the lines down to the bottom of the bracket and secured them with a cable tie. That made them stand off from frame like they are supposed to. But to be on the safe side, I split a piece of 1 inch hose and made a protective cover around the lines at the circular cross member. It protrudes out from the frame about 1/16" and I didn't want to take a chance of the edge rubbing the line.



It's just one of those things you may want to check for.

 

[bpenrod]

My dad's 2001 had the rubber line to the left front caliper wear thru and rupture!

 

[klenger]

Mine was somewhat the same way. I think I just bent the bracket a bit to hold it better. Other's have commented on this too.

 

[ERohloff]

Just picked up our 3500 Fri so has a nice clean underside yet. Will check the brake and fuel line routings for this potntial rubbing issue. Thanks for bring it up. It's one of those things one might not think about.

One solution I've used in the past is to slit a short (1")piece of rubber fuel hose, put a little grease inside (to keep moisture from collecting) and slip it over the line at the rub point - if bending it away can't be done. Also keeps the line from vibrating/chattering... ... .

bob r... .