The other day I was driving my '96 4x4, and as I braked approaching a stop sign, the pedal went right to the carpet.

My mechanic/friend tells my I had a rotten brake line, which he fixed, but that I should get the truck back to him soon so he can fix the others that could go at any moment. He says he doesn't replace many brake fluid lines - except on Rams. Very common problem, he says, especially up here in New England (salt).

Anybody else have this problem? I've owned some old vehicles in my time that needed work, but never brake lines.

 

Same thing happend to my dads 96 F150.

Not all too uncommon.

 

doing the same thing on a 95 Ram and have donea coupleon an older Subaru as well. if salt is used on the roads where you are, it is probably more common than you think.

 

Same in PA to... I replace 2 lines so far....

 

would also take a look at the other "hard" line down there - the fuel line - ours was also very rusted and is being replaced along with the brake line - they run side by side along the frame. easier to do it at the same time as the brake line since the fuel tank needed to be dropped to get to the brake line anyway -do it all at the same time...

 

I replaced every inch of brake and fuel lines on my 95'. If you do a little research, and buy a quality bender and flare kit, replacing brake lines is quite easy. Get yourself a long length of solid copper wire to practice with. Stick with the 3/16" line. Autozone and Advance Auto both sell double wall SS lines.

I would not worry about removing the piece that runs behined the fuel tank. Just abandon it and run the new line right along side the old one.

They key to replacing brake lines is making quality flares. I had a blast doing it and it was fun learning too.

The only drawback is when friends find out that you have this talent...lol.


Good luck with your ride.

 

My step daughter's used 96 Dodge Neon had rusted out brake lines where a rear line leaked and the brake light came on. She told me about it and I told her to bring the car over right away! In my driveway, I stepped on the brakeshard with the car running and the line to the left rear brake burst under the car underneath the rear passenger seat. I am in the process of replacing all the lines right now. I don't think it will be difficult.

The lines are rusted everywhere (even at the master cylinder) except where attached to the firewall.The rust on the lines at the wheel well is a hard coating but the rust on the lines under the car and along the engine chassis is like peeling flakes or scaleswhich is where it failed. The fuel lines have partial ruston them.

The car only had 65000 miles on it when she bought it last year and the under side except for some small rust around the rear suspension looks emaculate and the car was not black tar rustproofed. But, the brake lines look like they were submerged in water for ten years. My other cars like my 2002 Ford Focus have a coating on them and look like new from one end to the other. It looks like Dodge put in corrosion unprotected brake lines possibly with corrosion prone "bad" steel (cheap). 25 feet of brake line (Neon maybe uses 28 feet) with coating cost me $14.00 retail at AutoZone so I don't know what Chrysler is trying to save with putting in garbage brake lines and risk peoples lives for pennies of savings per car. Their competition uses good lines.

The Neon cars have been plagued with problems (I have had 3 other major ones already), so I think most of these cars are retired before the brake line problem appears. Although, Chrylser can really make some real losers, all the American car companies inadvertently build problems into their cars.

 

Work at a garage, brake lines rusting where they use salt is realllllllly common, if you do one line you might as well do them all, cause once you start messing around under there by the lines odds are your going to move and break the rest of the lines. When they rot to the point they blow out the rest are soon to follow, so save yourself the swearing and do them all at once. like said above buy a good flare kit and line, spenda couple hours doing it.

 

at the shop the most vehicles i see with rotted brake lines are the 01-04 (i think thats the year range dunno for sure im not a ford guy) F150's. its something that happens on all vehicles thow

 

Coomon problem in the New England area. im also from CT and i have replaced lines in every vehicle i have owned. (Except my ram so far) Being in pawcatuck, you will get more salt on the roads from the winter months. I live in Colchester and am further from RI. RI uses mostly salt in there mix for sanding the raods. Just wait, CT is switching to a heavier salt mix in the comming years, and our trucks and cars wont stand a chance. My advice, and i plow in the winter, is after every storm, when the raods start to clear up, get to the car wash and power wash under the truck, Been doing this for years and feel that that helps the most. My 79' chevy poped its first break line ever over the winter and the truck had like 280,000 mile on it. If you keep it clean, it should last a while. Just my 2 cents tho.