lol. i only started doing some basic maintenance on a car i had back in 2002 and even then i was printing off pages and pages from forums and looking for haynes manuals. High quality video on the internet has changed so much about this world.
Worked with some old school mechanics back in the 80’s, the one guy could tear down a motor or transmission and rebuild it without blinking an eye. Learned alot from the old school, hate trying to deal with new ride repairs now.
I've watched thousands of car repair videos. I've come to the conclusion that Eric the Car Guy and Eric from South Main Auto Repair are the best mechanics in UA-cam. There are many other good mechanics but the Two Erics are the very best in my humble opinion.
Honestly thank you on behalf of a lot of people out there im sure. UA-cam channels like yours are a blessing and you actually are making people's lives easier out there
Man......You are a Godsend! Your help has saved me a ridiculous amount of money, for the cost of hand cleaner :) I've done repairs I NEVER would have tackled before seeing your videos. You are straight to-the-point...clear, and don't waste time with unnecessary blather. I hope folks appreciate you as much as I do. Thanks so much !!!
Thank you for being so thorough. It really helps! I feel much more confident in fixing my own brake line in my Kia Sedona. It was interesting to see how you bleed the brakes. Im not normally mechanically inclined so this is a real learning process.
Same here! I've replace all pads, rotors, calipers, a brake hose, two struts, an axle, a wheel bearing, and found & fixed vacuum leaks all within the past year thanks to these guys. Had I taken it to a shop, I would have considered just buying a new vehicle lol
Not sure if you mention it later in the video or if it's already been pointed out, but it would be a good idea to check the master cylinder fluid level between lines to make sure it didn't drain too low and allow air into the master cylinder side of the system. Great video, very helpful! Thanks again, Eric.
Eric,you forgot to mention a very important tip:If you hold the brake pedal down about 1/3 of the way with a pedal depressor,or similar, the fluid will NOT leak out during the procedure. The master cylinder pistons will close the compensation ports so there will be NO fluid loss.(Pull the brake light fuse.) Also,a helper should not allow the brake pedal to go all of the way to the floorboard! On an older car,it will ruin the master cylinder. Have the helper put his or her foot under the brake pedal to prevent the pedal from going down so far. Dave in Seattle.
Americans before you did not even know that the engine oil should be changed, not even able to do this, but now I see you've already learned a lot, it's a sensation, and then when your car fetches from the United States, they were in bad condition they never change the engine oil.
Eric you are now the king of Automotive help, Scotty Kilmer is now the Andy Rooney of Auto Repair . What a shame that a swelled head has removed him from imparting useful knowledge to ranting about the latest gimmicks designed fleece morons that don't have sense enough to look before they leap!
You are one lucky man, I've NEVER had the clip holding the brake line on come loose that easy. I usually have to get a dremel and cut it, then use a chisel and hammer to knock it out because of rust.
Eric! You're the man!!!!! You read my mind on what video I needed next. I spent a quite a while looking through your videos YESTERDAY hoping to find one on replacing brake hoses. low and behold, it is posted hours later! (Lucky me!) I'm doing the job today and now have the best video to watch on how to properly do the job. THANK YOU!!!!!
Good luck with the job. You might want to try what many have mentioned here and block the brake pedal part way down when doing the job to prevent the master cylinder from leaking out too much. OR you can just work quickly like I did. Your choice.
Thank you for the post. The rear passenger line blew and my wife made it home safely. I replaced all four, bled then. The fluid has been replaced, the brakes feel great! And I got more for my money. 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan 100k miles.
Thank you so much, found a torn brake line on my 82 ElCo and was super discouraged with having to do new brake lines but now I feel confident to tackle it myself
Wow, that vehicle is amazingly rust free. Hose replacements never seem to be this easy for me - rust makes everything more difficult. I often have trouble getting the fitting to turn freely on the line. :)
There are a couple of things that could have been done to minimise any fluid loss. Firstly depress the brake pedal a couple of inches and have it stay there by wedging a long pry bar on the pedal and the handle of the pry bar against the front of the drivers seat. This will completely stop any fluid loss. Also I would have clamped the flexible hose half way down and then cut through the brake hose beneath the clamp and then it's possible to get a ring spanner on the pipe and this will make it easier to undo and no fluid would be lost.
@@hhjhj393 it’s a lot easier to bleed the brakes if you don’t let all the fluid run out of the master cylinder. If there is no air between the reservoir and the master cylinder. Every press of the pedal to bleed the system will be forcing fluid through the system and all you do is keep an eye on the level in the reservoir and keep topping it up as you go. This will Flush the old fluid out with the minimum risk to the seals in the master cylinder flipping over and or drying out and preventing you from getting a good brake pedal
Just for the purpose of changing brake hoses (and lines) I made a no drip tool. Basically, it's a piece of brake line with a male flare and a female flare nut on one end and crimped closed at the other, about 12 inches long and coiled. It prevents me from having to "work fast" for fear of draining the master cylinder, or getting brake fluid everywhere. Also made one with a female flare and a male flare nut.
Good video, never thought about changing the fluid. However, I think the fluid should have been changed prior to the repair. That way when you bleed the brakes, new fluid would flow into the system. Just sayin... Thanks for the video!
Good point, but the whole system will be upgraded at some point so I'm not too concerned about the condition of the fluid at this time. Thanks for your input.
+Robert Mitchell You can always go one better you could replace the,master cylinder,the caliper ,the steel lines , the madness has to stop somewhere JUST SAYIN
I'm glad you're doing some older vehicles, I've got a '67 Comet that has basically the same parts (not a lot changed from the looks of things). Thank for all you do.
Eric, my Grandson got me watching you doing the Auto A/C all great videos so now I am trying to watch the rest of your videos and I am thinking you are a good instructor as your tools are not out of the reach of the normal consumer who is simply trying to ave money by working on their own vehicle ... Keep up the good work and stay dirty !!!!!
Dude I love the Hell out of you!! First off I wrote you a few years ago about being too old to be a Mechanic. My Girl had the Same Color 4 Door Fairmont!! She called her MS. Daisy. I really wanted to put in 302 in her but she was given to one of the Daughters and traded for a Kia. Anyhoot I appreciate that your still giving Awesome Car advice! I went to school for 2 years to be an auto tech and I'm not doing that Job because Most Places don't pay crap. My opinion after working for 4 different places ( I loath Dealerships). It's ok though because I still have the know how. I will always be a fan of yours because they just don't teach your style in School.
EricTheCarGuy when i was in school the teacher showed us a good trick to change brakelines without having brakefluid everywhere. You just put a stick between your seat and on the brake pedal to hold the pedal little down not much more than 1 cm and that way you close of the master-cylinder so that brakefluid can't leak down because there is no air above it. Try this out, no messy brakefluid going everywhere while you try to fit the hose onto the line. Ps. Nice episode, greetings from Iceland
Great video! When I did a job like this on my Cherokee a while ago mr Brian wasn't around, so I had to take the lid of the brake fluid reservoir off and gravity bleed it. It takes a little more time, but it works too.
Maybe to close the brake line w/cup on that side w/broken bleed valve, change it for a new one prior to bleeding, if you have a spare valve of course, or not in a hurry to order the one? Thank you very much for the informative film, so many techniques are shown. Seems like every time I watch it I discover something new.
It's not the end of the world if the brake fluid runs out. Just get a $6 20ft long clear tube at Home Depot and run it from the (open) bleeder to the master cylinder. Keep topping it off as you pump the brakes and fill the tube up, then when the tube is full, pump slowly till you see no more bubbles in the tube. Make sure the tube doesn't twist and retighten the bleeder or you'll waste a lot of time haha. I did this on my truck and the brakes feel so much better than before. Oh and make sure you give enough time before lifting your foot for the bubbles to rise up in the master cylinder or you can put the air back into the system.
The timing for this video could NOT be more perfect for me. I'm planning on doing brake work on my '68 Galaxie this weekend, and I'm pretty sure I'll be needing to replace the brake-hoses... So thanks! :-)
It's an old Ford so you'll probably need them. The '68's and 9's were my favorite years, even though I had a '72. Love those cars. Good luck with the brakes.
EricTheCarGuy Hi Eric, love your videos. I would like to share what we do w/ those wiggly wrenches if the nut goes round is that we take a cheap wrench and hammer it so it will go tight w/ the nut.That is after we use a vise grip which is your last resort tool to loosen it a bit and find a spot that is not that yet rounded.
Anytime i am going to be working on a brake hydraulic system I take Eric's recommendation one step further. First, I clean off any heavy built up crud, like that undercoating. Then I put spray penetrating oil on all of the parts that it will have to loosen/remove, including the bleeder screws. Besides loosening both ends of the hose, I also loosen the bleeder screw. Worst case is a broken bleeder screw meaning a new rebuilt caliper. Always nice to know before you get it completely torn apart. I try to use a small brass brush and clean off the threads on the brake line ferrule. PS A 6 point box end wrench or socket might not have rounded off that screw.
This makes me feel more confident that it is in fact my brake hose by the RR drum that has burst, not the line itself. Granted it's a 1989 Cavalier but now I might attempt to fix it. If it's the line, to the shop it goes for new lines front to back.
A small tip, to keep the fluid from running out of the master cylinder once the line is disconnected, stick a vacuum cap over the end of the line. Works good for jobs that take longer than just swapping a hose out.
a slightly better tip.. if you clamp the brake pedal down with a pedal depressor or a pry bar etc it blocks off the fluid flow from the master cylinder and you lose only the fluid in the pipe you're removing and nothing more. this works on all vehicles
ETCG, and Brian! Thanks for sharing your mechanical knowledge on this channel...... Great DIY info! ..2 thumbs...... and 2 big toes up, way up on this video! SUPER helpful....
instead of rushing the job, you can just put a brake pedal jack before you start, it creates a vacuum and stops the fluid from leaking out. i have done it for years. a bit may drip out for a second or two but after you can leave it all day without having to worry.
As usual you make it look easy. If/when I do this I'll end up probably denting the metal line, or breaking the bolt or something else. I have a 03 Vibe that I need to do this on.
I can't stress this enough: clean as much rust and undercoating off the clip and fittings as possible and apply so penetrating oil to the clip BEFORE trying to remove the clip or hose. If you get a spec of rust into the new hose, it can negate all the work you are about to do. Also flat end vice grips is a thousands time better for working an intact clip loose than a slip joint pliers.
thank you so much for this video, i knew about the flare wrench but having to just be loosing it off first and then pulling out the slider peace and everything out rather then just taking the hose out completely first like I was going to do and loos a bunch of brake fluid in the process.
Cheers ETCG. Was weighing the option of more beans vs that ain't right while disconnecting a brake hose and landed with that ain't right. Would not have thought it's just those clips holding everything together
I do bleeding procedures differently than most of my fellow techs. I always bleed the master cylinder(even when replacing soft or hard lines) I will also bleed the combination valve assembly, just for good measure. I've actually had customers tell me that their pedal sensation and braking performance was "too good" whatever that means. Is it necessary to do all the extra bleeding at those components, no it is not however how the brakes feel can really drive me crazy. Yeah Eric, it was time to change those lines out, no doubt about it. Is it just me or does that fluid look funky? Awesome video.
Geat video Eric! Good job on the thorough instructional step by step. Good camera work too. It will be very interesting to see how this car performs before any upgrades.
We probably shouldn't try so hard to prevent leakage of brake fluid. The brake fluid in the line near the cylinder / caliper is the part that cooks and has taken damage. Whats a dollar or two in replacement fluid as long as we're in there anyway?
Thanks for the video, Eric! Get t do this on my 84 Subaru GL 10 Wagon tomorrow....appreciate the insights into what to avoid / what to do / etc. Good work!
First modifications on an old car like that. Should be stainles steel braided brake lines Earls or Russel perhaps GStop, also 4 lug to 5 lug conversion and Drums to Rear Disc swap, and big brake kit also. Keep in mind like you mentioned Mustang parts are interchangeable with the Fairmont.
I know this video is old, but... Unbelievable.. It might just of potentially saved me £400+ on front brake hose replacement. With time and care I think I can do this on my own. I have good knowledge with fixing and replacing other parts, but never attempted this before. Never had the nerve to try it. Nearly failed MOT because of those damn hoses. I say potentially because my car is old'ish and might not make it to next MOT :| Cheers Eric.
Helpful Tip to keep from losing a lot of brake fluid when replacing a line, caliper or wheel cylinder: Break off one end of a Q-Tip and push the long end into the brake line until the cotton swab hits the flange and that'll stop up the hole while you work, and yes it is important to leave the lid on the master cylinder so the vacuum helps reduce the flow. You can wrap the end of the brake line with a piece of paper towel and a clothespin to hold the Q-Tip in place of to avoid dripping if you're going to take a while getting the new line or wheel cylinder installed.
Personally , after breaking everything free, I cut the rubber line so when I spin it out of the caliper, I won't have the line swinging around and possibly throwing brake fluid around, and it makes spinning out the connector quicker and easier as the lines is not bouncing off of thins and possibly get caught in a spring or between body and frame.
When I changed a caliper on my Volvo V70, the brake line was really stiff and I couldn't crimp it with my spring loaded plier-thing, so I figured it'd be leaking. However, I read a tip in my Haynes manual for preventing excess leakage. I topped the brake fluid and then placed a plastic wrapper over the fluid canister, and then screwed on the cap on top of the plastic wrap. This apparently prevents air from seeping in (replacing the leaking fluid) and therefor prevents leakage. It did still drip a bit, but I think it worked pretty well. What's your experience Eric?
Hi Eric, when I used to bleed them out I connected the bleeder up, undone the bleed nipple and pumped it about 6 or 10 times so it went straight into the container then done the nipple up and that was it...seemed to work ok Fred uk
That doesnt work because when you let go of the pedal, the brake sucks in both fluid and air again, you only want to pump air out and close the bleeder again. Repeat until all is out of the system
Thomas Fooij well if you have some fluid already in the container it cant draw air up the tube, some tubes even have a valve in, it does work, trust me I done it for 40 years like that...Fred
Eric, I just replaced my lines the other day and one of the lines at the banjo fitting to the caliper is leaking slowly. I'm not sure what I did wrong as I used NEW 2 copper washers on both sides of the bolt.
Excellent video as always. Congratulations. However, on this video it would seem better to have suggested washing/wetting the area before beginning. The dust and dirt that was on that hose as you twisted it you could see falling and possibly into the hose hole. Not a good thing to get dirt in the system, surely?
I wish every old car was so easy to throw parts at. If ANYthing here fails to loose/disassemble - totally different story. I had bleeders stuck and nuts rusted dead. Had to replace whole front brakes thing...
Eric I have a question. Im studying Automotive Technician from home, a ton of your videos are in my schools list to watch, you've taught me a lot. My question is why do you need a brake line wrench at the brake line but not the hose that goes to the caliper? To me that's still part of the brake line system. Is there that big of a difference between connectors? I understand the line wrench is to help not round it off.
If you're only planning on doing the front brake hoses then only the fronts need to be bled? Also is this pretty much the same procedure for drum brakes?
Again great vid. but when I do this to the line on my a6 2003, rear break line,,,, the metal line that connects to the rubber line,,,,spins. I'm afraid I'll crack the metal line.... per I think the rubber line is collapsed,,,, please help, thank you good sir. GOD BLESS you as always,,,,
great video! If I replaced a break line that goes from the front to the rear hose boot (drivers side), do I have to bleed the back tire on that side or both back tires?
So I'm looking to paint my calipers while I have the hoses off, I know it's superficial, but I think OEM calipers are ugly without paint (shiny wheel, shiny rotor, discolored caliper). Is there any kind of cap I can put on the line to buy me some time to sand/spray or am I better off painting calipers with everything attached and taped off?
so when you take off the brake hoses , are you introducing air into the brake system? It's just that you don't care because you will later bleed and flush it afterwards?
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Does anybody remember the days of working on vehicles BEFORE youtube?
Those were not good days.
lol. i only started doing some basic maintenance on a car i had back in 2002 and even then i was printing off pages and pages from forums and looking for haynes manuals. High quality video on the internet has changed so much about this world.
OilBaron84 It HAS! Without UA-cam, I wouldn't be using my custom built computer! You just gotta LOVE the internet!!!
those were the best days a match book to set the points and visegrips for everything else, well maybe a screwdriver to open the hood LOL
Workshop manual and/or ring the old man
Worked with some old school mechanics back in the 80’s, the one guy could tear down a motor or transmission and rebuild it without blinking an eye. Learned alot from the old school, hate trying to deal with new ride repairs now.
I've watched thousands of car repair videos. I've come to the conclusion that Eric the Car Guy and Eric from South Main Auto Repair are the best mechanics in UA-cam. There are many other good mechanics but the Two Erics are the very best in my humble opinion.
Honestly thank you on behalf of a lot of people out there im sure.
UA-cam channels like yours are a blessing and you actually are making people's lives easier out there
The close-ups of the upper connection were exactly what I needed to see. Thanks man.
Man......You are a Godsend! Your help has saved me a ridiculous amount of money, for the cost of hand cleaner :) I've done repairs I NEVER would have tackled before seeing your videos. You are straight to-the-point...clear, and don't waste time with unnecessary blather. I hope folks appreciate you as much as I do. Thanks so much !!!
Thank you for being so thorough. It really helps! I feel much more confident in fixing my own brake line in my Kia Sedona. It was interesting to see how you bleed the brakes. Im not normally mechanically inclined so this is a real learning process.
Watching this again 9 years later because i'm replacing all brake parts on my '88 Volvo.
Good memories seeing you in this shop Eric!
Love Volvos from that era
@@KekeeBlack Mine is build in the Netherlands as a continuation on the DAF/Volvo 66, a Volvo 340 with CVT transmission.
With your and Chris Fix's helpful videos I haven't spent a dime($) at a garage. Thanks.
Same here! I've replace all pads, rotors, calipers, a brake hose, two struts, an axle, a wheel bearing, and found & fixed vacuum leaks all within the past year thanks to these guys. Had I taken it to a shop, I would have considered just buying a new vehicle lol
@@imbleedingme this is a true comment. ChrisFix and EricTheCarGuy have helped tremendously in the DIY auto repair industry.
Not sure if you mention it later in the video or if it's already been pointed out, but it would be a good idea to check the master cylinder fluid level between lines to make sure it didn't drain too low and allow air into the master cylinder side of the system. Great video, very helpful! Thanks again, Eric.
Haha, You know a Car is Old when the Master Reservoir is made out of Cast Iron! Lol
Eric,you forgot to mention a very important tip:If you hold the brake pedal down about 1/3 of the way with a pedal depressor,or similar, the fluid will NOT leak out during the procedure. The master cylinder pistons will close the compensation ports so there will be NO fluid loss.(Pull the brake light fuse.)
Also,a helper should not allow the brake pedal to go all of the way to the floorboard!
On an older car,it will ruin the master cylinder. Have the helper put his or her foot under the brake pedal to prevent the pedal from going down so far.
Dave in Seattle.
Americans before you did not even know that the engine oil should be changed, not even able to do this, but now I see you've already learned a lot, it's a sensation, and then when your car fetches from the United States, they were in bad condition they never change the engine oil.
Eric you are now the king of Automotive help, Scotty Kilmer is now the Andy Rooney of Auto Repair . What a shame that a swelled head has removed him from imparting useful knowledge to ranting about the latest gimmicks designed fleece morons that don't have sense enough to look before they leap!
You are one lucky man, I've NEVER had the clip holding the brake line on come loose that easy. I usually have to get a dremel and cut it, then use a chisel and hammer to knock it out because of rust.
Best video ever clearly explained how to bleed the brakes
Eric! You're the man!!!!! You read my mind on what video I needed next.
I spent a quite a while looking through your videos YESTERDAY hoping to find one on replacing brake hoses. low and behold, it is posted hours later! (Lucky me!)
I'm doing the job today and now have the best video to watch on how to properly do the job.
THANK YOU!!!!!
the crazy part is I just found/subscribed to your videos YESTERDAY.
Must be manifestation or something I guess ha!
Good luck with the job. You might want to try what many have mentioned here and block the brake pedal part way down when doing the job to prevent the master cylinder from leaking out too much. OR you can just work quickly like I did. Your choice.
Thank you for the insights on avoiding problems while changing a brake hose. Time to go get the parts.
Thank you for the post. The rear passenger line blew and my wife made it home safely. I replaced all four, bled then. The fluid has been replaced, the brakes feel great! And I got more for my money. 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan 100k miles.
Thank you so much, found a torn brake line on my 82 ElCo and was super discouraged with having to do new brake lines but now I feel confident to tackle it myself
Thank you for all the great videos!
I want that car! Perfect body, colors, and condition. Brings me back to the 80's.
Wow, that vehicle is amazingly rust free. Hose replacements never seem to be this easy for me - rust makes everything more difficult. I often have trouble getting the fitting to turn freely on the line. :)
That Master cylinder could outlive your life span!
EXCELLENT video thank you! Was hesitant to replace my hoses but now I see it’s totally doable!
There are a couple of things that could have been done to minimise any fluid loss. Firstly depress the brake pedal a couple of inches and have it stay there by wedging a long pry bar on the pedal and the handle of the pry bar against the front of the drivers seat. This will completely stop any fluid loss. Also I would have clamped the flexible hose half way down and then cut through the brake hose beneath the clamp and then it's possible to get a ring spanner on the pipe and this will make it easier to undo and no fluid would be lost.
Ive also heard about holding the brake pedal down to reduce fluid loss
Thank you for the tip!
@@hhjhj393 it’s a lot easier to bleed the brakes if you don’t let all the fluid run out of the master cylinder. If there is no air between the reservoir and the master cylinder. Every press of the pedal to bleed the system will be forcing fluid through the system and all you do is keep an eye on the level in the reservoir and keep topping it up as you go. This will
Flush the old fluid out with the minimum risk to the seals in the master cylinder flipping over and or drying out and preventing you from getting a good brake pedal
Just for the purpose of changing brake hoses (and lines) I made a no drip tool. Basically, it's a piece of brake line with a male flare and a female flare nut on one end and crimped closed at the other, about 12 inches long and coiled. It prevents me from having to "work fast" for fear of draining the master cylinder, or getting brake fluid everywhere. Also made one with a female flare and a male flare nut.
Learned a bunch. I think most of all and I speak for most, it's the build up of confidence.
Good video, never thought about changing the fluid. However, I think the fluid should have been changed prior to the repair. That way when you bleed the brakes, new fluid would flow into the system. Just sayin...
Thanks for the video!
Good point, but the whole system will be upgraded at some point so I'm not too concerned about the condition of the fluid at this time. Thanks for your input.
EricTheCarGuy What colour is that fluid? It looks green to me.
+Robert Mitchell You can always go one better you could replace the,master cylinder,the caliper ,the steel lines , the madness has to stop somewhere JUST SAYIN
That style of brake hoses goes back to the 60's.
You are da bomb EricTheCarGuy!! Thank you so much for presenting it in a simple way. And thanks for making this video.
I'm glad you're doing some older vehicles, I've got a '67 Comet that has basically the same parts (not a lot changed from the looks of things). Thank for all you do.
Eric, my Grandson got me watching you doing the Auto A/C all great videos so now I am trying to watch the rest of your videos and I am thinking you are a good instructor as your tools are not out of the reach of the normal consumer who is simply trying to ave money by working on their own vehicle ... Keep up the good work and stay dirty !!!!!
Eric is all about "the flow." Your awesome Eric. Love these videos.
Dude I love the Hell out of you!! First off I wrote you a few years ago about being too old to be a Mechanic. My Girl had the Same Color 4 Door Fairmont!! She called her MS. Daisy. I really wanted to put in 302 in her but she was given to one of the Daughters and traded for a Kia. Anyhoot I appreciate that your still giving Awesome Car advice! I went to school for 2 years to be an auto tech and I'm not doing that Job because Most Places don't pay crap. My opinion after working for 4 different places ( I loath Dealerships). It's ok though because I still have the know how. I will always be a fan of yours because they just don't teach your style in School.
EricTheCarGuy when i was in school the teacher showed us a good trick to change brakelines without having brakefluid everywhere. You just put a stick between your seat and on the brake pedal to hold the pedal little down not much more than 1 cm and that way you close of the master-cylinder so that brakefluid can't leak down because there is no air above it. Try this out, no messy brakefluid going everywhere while you try to fit the hose onto the line.
Ps. Nice episode, greetings from Iceland
Learn something every time I watch one of your videos. Thanks. The clear tubing to see the air bubbles is a great idea.
Great video! When I did a job like this on my Cherokee a while ago mr Brian wasn't around, so I had to take the lid of the brake fluid
reservoir off and gravity bleed it. It takes a little more time, but it works too.
Maybe to close the brake line w/cup on that side w/broken bleed valve, change it for a new one prior to bleeding, if you have a spare valve of course, or not in a hurry to order the one? Thank you very much for the informative film, so many techniques are shown. Seems like every time I watch it I discover something new.
It's not the end of the world if the brake fluid runs out. Just get a $6 20ft long clear tube at Home Depot and run it from the (open) bleeder to the master cylinder. Keep topping it off as you pump the brakes and fill the tube up, then when the tube is full, pump slowly till you see no more bubbles in the tube. Make sure the tube doesn't twist and retighten the bleeder or you'll waste a lot of time haha. I did this on my truck and the brakes feel so much better than before. Oh and make sure you give enough time before lifting your foot for the bubbles to rise up in the master cylinder or you can put the air back into the system.
The timing for this video could NOT be more perfect for me. I'm planning on doing brake work on my '68 Galaxie this weekend, and I'm pretty sure I'll be needing to replace the brake-hoses...
So thanks! :-)
It's an old Ford so you'll probably need them. The '68's and 9's were my favorite years, even though I had a '72. Love those cars. Good luck with the brakes.
EricTheCarGuy Hi Eric, love your videos. I would like to share what we do w/ those wiggly wrenches if the nut goes round is that we take a cheap wrench and hammer it so it will go tight w/ the nut.That is after we use a vise grip which is your last resort tool to loosen it a bit and find a spot that is not that yet rounded.
Ivan Rubio that or get extraction sockets, since you rounded best to replace it with a new one.
Anytime i am going to be working on a brake hydraulic system I take Eric's recommendation one step further. First, I clean off any heavy built up crud, like that undercoating. Then I put spray penetrating oil on all of the parts that it will have to loosen/remove, including the bleeder screws. Besides loosening both ends of the hose, I also loosen the bleeder screw. Worst case is a broken bleeder screw meaning a new rebuilt caliper. Always nice to know before you get it completely torn apart.
I try to use a small brass brush and clean off the threads on the brake line ferrule.
PS A 6 point box end wrench or socket might not have rounded off that screw.
you're flipping awesome man! you're the guy I "go to" with any of my auto problems.
you're not afraid of work, Eric, all the best...
This makes me feel more confident that it is in fact my brake hose by the RR drum that has burst, not the line itself. Granted it's a 1989 Cavalier but now I might attempt to fix it. If it's the line, to the shop it goes for new lines front to back.
A small tip, to keep the fluid from running out of the master cylinder once the line is disconnected, stick a vacuum cap over the end of the line. Works good for jobs that take longer than just swapping a hose out.
a slightly better tip.. if you clamp the brake pedal down with a pedal depressor or a pry bar etc it blocks off the fluid flow from the master cylinder and you lose only the fluid in the pipe you're removing and nothing more. this works on all vehicles
So much better with a camera man! Well done.
good to see you have a cameraman Eric , good job !
ETCG, and Brian! Thanks for sharing your mechanical knowledge on this channel...... Great DIY info! ..2 thumbs...... and 2 big toes up, way up on this video! SUPER helpful....
Eric has hit the big time with the addition of a cameraman.
Thanks Eric. Great refresher before I change the hoses on my 'new' 2007 Wrangler. 👍
instead of rushing the job, you can just put a brake pedal jack before you start, it creates a vacuum and stops the fluid from leaking out. i have done it for years. a bit may drip out for a second or two but after you can leave it all day without having to worry.
As usual you make it look easy. If/when I do this I'll end up probably denting the metal line, or breaking the bolt or something else. I have a 03 Vibe that I need to do this on.
I can't stress this enough: clean as much rust and undercoating off the clip and fittings as possible and apply so penetrating oil to the clip BEFORE trying to remove the clip or hose. If you get a spec of rust into the new hose, it can negate all the work you are about to do. Also flat end vice grips is a thousands time better for working an intact clip loose than a slip joint pliers.
Thanks for sharing all your knowledge Eric! It is very much appreciated and I have learned so much. Cheers from Motown.
very nice guide, thanx! but i would recommend doing the turkey thing before bleeding out the system like you showed some time before. Keep it up!
thank you so much for this video, i knew about the flare wrench but having to just be loosing it off first and then pulling out the slider peace and everything out rather then just taking the hose out completely first like I was going to do and loos a bunch of brake fluid in the process.
Cheers ETCG. Was weighing the option of more beans vs that ain't right while disconnecting a brake hose and landed with that ain't right. Would not have thought it's just those clips holding everything together
I must say, I do enjoy your videos a lot better than that other guy down south - we don't need to name names ;)
I do bleeding procedures differently than most of my fellow techs. I always bleed the master cylinder(even when replacing soft or hard lines) I will also bleed the combination valve assembly, just for good measure. I've actually had customers tell me that their pedal sensation and braking performance was "too good" whatever that means. Is it necessary to do all the extra bleeding at those components, no it is not however how the brakes feel can really drive me crazy. Yeah Eric, it was time to change those lines out, no doubt about it. Is it just me or does that fluid look funky? Awesome video.
Geat video Eric! Good job on the thorough instructional step by step. Good camera work too. It will be very interesting to see how this car performs before any upgrades.
We probably shouldn't try so hard to prevent leakage of brake fluid. The brake fluid in the line near the cylinder / caliper is the part that cooks and has taken damage. Whats a dollar or two in replacement fluid as long as we're in there anyway?
Thanks for the video, Eric! Get t do this on my 84 Subaru GL 10 Wagon tomorrow....appreciate the insights into what to avoid / what to do / etc. Good work!
Eric, great idea with the cameraman :)
Eric if you clamp the brake pedal down this stops the flow of brake fluid and you lose no fluid. love the vids by the way. very helpful
You make it look so easy. I always come out missing a finger.
Putting this video aside for when I need to to a brake upgrade!
you made it look so easy and simple i hope i find it just as easy
"You don't need to He-man the thing" - i'm going to use that frase from now on! :)
Nice video Eric. I have to do the rear hoses on my Elantra and was wondering how they came apart. Thanks.
awesome closeup detail on the wrench work here...nice
First modifications on an old car like that.
Should be stainles steel braided brake lines Earls or Russel perhaps GStop, also 4 lug to 5 lug conversion and Drums to Rear Disc swap, and big brake kit also.
Keep in mind like you mentioned Mustang parts are interchangeable with the Fairmont.
I must know how a person can make a video covering this topic with useful information for over twenty-four minutes.
Great video tutorial for changing brake hoses. This will work for just about any vehicle that I can think of it. Great video Eric.
There’s also these things called silicone end caps, just use one immediately after removing the top end of the brake line/hose.
More Fairmont videos love them! :-)
Thank you for the video, now I can properly change the front brake hoses and bleed them on my 91 Camaro :)
line wrench a.k.a. Flare Nut Wrench is what I needed; thanks Eric
Thanks for the video Eric. U r the man. From Cyprus
Hi, can you bleed just the one caliper after changing the one hose or do they all need done? Great video by the way
Yes, just bleed the one you changed.
I know this video is old, but... Unbelievable.. It might just of potentially saved me £400+ on front brake hose replacement. With time and care I think I can do this on my own.
I have good knowledge with fixing and replacing other parts, but never attempted this before. Never had the nerve to try it.
Nearly failed MOT because of those damn hoses.
I say potentially because my car is old'ish and might not make it to next MOT :|
Cheers Eric.
Helpful Tip to keep from losing a lot of brake fluid when replacing a line, caliper or wheel cylinder: Break off one end of a Q-Tip and push the long end into the brake line until the cotton swab hits the flange and that'll stop up the hole while you work, and yes it is important to leave the lid on the master cylinder so the vacuum helps reduce the flow. You can wrap the end of the brake line with a piece of paper towel and a clothespin to hold the Q-Tip in place of to avoid dripping if you're going to take a while getting the new line or wheel cylinder installed.
I wonder if a foam earplug would work
Personally , after breaking everything free, I cut the rubber line so when I spin it out of the caliper, I won't have the line swinging around and possibly throwing brake fluid around, and it makes spinning out the connector quicker and easier as the lines is not bouncing off of thins and possibly get caught in a spring or between body and frame.
Would love to see a video of you replacing the suspension on that car. It looks like all of it needs to be replaced on that old car.
Nice vid. Great info on dealing with an older ride
When I changed a caliper on my Volvo V70, the brake line was really stiff and I couldn't crimp it with my spring loaded plier-thing, so I figured it'd be leaking. However, I read a tip in my Haynes manual for preventing excess leakage. I topped the brake fluid and then placed a plastic wrapper over the fluid canister, and then screwed on the cap on top of the plastic wrap. This apparently prevents air from seeping in (replacing the leaking fluid) and therefor prevents leakage. It did still drip a bit, but I think it worked pretty well.
What's your experience Eric?
That snap on wrench sings. Nice steel.
Hi Eric, when I used to bleed them out I connected the bleeder up, undone the bleed nipple and pumped it about 6 or 10 times so it went straight into the container then done the nipple up and that was it...seemed to work ok Fred uk
That doesnt work because when you let go of the pedal, the brake sucks in both fluid and air again, you only want to pump air out and close the bleeder again. Repeat until all is out of the system
Thomas Fooij well if you have some fluid already in the container it cant draw air up the tube, some tubes even have a valve in, it does work, trust me I done it for 40 years like that...Fred
Thanks for great video and this time, thank to you both.
Bryan looks cool! It is must be fine be a part of ETCG. Thanks guys.
Really love working on cars and appreciate your descriptive videos keep it up
Eric, I just replaced my lines the other day and one of the lines at the banjo fitting to the caliper is leaking slowly. I'm not sure what I did wrong as I used NEW 2 copper washers on both sides of the bolt.
See the video I did on caliper replacement. I address that issue in that video.
Excellent video as always. Congratulations. However, on this video it would seem better to have suggested washing/wetting the area before beginning. The dust and dirt that was on that hose as you twisted it you could see falling and possibly into the hose hole. Not a good thing to get dirt in the system, surely?
When changing brake hoses and calipers, do you leave the master cylinder cap on? Also when bleeding the brakes, do you leave it on? Thanks
I wish every old car was so easy to throw parts at. If ANYthing here fails to loose/disassemble - totally different story. I had bleeders stuck and nuts rusted dead. Had to replace whole front brakes thing...
Eric I have a question. Im studying Automotive Technician from home, a ton of your videos are in my schools list to watch, you've taught me a lot. My question is why do you need a brake line wrench at the brake line but not the hose that goes to the caliper? To me that's still part of the brake line system. Is there that big of a difference between connectors? I understand the line wrench is to help not round it off.
Hey Eric, just noticed the clip was giving you a bit of trouble... I find side cutters work better than pliers for grabbing the clip to wiggle it out
If you're only planning on doing the front brake hoses then only the fronts need to be bled? Also is this pretty much the same procedure for drum brakes?
Again great vid. but when I do this to the line on my a6 2003, rear break line,,,, the metal line that connects to the rubber line,,,,spins. I'm afraid I'll crack the metal line.... per I think the rubber line is collapsed,,,, please help, thank you good sir. GOD BLESS you as always,,,,
20:22 this is when you should replace the bleeder. I would have bled them all. That’s pretty brown.😊
great video! If I replaced a break line that goes from the front to the rear hose boot (drivers side), do I have to bleed the back tire on that side or both back tires?
So I'm looking to paint my calipers while I have the hoses off, I know it's superficial, but I think OEM calipers are ugly without paint (shiny wheel, shiny rotor, discolored caliper). Is there any kind of cap I can put on the line to buy me some time to sand/spray or am I better off painting calipers with everything attached and taped off?
so when you take off the brake hoses , are you introducing air into the brake system? It's just that you don't care because you will later bleed and flush it afterwards?