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rear brake line question


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ok the right side rear brake line rusted through on me. :dead:

im willing to buy a new replacment but where does the other end lead? i see it go under the rear seat and dissapear under doorsill. is there a union somewhere or does it go all the way to the firewall?

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ok the right side rear brake line rusted through on me. :dead:

im willing to buy a new replacment but where does the other end lead? i see it go under the rear seat and dissapear under doorsill. is there a union somewhere or does it go all the way to the firewall?

My 90 Loyale rear brake line failed catastrophically (as in pedal to the floor on a downhill left). I drove it straight to my mechanic (gingerly) using the e-brake handle for the five mile ride. New line, good to go, and it wasn't that bad $$ though I don't recall the price. My point in posting:

 

All you '90 and older Subie owners out there would be wise to consider a preemptive strike. Replace your rear brake lines NOW. They rust out at the hangers and can lead to sudden and complete failure.

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wow then its going to be hard to snake it in there

 

 

Yeah, it ain't easy....

 

Replaced both main rear lines on my 1st '86 BRAT. Oh what joy that was...

 

 

Pre-made lines from auto store weren't long enough, so I had to couple a short section to the longest one they had. Getting new line to lay in the area provided for them was time consuming. I've replaced lots of brake/fuel lines on lots of vehicles, the BRAT was by far the most work involved to do so. Can't say either side was harder to do, but pulling the seats out gives one more work room.

 

You'll probally have to remove the heater blower housing on yours like I did on the BRAT. Working around the steering column isn't a picnic either. Plan on the job taking most of the day to do, when doing both sides..

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the brake lines converge in front of the gas tank at a proportioning block and then finally up through a grommet under the rear seat. from there it runs internally along the rocker panel to the firewall along with the fuel lines

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i had room to make a union, under the seat, advance auto will rent you a double flair tool, for free, deposit required, and you can flair a replacement line your self, just buy a line a little longer than you need, you will have to buy a double flair union, the stock Subaru line is a metric bubble flair...

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All you '90 and older Subie owners out there would be wise to consider a preemptive strike. Replace your rear brake lines NOW. They rust out at the hangers and can lead to sudden and complete failure.

 

Doesn't really happen to cars outside the rust belt. My 89 from Oregonb has no rust whatso ever, anywhere. And at least Subvaru ran most of the line inside the body so it's not dragging through the snow.

 

Erik, I would pull up the seats and trim, and run new line from the master cylider back. Kindof a PITA. But making a proper bubble flare is nearly impossible. The tool autozone rents won't do it, it's not capable of bubble flares. You'd only get a simple flare, which may seal for a while, but could blow out.

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the brake lines converge in front of the gas tank at a proportioning block and then finally up through a grommet under the rear seat. from there it runs internally along the rocker panel to the firewall along with the fuel lines

 

oh i see it was the line running from the "proportioning valve" to the rear brake that failed me. it doesnt look so bad to do now.

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did you just jinx yourself?

 

Nope unless in 20 years they end up rusting out...

 

I've been all over this car, nothing is original anymore except for fuel system and brake system and both are fully functioning as they should with no issues

 

:-p

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oh i see it was the line running from the "proportioning valve" to the rear brake that failed me. it doesnt look so bad to do now.

 

No, not too bad to do. I did mine a year or so ago. The biggest issues I remember were the undercoating getting all over me, and actually getting the RIGHT tube from the parts store. Make sure it is the right length and the right size fittings. Also, make sure it has the _correct_ metric threads. I borrowed a tubing bender from the auto parts store, but the bend radius was way too big and it was useless. I found that my large Craftsman screwdriver had about the right radius, and with the groove near the end it did well as a bender. You will want to take the old line out and use it as a guide as you bend the new one at a nice work area like a workbench.

 

I discovered my failed brake line at a stoplight near my house. I had just stopped (successfully, thankfully) at a steep downhill going onto a 7-lane undivided road. But when I got to the stoplight, I needed a little help stopping. This help was provided by the midsize pickup in front of me as it gently put a dent the size and shape of a trailer ball into my front bumper. That was the only damage to either vehicle.

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No, not too bad to do. I did mine a year or so ago. The biggest issues I remember were the undercoating getting all over me, and actually getting the RIGHT tube from the parts store. Make sure it is the right length and the right size fittings. Also, make sure it has the _correct_ metric threads. I borrowed a tubing bender from the auto parts store, but the bend radius was way too big and it was useless. I found that my large Craftsman screwdriver had about the right radius, and with the groove near the end it did well as a bender. You will want to take the old line out and use it as a guide as you bend the new one at a nice work area like a workbench.

 

I discovered my failed brake line at a stoplight near my house. I had just stopped (successfully, thankfully) at a steep downhill going onto a 7-lane undivided road. But when I got to the stoplight, I needed a little help stopping. This help was provided by the midsize pickup in front of me as it gently put a dent the size and shape of a trailer ball into my front bumper. That was the only damage to either vehicle.

 

um ok? i tried to get one from subaru to make things easy. after some finding the part number computer said its been obsoleted. and i had been hoping to go the easy route since this line has many tight bends.

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so i finally got it done today tube was a really hard to bend to stock shape when it turned out i bent the old one when i removed it due to rust.

 

but if you look at my pics (pics in pics page) you will see i also installed a rear disk brake while i was at it.

 

but my hub is now running warm. did i do something wrong? the castle nut was hot to the touch after a short drive. :-\

 

but wow the diff even adding a 3rd disk brake made was just superb! stops so responsive like NEVER before.

 

edit the castle nut is as tight as the specs say

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dude, youre running one rear disk, one rear drum??

 

 

 

:banana::Flame: Thats hysterical.

 

Maybe one of the bearing races in the hub isnt installed quite "flat?" I would definitely suspect some bearing issue and try to avoid driving on it too much until someone who knows more than me answers your question, it shouldn't be THAT hot...

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