Brake lines and a rant.

[online170]

Timo you mentioned brake/emission/fuel. I did my wagon brake lines front to back from master, and didnt have to touch the body. If you are referring to emission/fuel lines only, then i'll eat crow. I dont remember any tricks or issues with it, i just kind of fed it in along the body and it worked for me.

 

[ItsnotaGN]

I had to replace all the lines under the Monte. I hacked the crap out of the fuel lines to get them out ( old body mounts were sagged) and I bent and flared all my own lines. The only way I could get the fuel lines in was to bend them in multiple pieces and use a flared brass connector.

 

[timo22]

Sorry, you don’t have to eat anything. Maybe I wasn’t clear, but I was referring to fuel, emission and brake line.
Maybe the body is different on the wagon but on my bonneville the body is about 1 1/2” away from the rear crossmember. Trying to snake the fuel and emission lines were not going to happen in one piece. Honestly, I tried getting those lines out first and when I figured they weren’t coming ,I didn’t even try to take the brake line.
I even disconnected the back three mounts and lifted the body a few inches but couldn’t get the clearance.
This was a junkyard build that snowballed to a frame off. But I’m glad it worked out that way. I had some body and frame rust that I addressed..

 

[STLRegal]

Sorry, you don’t have to eat anything. Maybe I wasn’t clear, but I was referring to fuel, emission and brake line.
Maybe the body is different on the wagon but on my bonneville the body is about 1 1/2” away from the rear crossmember. Trying to snake the fuel and emission lines were not going to happen in one piece. Honestly, I tried getting those lines out first and when I figured they weren’t coming ,I didn’t even try to take the brake line.
I even disconnected the back three mounts and lifted the body a few inches but couldn’t get the clearance.
This was a junkyard build that snowballed to a frame off. But I’m glad it worked out that way. I had some body and frame rust that I addressed..

When I rerouted my fuel line during the the swap I was able to get it in with out having to unbolt anything. It was a miserable experience. I can only imagine doing multiple lines.

 

[online170]

I just checked my pix to see if i had removed the cross member, and I did not. The difference is i made all my lines. When you said "snake around: that jogged my memory, i understand the stupid spot you are referring to now. I didnt follow the factory routing, i just went around the easy way. Still above the cross member, just not the exact route as factory. Secured it using clamps in a different spot and made sure the trans-member bolts were still accessible.

2nd tip, i was using the regular steel lines which are quite flexible. So if a length didnt want to go, i just bent it to help snake through then straightened it.

3rd tip. Last summer i had to replace fuel and brake lines on a W-body 2002 regal. The replacement lines I bought had straight brake fittings at various points along the length. Essentially they took a single line that the factory would have installed on the assembly line spanning front to back in 1 piece, and made it into 3 pieces at the major bends. Much easier to install 3 pieces that drop right in, rather than 1 piece that you need a lift or lots of snaking to make it work. To add this extra fitting though you need a flaring kit.

 

[64nailhead]

Ok so I tore into to the car yesterday and this is what I found.
Good news it wasn’t leaking brake fluid. It was coolant from one of the hoses leading to the heater box, mixing with the oil from another leak that just happened to run onto the header tube that was touching the lines.

Either way it needed to be addressed. You can see in the picture where it was wearing on the fuel return(which isn’t hooked up), vent line, and brake line. Thankfully the brake line took the least of it.

I’m not going to try and fix until it becomes an issue. But I still need to prevent it from continuing to wear on the lines.

What do you all suggest? Move the lines? Dent the headers? Which ever is easiest is what I’ll probably do. I don’t mind denting the headers. They are starting to rust and I’m going to take the time while it’s out to wrap it.

Yikes - that brake line needs to be replaced. I'd replace and reroute it and the fuel lines as well. Think of what can happen if any of those leak right next to the header.

 

[Rodney Pickering]

Usually the header/brake line clearance issues occur with the front brake line(s) where they wrap around the lower A arm mount on the driver side. Here is a pic of just after installing my new lines. This might help you tomorrow or when you get a chance to look again.... View attachment 86544

Like that new brass proportioning valve! What steering shaft are you using?

 

[Rodney Pickering]

Usually the header/brake line clearance issues occur with the front brake line(s) where they wrap around the lower A arm mount on the driver side. Here is a pic of just after installing my new lines. This might help you tomorrow or when you get a chance to look again.... View attachment 86544

Like that new brass proportioning valve! What steering shaft are you using?
rrpmGb

 

[Injectedcutty]

Like that new brass proportioning valve! What steering shaft are you using?
rrpmGb

Actually, that brass valve is in a landfill somewhere lol! I went through two of them and couldn't get leak free seals with the stainless brake lines. I ended up going back to an OE valve I snatched from a caprice.
In the pic I have the stock steering shaft on there. However, I have an Astro shaft awaiting mods/paint.

 

[Texas82GP]

Ok so I tore into to the car yesterday and this is what I found.
Good news it wasn’t leaking brake fluid. It was coolant from one of the hoses leading to the heater box, mixing with the oil from another leak that just happened to run onto the header tube that was touching the lines.

Either way it needed to be addressed. You can see in the picture where it was wearing on the fuel return(which isn’t hooked up), vent line, and brake line. Thankfully the brake line took the least of it.

I’m not going to try and fix until it becomes an issue. But I still need to prevent it from continuing to wear on the lines.

What do you all suggest? Move the lines? Dent the headers? Which ever is easiest is what I’ll probably do. I don’t mind denting the headers. They are starting to rust and I’m going to take the time while it’s out to wrap it.

I wouldn't run those lines damaged like that. I would repair/replace/relocate them. Gas or brake fluid spraying on a hot header is not a pleasant thought.