Hi guys, How do you get fittings that are fused to the hard line of your fuel or brake systems loose? I have sprayed them with WD40, I'm using a flare nut spanner not a shifter or vise-grips, and when I did my front brakes last year I sheared one brake line - luckily a short one. I don't want to do this again. I'm pulling my hair out here... paro
In my experience stuck, has meant stuck when dealing with brake lines... I have on occasion been able to get fittings loose with vice grips after rounding the shoulders of the nut, but not often. It seems that these fittings are routinely made of metal that gives way pretty easy when pulling hard with a wrench. You might get a little more mileage out of the nut's shoulders by trying to break them loose by actually tightening them slightly before loosening. Maybe someone on here will have a better option than what I end up doing most of the time... (I usually end up replacing parts...) Hey paroharo,,, when I look at our avitar photo's I keep thinking "heads or tails".... I don't know why...
Do you have a real torch? Not one from home depot. Use a the smallest brazing tip you have and turn it to a nuetral flame and heat the hex of the nut red hot, not the line!! Let it cool and do it again and while hot the second time put the wrench on it and work it a little to break the rust, dont turn fully yet. Put some oil on it like motor oil so it will not burn off so easily, it will "wick" in to the nut and you can work it off with the wrench. a couple time of this and you will get good at it and every one will be over so you can fix thiers too. Good luck, Brian
This works well, but I would not suggest doing it with a fuel line. A brake line should be no problem. You could also invest in the wrenches that grab the flat side of the fitting or nut, not the corners. That may help you. WD-40, in my experience, is not that great for stuck bolts, etc. I prefer Kroil or PB Blaster. Good luck.
heat it and if that is no good, get a pin punch, so you can hit the shoulder of the flare nut to shock some of that **** loose. in australia, we dont get **** like kroil or pb blaster like you yanks do. wd is enough!
I worked in a shop where we couldn't have an oxy acetylene set up, but we used a Bernzomatic torch on brake fittings and bleeders. Just let the tip of the blue flame cone sit on the nut for a couple of minutes and it should come off easily enough. Bob
I tried that once on a brake line and turned away and pop! it blew up behind me. Was using a propane torch, too. In my experience, stuck is stuck, lines are cheap, twist that **** off and go get some new ones. Odds are no matter what you're going to twist at least one of them off anyways. Heck sometimes the only way to get them loose has been to cut off the line and put a socket on the end of it. Paint 'em or something when you put them on so they don't rust. I've been able to get lines I installed myself back apart if I'm careful.
Just replace the line and the fitting. Can you get them loose? sure. Is it worth the effort or potential damages to you, your car or someone else....not in my book. It's not difficult and certainly less costly than an "ohhh ****!" You can spend some time trying to save it only to find out that it's too far gone. It really is not worth it. IMHO
I like these wrenches alot for lines, i use them for other applications as well....Irwin makes them http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/jhtml/detail.jhtml?prodId=IrwinProd100328 give them a shot, they have a few different sizes, this one shown is great for brake and small lines, next size up for fuel lines, etc...... my 2 pennies worth Derek
I did brake jobs and front end work for 10 years straight and never had a brake line beat me with the torch method. For safety, we always gutted the wheel cylinders first. I'd heat the nut, then give it a crank with vise grips to keep away from the heat while it was still hot. Bob
Try taking 2 hammers and hold one on one side and tap with the other.And use lots of penetrating oil.
Vise grips and replace the line. I think if it's that stuck at the nut what do it look like inside. $0.02
Here's the deal, if the nut is rusted to the line you're hosed and gonna have to replace the line one way or the other. So just cut the line and take it out with a socket. If it's just the threads that are stuck, haven't met one yet that I couldn't vise-grip off with regular old vise grips. Hammer tapping helps too. And yes, I will admit to reinstalling with vise grips too, but only on POS beaters with limited lifespans.
Just think, you can learn how to flare brake and fuel lines.We build hot rods to learn and have fun.Don't be overwhelmed, it's not that bad,just get a good flaring tool.Take your time.And remember, "CAN'T " should never be thought.
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