Having repaired countless brake lines, I agree with you 100%. There is one thing you forgot while talking about all the extra work involved to do it right. You forgot the point where you make an absolutely perfect OEM looking flare only to realize you forgot to put the flare nut on, and you have to cut that flare off and start over!😂
As an electrician, I love seeing someone competent and skilled at their job describe what they are thinking, how they do things, problem solving, etc. Huge respect to you for going above and beyond to do things the RIGHT way without shortcuts. It speaks volumes about your character and the kind of mechanic you are that installs things to be compliant, safe and protect lives (literally in some cases). Hope someday if I ever own a Toyota I can bring it to you.
I always enjoy your videos because there are so many keyboard mechanics that are often clueless as to actually knowing how to do things correctly so that you are like a breath of fresh air to anyone who wants to do it right and only once. I have been turning wrenches for over 62 years and was fortunate enough in my younger years to have learned from people that took a lot of pride in their work. I too, have seen compression fittings and some have failed but worse than what you showed was when many times people actually repaired/replaced brake lines with copper lines and compression fittings which most of the times failed and thankfully no fatalities occured. The amount of pressure in a brake line in a panic stop is way more than a compression fitting is designed to hold.
Straight copper can't hold the required preasure. Nickle-copper on the other hand is strong enough, and is Federally approved for break lines. It's also referred to as Conifer break line. Which is the original brand name from back in the 1940's.
I am interested in this also. I am trying to find a minimally rusted used Highlander and want to treat it with the fluid film. But, I am worried that mechanics working on the car will be pissed off because they will be getting mucked up by the coating every time they work under there....
Last Halloween, on my 97 Integra, I had all 5 lines rust out at the rear. 2 brake lines, 3 fuel lines. I had never worked with lines before, and really had no idea what I was doing. After a week straight of trying to figure it all out, dropping the fuel tank, the whole ordeal, I got it all back together. I used unions for the brake lines AND fuel lines. Brake lines were good, and are still holding today. The fuel lines however, started spraying fuel as soon as I turned the car on. I switched over to compression fittings on the fuel lines, it’s been over a year, and so far so good. However, I also didn’t use the nickel-copper wire, so I’m half expecting more problems down the road. Basically the whole point of this story was to say I REALLY wish I had this video a year ago lol. But AMD never disappoints, I learned plenty of what not to do from that experience, and also from this video. Now going forward, I’ll be well prepared 👍
When you have a nice chilled out few days avaliable to you rip it all apart and get these all done properly. You won't regret it Bro , will be time well spent and definitely worth doing on a classic Integra. All your bolts and fittings should still be nice and free coming off so will take half the time. You'll get great satisfaction from doing brake lines, like I do. Only advise would be make sure you have enough brake line before you start.
Almost one year ago as I was looking to purchase a Tundra pickup, the local dealer allowed me to get under the truck I was interested in buying to inspect the truck. It as a New Jersey truck in very good shape until the underside look. I was not as bad as this car you have here but the rust was major. That turned me away. Later the dealer sent the truck to a salvage action. They told me it had brake issues that they did not want to spend the money on. It is sad that so many northern cars just rust away with so much life to go. Thanks for the videos my friend. I love watching them. Happy New Year to you, your family and shop employees.
I drive an '01 GMC 2500 and it has a lot of life in it since I fix or have things fixed as they fail. It's a diesel and has only 161,000 miles on the engine, which runs like new. But the rust, oh man, it's getting bad. So, it's frustrating to know this frame won't last too much longer when the rest of the truck could go another 150,000 miles.
I've been meaning to tell you for quite some time that you and the videos you take time to produce are absolutely fantastic. You are a master mechanic and an excellent teacher/instructor! Keep up the good work and keep the videos coming.
Most people I have met seem to think that a craftsman and a perfectionist are the same. They are not. There IS a difference. A big one. Huge! You, Sir, are a craftsman. I like how you explain why things are the way they are. The “why”, informs the “how”.
3 years ago, I took my Tundra to a professional brake shop to fix a damage brake line. I paid $500 and they put a compression fitting on it. Now that I know, I’m pissed. Thank you Amd.
The little "ring" or "sleeve" around the brake line is called a ferrule. I worked in an oil refinery since the days of pneumatic instrumentation and valving. Compression fittings were used extensively to join pneumatic and hydraulic lines. As you tighten the nut caps the ferrule would tighten around the line, be it copper steel or stainless-steel. The plant I worked on dealt with high-pressure hydrogen. Maximum 1350 psi. 1/4" and 3/8" stainless-steel instrumentation lines were used.......with compression fittings ! Today, fewer valves in a refinery are pneumatic. And the control systems are now electrical & electronic. Great, informative & instructional video ! Thank you so much ! Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
@innocuouspseudonym509 The word ferrule comes from the Latin word viriola which means "small bracelet". In the manufacturing industry, ferrules are also known as eyelets or grommets. It is not related to ferrous or ferric the root of iron. Look up the word ferrule in a dictionary for starters. Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
@@ramishrambarran3998 I see, thanks for enlightening me. It is in fact related to "ferrous" but only in the sense that the word "ferrous" has corrupted the word "viriola"! Anyway, in England we would never call an olive a ferrule. We use ferrule to describe a metallic band on the outside of something to give it strength, whereas the "sleeve" for a compression fitting is an olive... which means oil, so who knows how that came to be?!
@@ramishrambarran3998 Eyelets we use to describe something that is fixed into a hole, normally fabric or leather, intended to have something harder pass through it, such as a shoelace. A hard casing for a soft hole. Grommets we use to describe something that is the opposite: a soft casing for a hard hole, such as a rubber grommet in a steel plate to allow cables to pass through without being damaged. We'd never call them ferrules here!
@@innocuouspseudonym509 You are right, because ferrules are used in the electrical industry for strengthening joints. How it came in the pneumatic instrumentation industry, I cannot say ! Regards. Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
For a little more money copper nickel brake lines are well worth it. They are easier to bend/flare than steel lines and they last forever. I replaced every single line( even the short hard to form ones between the master cylinder and the abs module) on my pickup. I will never use anything but copper nickel from now on. Where is the best place to buy 3/16 and 1/4 brake line nuts in quantities of 25 or 50 or so? It gets annoying buying them in packs of 5 at AutoZone or individually at O'Reilly when I know they are cheaper in bulk. Also should I use steel or brass nuts? In regards to fuel line, is there any issue using 3/8 copper tubing from home Depot for fuel line on a low pressure fuel pump for a carbureted or TBI engine? Thanks for the video and all the great information and advice.
I literally just finished fixing the fuel lines on my, new to me, 2003 honda pilot. It took me literally 2 months in total because I would drop the project out of frustration and would give myself time to think about it until I finally fixed it correctly. I used nylon lines and quick disconnect fittings but I followed the factory lines and made sure it's far enough from anything exhaust related. I bought a cheapo mastercool knock off and just returned it when the adaptors wouldn't fit in the damn tool lol. Lesson learned, just buy the right tool and get the job done right.
19 วันที่ผ่านมา +30
50 year mechanic here , I have seen that repair before, many times, but I have yet to see it fail !
Also retired mechanic here - pro of course, like everybody on YT ;-) .... - I've seen these compression fittings fail - and they're banned here in Germany for use on brake lines for a reason. But they will work on steel tubes in combination with steel cutting rings. They are unsafe on copper tube or cunifer tube. They're standard on ermeto tube though - which is a seamless steel tube for gas or hydraulics - but only with cutting rings made of steel, not brass, like shown here. Can't imagine a brass cutting ring working anywhere besides plastic pipe. Compression fittings are allowed on copper gas lines though - not on automotive brake lines - but only in combination with a steel carrying bracket insert. No steel sleeve in your copper gas line compression fitting - the joint will leak eventually. The trap is, if you combine compression fittings with cunifer brake tube, it's tight in the shop - but it gets loose under real road conditions. Cunifer tube is just too weak for a roadworthy cutting ring compression joint.
Interesting that we have you , a 50yr mechanical saying compression is ok and others , especially German saying “Nope “. It’s my experience to use compression in plumbing, but who am I other than a long retired electromechanical technician who enjoys fixing anything that’s not working! Anyway, maybe this will help; I’ve two common brake lines connected to a high pressure compressor. Both are end capped. One line is compression fitting connected and the other is 45° inverted connected. Which one is most likely to fail first and why? ( Hint: think of the water bottle rockets we had as kids- or just an inflated ballon) . Oh, since something’s never been seen as failed , is that something you trust your families lives to find out for sure it’s safe?!
30 years ago, I met someone from Romania of all places. She told me that where she came from, they never salted or sanded the roads no matter how bad the snow accumulated. They did plow, because they had to do that. What the countries and regions had was a very strict chain law and all the vehicles had to abide by it. This was back in the days when winters still packed a punch. Lots of snow and ice in that region. But the vehicles managed to run well and the undercarriages accumulated very little rust. It's not the liquid that creates rust, it's all the salt & sand they use on the roads in this country.
Firstly Happy New Year to you all Stateside and here across the pond. I was literally speechless when you picked up that olive compression fitting (designed mainly for low pressure water systems). Do garages and mechanics really think these work? Crazy! An additional relatively cheap tool worth mentioning which I've found very useful when doing line work are brakepipe bending pliers. Excellent for making acute bends required in tight spots. I'm so glad that you did this video to emphasise the importance of doing things SAFELY and to show at times the need to think outside the box at times. I would say the same goes for electics wiring repairs which I'm sure you'll cover in other videos. Top notch and keep up the good work.
Man I loved this video so much honestly as a proffesional mechanic I love doing brake lines and I love doing them as close as possible to the original ones sadly when you work at shop you know for the shop owner time is money so they just want us mechanics to put on compression fittings and send the car on its way! No way theyll let us really get into the brake line job like that but I do for sure know when I own my own shop ill be running the brake lines and fuel lines the right way!
Very educational and informative video. I wish I had this man as my teacher years ago; his way of thinking would have saved me huge amounts of money years ago. Thank you for a great video.
Excellent video on double flare fittings.OEM route brake and fuel lines for easy production assembly, not aftermarket repair. OEM say that plumbing is lifetime, not to be repaired. Most mechanics not sitting there for half an hour thinking about a repair line routing, they are on the clock to fix and move on. Old Hondas, SAAB, Subaru OEM use to run brake and fuel lines through inside car body that reduced corrosion. I would never touch DI fuel lines on engine after high pressure fuel pump. Any little high 3000 psi gas leak is an engine fire like Hyundai / Kia. Try fixing a pressure washer hose and you recognize this pressure. Welcome to DI in every new vehicle.
I used compression fittings to fix a rusted section of my rear brake line. Finally replaced the entire line (real PITA) after 20 years based on everyone on YT saying to never use that type of fitting for brake lines. I don’t know if I just got lucky (I don’t think so), but there were zero issues for me with those fittings in 20 years. It was still perfectly fine when I replaced the entire line.
I think you were lucky my friend. I wonder what the experience have been like if it was fitted on the front brakes of a 3 tonne vehicle doing an emergency stop from 70mph? Wouldn't like to think.
Not lucky, I've used them on brake lines for 40years ( my own vehicles) and never had an issue. Matter of fact I have about 4 of them on my 99' Dakota and no problems.
I had a professional shop repair my single circuit brake system with a compression fitting. Unknown to me but at that time I probably didn’t know the difference. I just knew it was “repaired”. It did not last long. But one day after a high speed run to the mall it luckily came apart at a local JC Penny store parking lot with a detached JC Penny auto center. Yeah, it was about 50 years ago. They fixed it right! And explained the difference.
Ream the inside diameter of the brake line and blow out . Chamfer the outside diameter of the brake line , 45 degrees . Lubricate the forming dies with brake fluid . Always use copper / nickel brake line . Coat the line with undercoating . EXCELLENT VIDEO !
There's no need for under coating nickle-copper line. They will develop a surface layer of corrosion that is green in color. This surface layer of corrosion permanetly seals & protects the line from further corrosion. Very similar to the clear layer of corrosion that aluminum develops within minutes of exposure to the atmosphere. This is why they used to coat the roof of the domes of goverment buildings with copper. It makes for a lifetime roof thar won't leak.
I have to say - I like making things like those connection (in other tasks in life) - as when you know what they do and how the tools just can create them - it is a thing of beauty in a manner.
Great video! I own that same mastercool flaring set and it is a must have for flaring. That said, I've replaced all of my brake lines on my 2003 Tacoma. The fuel lines are next. Thanks for pointing out to the folks who don't know how dangerous compression fittings are. I have used them in the past for fuel lines and they held up well as we were only looking at 40psi.
The way you described brake line routing reminds me of instrumentation I do on test vehicles at work. We literally tape wires onto the vehicle, but we have to route them well enough to not be pulled and damaged by moving components. The wires connect to sensors. Also I worked with compression fittings for air only back in school. I could not imagine these being used for brake fluid!
Excellent video !!! Correct do not use compression fittings. I had same problem on 02 Tacoma truck. To make flare under truck to existing line i used Titan - 3/16 Double Flaring Tool (51535). Real nice tool bought from amazon for $41 . Can only use on 3/16" lines. Also Nichol copper line is real nice and flexible.
Brother, I am an HVAC mechanic, and I would never trust any crash fittings, especially for high-pressure applications that require a hermetically sealed circuit. Flare is the only way to go!
I’m from New England and flaring and making brake lines was the one of the first things I had to learn when I got into the business and you’ll always double flare your brake line i’ve never used compression fittings illegal part of the Maine State Inspection It’s a failure if used on brake lines.
This reminds me of my 97 Camry. My garage did like u did. I was pushing it to save/exhaust my state inspection for a new car. I got my new car undercoated by a coating shop, not a dealer. And I get it touched up yearly. That vehicle is 20yrs old, just like mine was. We'll done! 👍
I’ve done it and I’d do it again! My version of this quickie repair includes cleaning all the parts, coating them with flux and soldering the fittings together 😊 I don’t recommend it but it’s a legit hack if you’re from the back woods of Maine and need to get to to work! 😅
I live in the Montreal, Quebec area. We drive in salt baths. Your car doesn't look that bad. It still has inner and outer rockers (panels)!! Been messing with an extra-ordinary amount of rusted lines for about 40 years. I despise compression fittings and refuse to use them. I've used the "cheapie", which we call a "double-flaring" tool, to get into some (on car) ridiculously tight spots with great success. One biggie for ensured good flared results is: after cutting with a tube cutter, REAM the inside of the tube. Many tube cutters have one built in, usually on the backside. Just fold it out like a knife and put the point into the tube hole, turn enough times and with enough pressure to clean up the crushed part from the cutter, making sure you still leave some wall thickness. I also like to cut my tubes by using light pressure on the cutting wheel, but more rotations, thus giving a better cut. Did ALL the lines like that on my 1999 Corolla (amongst MANY others). Good "Hillbilly" fixes rule here!!!!!!! Keep up with the great content.
Ive never heard nor used compression type fittings on brake line repairs....I just replaced both rear brake lines on a 1999 Lexus ES300 using sections of nickel copper lines and unions. I do need to invest in one of those newer hydraulic flaring tools though as the old vice and clamp style always leave me flares crooked or offset. Great Video though and yes doing lines sucks.
I've been a mechanic since 1987 with my own shop. I have always bouble flared brake lines and have a few tricks the make the flare nice. I use a ammunition case tool to deburr the end of a cut line. This makes for a nice rollover when you use the first tool. My pet peev is with the American auto industry. Nicle copper and stainless steel lines have been avalible for over 40 years but still they cheaped out and put zinc coated steel lines on vehicles! Volvos from the 70's had factory nickle copper lines!! The US companies never seemed to worry about lines rusting and failing ( and they did.) I remember 1990's GM and Ford trucks needing lines at only 3 or 4 years old!! I'm happy to say they have gotten a little better lately but they still cheap out and still use steel lines, just with coatings on them. They fail now right at the fittings where there is no coating. Every person who has a crash due to failed factory lines should sue the manufacturer. That might make them use better materials. Thanks for the awesome video Ahmed!!! You are a true professional and caring man.
A note on those nyloy fuel lines. Ford used them front to rear on a lot of vehicles. Crown Victoria, Taurus, Rangers and many others. No issues and I never had to replace one. Fuel runs at a relatively low presure ( except for GDI vehicles) and the nylon lines were a great idea up here in the rust belt. Just don't run them near hot components.
That mastercool flaring tool is worth EVERY penny I spent on it, and it cost me a lot of pennies. Bought the simple hand threading version and between my local auto store only having steal lines, bending up a big length of that and then the hand flaring tool screwing up the flare 4 times (making that big piece I just bent too short), and it being terrible to use while on my back under the car I caved and bought the mastercool. I usually don't like buying the big expensive tool, I think most everything can get done perfectly fine with simple, cheap tools but man is that mastercool worth it. And that's coming from someone who thinks impact guns are unnecassary. Love that stupid expensive tool.
That little brass thing you’re referring to in a compression fitting is called an olive, in Australia it’s only used for water connections outside of wall ,when I was in the hardware industry some so called plumbers were using it for gas connections… big no no.
In Virginia compression lines are also illegal. We are one of the few states where we still have Annual State Inspections and it will cause a car to fail.
Thank you professor! You are a gem. Replaced brake lines on my 68 Mustang, learning on the go. Used cheapo flaring tool - wish I had that hydraulic one. 💙
I've learned so much about my 3 Toyota vehicles watching these videos. I've also learned much of the repair work I did in the past Ahmed would refer to as 'horrendous'.. 😯☹️
I worked on a Geo Prism(?) that needed a brake line. I didn't have the flaring tools so out of curiosity I asked my Toyota parts guy if Toyota made a prefabricated line for the Corolla that would fit. He did. I took the chance to ask because the Fremont plant built both on parallel assembly lines.
Those You deemed dangerous are sold here in Europe, are legal if meant for automotive use, and look like plumbing fittings but are better. I have now had one in my -79 Blazer for about 15 years and it is still holding. The actual risk is using it if the surface of the old line is corroded and does not have smooth surface. I used the area where it was still ok. Sure, using house plumbing fittings is a sure way of losing one brake circuit. Here in Finland there is also rule to use only one extra fitting joint per hard line , the original factory one(s) not counted. Hydraulic lines use cutting ring (compression-) fittings everywhere. They also have high pressures, so the type is not the problem. Sure, I usually use the system You recommended, it is safer, as it immediately shows if the old line was too bad; the fitting will leak as the flare is pitted, deformed or formed a crack. There are differences between US and Europe when it comes to annual inspections. We here have a very strict annual inspection of motor vehicles, if everything is not really ok, the vehicle will fail the test. A rust hole means fail. Brakes are checked with a dynamometer for uneven force. There is a test drive. All joints an wheel bearings are checked. No cracked windshield. Emissions test and/or OBD scan. So, we can not skip anything. However, I like your attitude towards absolute safety. By advising to avoid compression fittings is ok, because I do not know if they sell you similar fittings we have here. And there is always someone using a plumbing fitting...
Nylon fuel line is used all the way in many American vehicles. My F150 had nylon fuel line and EVAP line all the way. And of course it is routed away from heat source. What is bad about nylon line is it is difficult to repair on vehicle without special tool.. Previous owner (probably his mechanic) of my truck broke quick connect fitting at fuel filter and it is kept in place with only zip ties. It is working fine, so I decided to just keep it that way rather than causing more damage trying to replace..
Very educational video! Great! Unfortunately came to late to me ...last year I replaced a return line from power steering pump....I learned my experience....
thanks for the video ahmed. i have had trouble in the past with 1980s ford tractors. they came from factory with compression fittings on the fuel line. they were a disaster as they would mix air into the fuel when they got worn, leading to an airlock condition. my fix was to replace the fuel lines with rubber hose, and soldered hose tails. I know it's not ideal but i think ford deserves some blame for the situation, because they're still leaking after they got bought out by new holland tractors.
I absolutely refused to use compression fittings on break lines. And for fuel lines I always replaced the entire fuel line from the tank to the engine with a new line in One piece line. If I'm going to have a leak it's going to be at one end or the other end so I didn't have to go through the full line looking for the leak
That rear upper control arm connected to the frame is so corroded, it will detach if you hammer it. My old 4runner is attached to it by a small amount of metal, similar to that. It should not pass an inspection cause its dangerous.. an accident waiting to happen. Toyota should work on protecting the frame from rust for new suvs.
In Finland they don't even accept those union pieces here since the original line was a complete unit. People try to hide them under exhaust shields and what ever. They should be in places for good visibility so you can check them every now and then.
You would be surprised how many times I've seen compression fittings on both brake and fuel lines that weren't leaking after being in the car for years. I also do brake lines with the double flair and a fitting, but especially in carbureted cars where the fuel isn't under pressure from the gas tank you can run a hose from the tank to the fuel pump much less use compression fittings. Just make sure to do some kind of the flair where you clamp the hose to the old line. As to a car that came from the factory with a plastic fuel line, that would be the S series Saturns. I have two, both over 30 years old and the fuel lines are fine... I wish all cars came with plastic fuel lines... they don't rust. For newbies reading along, I've been working on cars for 50 years and I've seen a lot of things work that shouldn't work and even gotten away with some.... I teach my daughter to do things right, more or less the way the Car Care Nut is showing you here. If you don't have a really good mechanic on hand to teach you "safer" shortcuts, do things the way the Car Care Nut is showing you. And by the way, there is an OEM brand in-line tool that does a pretty good double flair that only costs about $20.00. It only does one size line and doesn't last very long, but it will get you through most jobs. (not to be confused with their multi size double bar tool that really doesn't work well).
Happy New Year AMD to you and your family. I found this video fascinating! I will never do this work but if I ever hear a mechanic tell me no problem I'll just throw a connection fitting on there I will know what questions to ask and run away. I have been getting under my GX a couple of times a year and wiping things down followed by a spray coat of Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector.
Great video. I also like the NiCo brake line for its ease of use, but buyer beware. I once purchased some so called "NiCo" line from an online seller, and while using it I noticed the so called "copper" on the outer layer of the line wiped off with brake cleaner and underneath was made of a cheap corrosive prone metal. It all went into the trash and I purchased a roll from a local parts supplier.
I'm glad you also recommend the copper lines and a nice flare tool. I have been watching Junkyard Diggs and Vice Grip Garage where they revive old classic cars that have been sitting for years and sometimes Kevin and Derrick need to make fuel or brake lines and they always use copper lines and fittings. Another great video AMD with a great a great how to tutorial!
There is another great TH-cam mechanic channel called "South Main Auto". He deals with a lot of rust, being located in upstate New York. He recommends Fluid Film. Just apply it every year around September (before the snow) and your car won't rust. Don't even have to wash the under car. Apply it over the old Fluid Film. And on some years you can skip it if you still have enough product there. There is another channel called "Repair Geek" where he shows you the best products to use and how he applies them. That is all you need to know about car undercoating's.
My mom's '92 Camry developed a leak in one of the rear brake lines, so she took it to her regular garage and they patched it...with a compression fitting. At the time I didn't know what that was so it stayed put, with thankfully no issues. But, when, soon after this, for unrelated reasons, I started to work on our cars, I found out that they used a compression fitting, I ordered some NiCopp and replaced most of that line, from the proportioning valve on the firewall to where the line snakes up to the rear LSPV by the wheel well. And I connected the two with a proper flared union, after double flaring both line ends. Since then, I've replaced the other brake line, this time end to end, along with all three fuel lines, all with NiCopp. Just because it "works" (until it doesn't) doesn't mean that you should use them, as they WILL fail under pressure, eventually, and probably at a pretty bad time, precisely because you needed to apply a lot of brake pressure, enough to blow them right off and lose you your brakes. This is NOT like duct taping your bumper or fixing a broken sensor wire with solder and heat shrink. You do this right, PERIOD. Also, compression unions are perfectly fine for most fuel lines, even the supply one, unless, I suppose, you're working on F1 cars or airplanes.
Can you please make a video on what you think is the best way to prevent rust from starting or from getting worse? Like some kind of undercoating or something that would help. Thank you!
1. If paint/coating that hardens = you must do full procedure, dismantling the car, sand blasting etc. 2. Less work is sticky/oily coatings (but it must be repeated every 2-3 years or so, max.).
As a former auto electrician, I didn't fix many brake lines. But when I found a damaged line, I evaluated what was needed, how it would be run if necessary, then went ahead with the repair. Bleeding out the system was next, a thorough road test followed by a followup inspection to verify the repair. YOU DON'T MESS WITH BRAKES......PERIOD ! ! ! Thank you for this video.
Back in the day 70s we would use rubber fuel line and in some areas steel braided fuel line. Worked great on pressures under 100psi . Wisconsin rust is just like Illinois and the lines lasted longer than the cars 😄
Check Napa auto parts. They have brake line compression fittings rated at 5000 lbs. We also made double flare fittings with a tool that had 3 different parts and it worked great
Compression fittings are fine for low-pressure stuff, standard fittings are rated for 120-150psi and should hold 500+ when properly installed. Using an application-appropriate joining compound helps a fair amount with lubrication to make tightening require less force and scratches in sealing surfaces. The main problem is the pipes have to be in good condition for that sealing to actually happen. With flares, if the pipe is no good, there is a high probability it won't survive the flaring process. Sort of a built-in sanity check.
Happy New Year! Thanks AMD, I'll apply this advice when restoring my '71 Beetle where I'll retrofit disc brakes. By the way, the compression fitting is used with no issues for bicycles, but there are some differences: it's not a metal conduit but a semi-rigid/reinforced hose and inside the hose you push a barb to keep the hose from crumpling under the olvie's force when the nipple is tight.
In Northern Europe (Denmark) we mostly use (aftermarket) underbody coating to protect the bits and bobs underneeth, including brake lines. We have ever as much salt and corrosion as you do in the U.S. northern states; but the underbody coating makes brake lines last the lifetime of the vehicle. My parents are driving an 18 year old Toyota Yaris with original lines still to this day
Excellent content, but I think you need to distinguish a bit more on fuel lines. Compression fittings are perfectly fine on carbureted and TBI injected engines where the pressure doesn't exceed 15psi or so. A lot of carburetors come factory with softline and a hose clamp.
10:33 if you solder that brass ring on that pipe, it will seal much more better, i improved lpg system on that way because if you unscrew it, it will not seal again or you will have to screw it more stronger that will deform pipe and make hole smaller
I have bought a car back in 2005 in Boston, being from Florida had no knowledge of rusting issues A year or two later sure enough the brake lines ( two of them) leaked due to rust . Luckily it was right under the middle of the car kind of accessable. I bought the flare kit from rigid in Home Depot for $60 and put unions in, 100 k later still runs great
haha I needed this video half a year ago. Only difference for me is that my Toyota has Din flaring (EU production car) and not the Iso that is in this video.
The line to the clutch release cylinder on my '08 Tacoma just did exactly what you're describing. Line rusted thru and blew out at a busy intersection. I love Toyota but man, their brake and clutch lines suck!
If you ever find a couple of Pringle's cans sleeved together wrapped in Al foil with something run thru it a couple inches away from a cat- you might have run in to a red neck repair. That makes for two layers of radiant heat shielding in Appalachia. That's for the high end work only, when we take the time to do it right.
I just bought a brand new NX350h and it has those run flats. I live in the mountains and get snow in the winter. Should I right a way swap those run flats for all weathers? Something like the Michelin Cross Climate? If not, I'll need to get snow tires in the winter anyway. Oh, and shoudl I keep the 20" wheels that it comes with, or go down to 18"?
Greetings: I have seen many 'so xalled' mechanics use compression. I advise them not 2 yet they continue. So I quit the advise. I will let them learn the hard way. Thx 4 the share.
Having repaired countless brake lines, I agree with you 100%. There is one thing you forgot while talking about all the extra work involved to do it right. You forgot the point where you make an absolutely perfect OEM looking flare only to realize you forgot to put the flare nut on, and you have to cut that flare off and start over!😂
As an electrician, I love seeing someone competent and skilled at their job describe what they are thinking, how they do things, problem solving, etc. Huge respect to you for going above and beyond to do things the RIGHT way without shortcuts. It speaks volumes about your character and the kind of mechanic you are that installs things to be compliant, safe and protect lives (literally in some cases). Hope someday if I ever own a Toyota I can bring it to you.
I always enjoy your videos because there are so many keyboard mechanics that are often clueless as to actually knowing how to do things correctly so that you are like a breath of fresh air to anyone who wants to do it right and only once. I have been turning wrenches for over 62 years and was fortunate enough in my younger years to have learned from people that took a lot of pride in their work. I too, have seen compression fittings and some have failed but worse than what you showed was when many times people actually repaired/replaced brake lines with copper lines and compression fittings which most of the times failed and thankfully no fatalities occured. The amount of pressure in a brake line in a panic stop is way more than a compression fitting is designed to hold.
Straight copper can't hold the required preasure. Nickle-copper on the other hand is strong enough, and is Federally approved for break lines. It's also referred to as Conifer break line. Which is the original brand name from back in the 1940's.
Can you do a video on your thoughts for rust prevention such as fluid film, blaster, etc?
fluid film and woolwax are the best in the industry
Didn’t Project Farm do a video on the best undercoat?
I am interested in this also. I am trying to find a minimally rusted used Highlander and want to treat it with the fluid film. But, I am worried that mechanics working on the car will be pissed off because they will be getting mucked up by the coating every time they work under there....
@@fleetwin1 I’m sure they’d rather have to wipe a grease than work under a rust bucket. It’s a no brainer, spray every with fluid film
He has
Edit: he’s spoken of it in other videos but not a video specifically for fluid filming the underside of a vehicle
Ahmed, may you, Mrs. CCN and your shop have a joyous and prosperous new year.
Last Halloween, on my 97 Integra, I had all 5 lines rust out at the rear. 2 brake lines, 3 fuel lines. I had never worked with lines before, and really had no idea what I was doing. After a week straight of trying to figure it all out, dropping the fuel tank, the whole ordeal, I got it all back together. I used unions for the brake lines AND fuel lines. Brake lines were good, and are still holding today. The fuel lines however, started spraying fuel as soon as I turned the car on. I switched over to compression fittings on the fuel lines, it’s been over a year, and so far so good. However, I also didn’t use the nickel-copper wire, so I’m half expecting more problems down the road.
Basically the whole point of this story was to say I REALLY wish I had this video a year ago lol. But AMD never disappoints, I learned plenty of what not to do from that experience, and also from this video. Now going forward, I’ll be well prepared 👍
When you have a nice chilled out few days avaliable to you rip it all apart and get these all done properly. You won't regret it Bro , will be time well spent and definitely worth doing on a classic Integra.
All your bolts and fittings should still be nice and free coming off so will take half the time. You'll get great satisfaction from doing brake lines, like I do.
Only advise would be make sure you have enough brake line before you start.
DIY guy here & when my 25yo ES300 had a leak in the rusted brake line, I used double flare connectinos with $40 Capri tool.
Was always taught to deburr cut tubing or piping for best results.
Almost one year ago as I was looking to purchase a Tundra pickup, the local dealer allowed me to get under the truck I was interested in buying to inspect the truck. It as a New Jersey truck in very good shape until the underside look. I was not as bad as this car you have here but the rust was major. That turned me away. Later the dealer sent the truck to a salvage action. They told me it had brake issues that they did not want to spend the money on. It is sad that so many northern cars just rust away with so much life to go. Thanks for the videos my friend. I love watching them. Happy New Year to you, your family and shop employees.
If they are rusted away there is no life left. The powertrain is probably not far behind.
I drive an '01 GMC 2500 and it has a lot of life in it since I fix or have things fixed as they fail. It's a diesel and has only 161,000 miles on the engine, which runs like new. But the rust, oh man, it's getting bad.
So, it's frustrating to know this frame won't last too much longer when the rest of the truck could go another 150,000 miles.
@@blder56 I doubt it’s nothing more than surface rust.
Great video as always!
Hardest part about building a line is not forgetting to put the fitting on first!
I've been meaning to tell you for quite some time that you and the videos you take time to produce are absolutely fantastic. You are a master mechanic and an excellent teacher/instructor! Keep up the good work and keep the videos coming.
Most people I have met seem to think that a craftsman and a perfectionist are the same. They are not. There IS a difference. A big one. Huge! You, Sir, are a craftsman. I like how you explain why things are the way they are. The “why”, informs the “how”.
3 years ago, I took my Tundra to a professional brake shop to fix a damage brake line. I paid $500 and they put a compression fitting on it. Now that I know, I’m pissed. Thank you Amd.
The little "ring" or "sleeve" around the brake line is called a ferrule.
I worked in an oil refinery since the days of pneumatic instrumentation and valving.
Compression fittings were used extensively to join pneumatic and hydraulic lines.
As you tighten the nut caps the ferrule would tighten around the line, be it copper steel or stainless-steel.
The plant I worked on dealt with high-pressure hydrogen. Maximum 1350 psi. 1/4" and 3/8" stainless-steel instrumentation lines were used.......with compression fittings !
Today, fewer valves in a refinery are pneumatic. And the control systems are now electrical & electronic.
Great, informative & instructional video !
Thank you so much !
Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
Nope, it's called an olive. Ferrule implies that it's made of iron, but you wouldn't use an iron olive.
@innocuouspseudonym509
The word ferrule comes from the Latin word viriola which means "small bracelet". In the manufacturing industry, ferrules are also known as eyelets or grommets. It is not related to ferrous or ferric the root of iron.
Look up the word ferrule in a dictionary for starters.
Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
@@ramishrambarran3998 I see, thanks for enlightening me. It is in fact related to "ferrous" but only in the sense that the word "ferrous" has corrupted the word "viriola"!
Anyway, in England we would never call an olive a ferrule. We use ferrule to describe a metallic band on the outside of something to give it strength, whereas the "sleeve" for a compression fitting is an olive... which means oil, so who knows how that came to be?!
@@ramishrambarran3998 Eyelets we use to describe something that is fixed into a hole, normally fabric or leather, intended to have something harder pass through it, such as a shoelace. A hard casing for a soft hole. Grommets we use to describe something that is the opposite: a soft casing for a hard hole, such as a rubber grommet in a steel plate to allow cables to pass through without being damaged. We'd never call them ferrules here!
@@innocuouspseudonym509 You are right, because ferrules are used in the electrical industry for strengthening joints.
How it came in the pneumatic instrumentation industry, I cannot say !
Regards.
Trinidad & Tobago.
West Indies.
For a little more money copper nickel brake lines are well worth it. They are easier to bend/flare than steel lines and they last forever. I replaced every single line( even the short hard to form ones between the master cylinder and the abs module) on my pickup. I will never use anything but copper nickel from now on. Where is the best place to buy 3/16 and 1/4 brake line nuts in quantities of 25 or 50 or so? It gets annoying buying them in packs of 5 at AutoZone or individually at O'Reilly when I know they are cheaper in bulk. Also should I use steel or brass nuts? In regards to fuel line, is there any issue using 3/8 copper tubing from home Depot for fuel line on a low pressure fuel pump for a carbureted or TBI engine? Thanks for the video and all the great information and advice.
I really love this man’s honesty! It’s the person not the tool… perfect….
Thank
You !
I literally just finished fixing the fuel lines on my, new to me, 2003 honda pilot. It took me literally 2 months in total because I would drop the project out of frustration and would give myself time to think about it until I finally fixed it correctly. I used nylon lines and quick disconnect fittings but I followed the factory lines and made sure it's far enough from anything exhaust related. I bought a cheapo mastercool knock off and just returned it when the adaptors wouldn't fit in the damn tool lol. Lesson learned, just buy the right tool and get the job done right.
50 year mechanic here , I have seen that repair before, many times, but I have yet to see it fail !
Also retired mechanic here - pro of course, like everybody on YT ;-) .... - I've seen these compression fittings fail - and they're banned here in Germany for use on brake lines for a reason. But they will work on steel tubes in combination with steel cutting rings. They are unsafe on copper tube or cunifer tube. They're standard on ermeto tube though - which is a seamless steel tube for gas or hydraulics - but only with cutting rings made of steel, not brass, like shown here. Can't imagine a brass cutting ring working anywhere besides plastic pipe. Compression fittings are allowed on copper gas lines though - not on automotive brake lines - but only in combination with a steel carrying bracket insert. No steel sleeve in your copper gas line compression fitting - the joint will leak eventually.
The trap is, if you combine compression fittings with cunifer brake tube, it's tight in the shop - but it gets loose under real road conditions. Cunifer tube is just too weak for a roadworthy cutting ring compression joint.
Scotty Kilmer , a mechanic for 50 years, says it’s ok.😂😱
Scotty Kilmer , a mechanic for 50 years, says it’s ok.😂😱
Scotty is not big on using jack stands either.
Interesting that we have you , a 50yr mechanical saying compression is ok and others , especially German saying “Nope “. It’s my experience to use compression in plumbing, but who am I other than a long retired electromechanical technician who enjoys fixing anything that’s not working! Anyway, maybe this will help;
I’ve two common brake lines connected to a high pressure compressor. Both are end capped. One line is compression fitting connected and the other is 45° inverted connected. Which one is most likely to fail first and why? ( Hint: think of the water bottle rockets we had as kids- or just an inflated ballon) . Oh, since something’s never been seen as failed , is that something you trust your families lives to find out for sure it’s safe?!
30 years ago, I met someone from Romania of all places. She told me that where she came from, they never salted or sanded the roads no matter how bad the snow accumulated. They did plow, because they had to do that. What the countries and regions had was a very strict chain law and all the vehicles had to abide by it. This was back in the days when winters still packed a punch. Lots of snow and ice in that region. But the vehicles managed to run well and the undercarriages accumulated very little rust. It's not the liquid that creates rust, it's all the salt & sand they use on the roads in this country.
They also used to find a higher rate automobile collisions as acceptable. Plus average road speeds were lower back then.
Firstly Happy New Year to you all Stateside and here across the pond.
I was literally speechless when you picked up that olive compression fitting (designed mainly for low pressure water systems). Do garages and mechanics really think these work? Crazy!
An additional relatively cheap tool worth mentioning which I've found very useful when doing line work are brakepipe bending pliers.
Excellent for making acute bends required in tight spots.
I'm so glad that you did this video to emphasise the importance of doing things SAFELY and to show at times the need to think outside the box at times. I would say the same goes for electics wiring repairs which I'm sure you'll cover in other videos.
Top notch and keep up the good work.
Man I loved this video so much honestly as a proffesional mechanic I love doing brake lines and I love doing them as close as possible to the original ones sadly when you work at shop you know for the shop owner time is money so they just want us mechanics to put on compression fittings and send the car on its way! No way theyll let us really get into the brake line job like that but I do for sure know when I own my own shop ill be running the brake lines and fuel lines the right way!
Very educational and informative video. I wish I had this man as my teacher years ago; his way of thinking would have saved me huge amounts of money years ago. Thank you for a great video.
Excellent video on double flare fittings.OEM route brake and fuel lines for easy production assembly, not aftermarket repair. OEM say that plumbing is lifetime, not to be repaired. Most mechanics not sitting there for half an hour thinking about a repair line routing, they are on the clock to fix and move on. Old Hondas, SAAB, Subaru OEM use to run brake and fuel lines through inside car body that reduced corrosion. I would never touch DI fuel lines on engine after high pressure fuel pump. Any little high 3000 psi gas leak is an engine fire like Hyundai / Kia. Try fixing a pressure washer hose and you recognize this pressure. Welcome to DI in every new vehicle.
I used compression fittings to fix a rusted section of my rear brake line. Finally replaced the entire line (real PITA) after 20 years based on everyone on YT saying to never use that type of fitting for brake lines. I don’t know if I just got lucky (I don’t think so), but there were zero issues for me with those fittings in 20 years. It was still perfectly fine when I replaced the entire line.
I think you were lucky my friend. I wonder what the experience have been like if it was fitted on the front brakes of a 3 tonne vehicle doing an emergency stop from 70mph? Wouldn't like to think.
Not lucky, I've used them on brake lines for 40years ( my own vehicles) and never had an issue. Matter of fact I have about 4 of them on my 99' Dakota and no problems.
Did I miss something where you explained where you said how to splice in a section of brake lines?
If you tighten them so that they compress the tube a little bit, they're never coming off.
I would only use it if i ran stainless lines and the compression fittings were Swaglocks. The Swaglock stainless are rated to 16k psi.
From an Engineer, this is very good advice. The item that holds the pressure is typically called a sleeve.
I had a professional shop repair my single circuit brake system with a compression fitting. Unknown to me but at that time I probably didn’t know the difference. I just knew it was “repaired”. It did not last long. But one day after a high speed run to the mall it luckily came apart at a local JC Penny store parking lot with a detached JC Penny auto center. Yeah, it was about 50 years ago.
They fixed it right! And explained the difference.
Ream the inside diameter of the brake line and blow out .
Chamfer the outside diameter of the brake line , 45 degrees .
Lubricate the forming dies with brake fluid .
Always use copper / nickel brake line .
Coat the line with undercoating .
EXCELLENT VIDEO !
+1
There's no need for under coating nickle-copper line. They will develop a surface layer of corrosion that is green in color. This surface layer of corrosion permanetly seals & protects the line from further corrosion. Very similar to the clear layer of corrosion that aluminum develops within minutes of exposure to the atmosphere. This is why they used to coat the roof of the domes of goverment buildings with copper. It makes for a lifetime roof thar won't leak.
I have to say - I like making things like those connection (in other tasks in life) - as when you know what they do and how the tools just can create them - it is a thing of beauty in a manner.
Break out the champagne; Ahmed just broke the record for the best braking news of the New Year. I now need to stop with all these dad jokes!
Stop! (one last Dad joke!)
Great video! I own that same mastercool flaring set and it is a must have for flaring. That said, I've replaced all of my brake lines on my 2003 Tacoma. The fuel lines are next. Thanks for pointing out to the folks who don't know how dangerous compression fittings are. I have used them in the past for fuel lines and they held up well as we were only looking at 40psi.
+1
And trans cooler lines, too. Never on brake lines.
The way you described brake line routing reminds me of instrumentation I do on test vehicles at work. We literally tape wires onto the vehicle, but we have to route them well enough to not be pulled and damaged by moving components. The wires connect to sensors.
Also I worked with compression fittings for air only back in school. I could not imagine these being used for brake fluid!
Excellent video !!! Correct do not use compression fittings. I had same problem on 02 Tacoma truck. To make flare under truck to existing line i used Titan - 3/16 Double Flaring Tool (51535).
Real nice tool bought from amazon for $41 . Can only use on 3/16" lines. Also Nichol copper line is real nice and flexible.
Brother, I am an HVAC mechanic, and I would never trust any crash fittings, especially for high-pressure applications that require a hermetically sealed circuit. Flare is the only way to go!
I’m from New England and flaring and making brake lines was the one of the first things I had to learn when I got into the business and you’ll always double flare your brake line i’ve never used compression fittings illegal part of the Maine State Inspection It’s a failure if used on brake lines.
This reminds me of my 97 Camry. My garage did like u did. I was pushing it to save/exhaust my state inspection for a new car. I got my new car undercoated by a coating shop, not a dealer. And I get it touched up yearly. That vehicle is 20yrs old, just like mine was. We'll done! 👍
I’ve done it and I’d do it again! My version of this quickie repair includes cleaning all the parts, coating them with flux and soldering the fittings together 😊 I don’t recommend it but it’s a legit hack if you’re from the back woods of Maine and need to get to to work! 😅
I live in the Montreal, Quebec area. We drive in salt baths. Your car doesn't look that bad. It still has inner and outer rockers (panels)!! Been messing with an extra-ordinary amount of rusted lines for about 40 years. I despise compression fittings and refuse to use them. I've used the "cheapie", which we call a "double-flaring" tool, to get into some (on car) ridiculously tight spots with great success. One biggie for ensured good flared results is: after cutting with a tube cutter, REAM the inside of the tube. Many tube cutters have one built in, usually on the backside. Just fold it out like a knife and put the point into the tube hole, turn enough times and with enough pressure to clean up the crushed part from the cutter, making sure you still leave some wall thickness. I also like to cut my tubes by using light pressure on the cutting wheel, but more rotations, thus giving a better cut. Did ALL the lines like that on my 1999 Corolla (amongst MANY others). Good "Hillbilly" fixes rule here!!!!!!! Keep up with the great content.
CCN is my favorite teacher. Thank you!
Ive never heard nor used compression type fittings on brake line repairs....I just replaced both rear brake lines on a 1999 Lexus ES300 using sections of nickel copper lines and unions. I do need to invest in one of those newer hydraulic flaring tools though as the old vice and clamp style always leave me flares crooked or offset. Great Video though and yes doing lines sucks.
I've been a mechanic since 1987 with my own shop. I have always bouble flared brake lines and have a few tricks the make the flare nice. I use a ammunition case tool to deburr the end of a cut line. This makes for a nice rollover when you use the first tool.
My pet peev is with the American auto industry. Nicle copper and stainless steel lines have been avalible for over 40 years but still they cheaped out and put zinc coated steel lines on vehicles! Volvos from the 70's had factory nickle copper lines!!
The US companies never seemed to worry about lines rusting and failing ( and they did.) I remember 1990's GM and Ford trucks needing lines at only 3 or 4 years old!!
I'm happy to say they have gotten a little better lately but they still cheap out and still use steel lines, just with coatings on them. They fail now right at the fittings where there is no coating.
Every person who has a crash due to failed factory lines should sue the manufacturer. That might make them use better materials.
Thanks for the awesome video Ahmed!!! You are a true professional and caring man.
Happy New Year Amed!
A note on those nyloy fuel lines. Ford used them front to rear on a lot of vehicles. Crown Victoria, Taurus, Rangers and many others. No issues and I never had to replace one. Fuel runs at a relatively low presure ( except for GDI vehicles) and the nylon lines were a great idea up here in the rust belt. Just don't run them near hot components.
That mastercool flaring tool is worth EVERY penny I spent on it, and it cost me a lot of pennies.
Bought the simple hand threading version and between my local auto store only having steal lines, bending up a big length of that and then the hand flaring tool screwing up the flare 4 times (making that big piece I just bent too short), and it being terrible to use while on my back under the car I caved and bought the mastercool. I usually don't like buying the big expensive tool, I think most everything can get done perfectly fine with simple, cheap tools but man is that mastercool worth it. And that's coming from someone who thinks impact guns are unnecassary. Love that stupid expensive tool.
Happy new year to all the TCCN Family
May the lord make it a great 2025 for all ❤
Wonderful video by a thoughtful, conscientious mechanic! Happy New Year!!!
That little brass thing you’re referring to in a compression fitting is called an olive, in Australia it’s only used for water connections outside of wall ,when I was in the hardware industry some so called plumbers were using it for gas connections… big no no.
Happy new year! Great way to start the year!
It's good to see that you are still open to learning Ahmed. Good job.
In Virginia compression lines are also illegal. We are one of the few states where we still have Annual State Inspections and it will cause a car to fail.
I have a MKIII Supra with a 2JZ swap, I ran the nylon fuel lines with great success, luckily, the exhaust is in the opposite side. Great video!!
Thank you professor!
You are a gem.
Replaced brake lines on my 68 Mustang, learning on the go. Used cheapo flaring tool - wish I had that hydraulic one. 💙
I've learned so much about my 3 Toyota vehicles watching these videos.
I've also learned much of the repair work I did in the past Ahmed would refer to as
'horrendous'.. 😯☹️
I worked on a Geo Prism(?) that needed a brake line. I didn't have the flaring tools so out of curiosity I asked my Toyota parts guy if Toyota made a prefabricated line for the Corolla that would fit. He did. I took the chance to ask because the Fremont plant built both on parallel assembly lines.
Those You deemed dangerous are sold here in Europe, are legal if meant for automotive use, and look like plumbing fittings but are better. I have now had one in my -79 Blazer for about 15 years and it is still holding. The actual risk is using it if the surface of the old line is corroded and does not have smooth surface. I used the area where it was still ok. Sure, using house plumbing fittings is a sure way of losing one brake circuit. Here in Finland there is also rule to use only one extra fitting joint per hard line , the original factory one(s) not counted. Hydraulic lines use cutting ring (compression-) fittings everywhere. They also have high pressures, so the type is not the problem. Sure, I usually use the system You recommended, it is safer, as it immediately shows if the old line was too bad; the fitting will leak as the flare is pitted, deformed or formed a crack. There are differences between US and Europe when it comes to annual inspections. We here have a very strict annual inspection of motor vehicles, if everything is not really ok, the vehicle will fail the test. A rust hole means fail. Brakes are checked with a dynamometer for uneven force. There is a test drive. All joints an wheel bearings are checked. No cracked windshield. Emissions test and/or OBD scan. So, we can not skip anything.
However, I like your attitude towards absolute safety. By advising to avoid compression fittings is ok, because I do not know if they sell you similar fittings we have here. And there is always someone using a plumbing fitting...
Appreciate it, this is really important most people are forgetting cars even have brakes 😂👍
I love how you teaching
Nylon fuel line is used all the way in many American vehicles. My F150 had nylon fuel line and EVAP line all the way. And of course it is routed away from heat source. What is bad about nylon line is it is difficult to repair on vehicle without special tool.. Previous owner (probably his mechanic) of my truck broke quick connect fitting at fuel filter and it is kept in place with only zip ties. It is working fine, so I decided to just keep it that way rather than causing more damage trying to replace..
There’s the quick way and the right way. My flaring tool saw a lot of use.
10:39, pipe ferrule. GREAT information as it is a life or lives dependent on a braking system.
Very educational video! Great! Unfortunately came to late to me ...last year I replaced a return line from power steering pump....I learned my experience....
You have to get them tight enough it'll work there too
completely agree, don't use compresssjon fittings on brake lines, period.
Greetings: U said it. All is true. Finally a good mechanic. Keep up the good work. Bsafe
He’s correct the copper/nickel lines are the best and easy to bend and fit.
thanks for the video ahmed. i have had trouble in the past with 1980s ford tractors. they came from factory with compression fittings on the fuel line. they were a disaster as they would mix air into the fuel when they got worn, leading to an airlock condition. my fix was to replace the fuel lines with rubber hose, and soldered hose tails. I know it's not ideal but i think ford deserves some blame for the situation, because they're still leaking after they got bought out by new holland tractors.
I absolutely refused to use compression fittings on break lines.
And for fuel lines I always replaced the entire fuel line from the tank to the engine with a new line in One piece line.
If I'm going to have a leak it's going to be at one end or the other end so I didn't have to go through the full line looking for the leak
Thank you Car Care Nut for showing this in detail. God Bless you.Have a happy new year from Chile.
Happy new year 🎉❤
That rear upper control arm connected to the frame is so corroded, it will detach if you hammer it. My old 4runner is attached to it by a small amount of metal, similar to that. It should not pass an inspection cause its dangerous.. an accident waiting to happen. Toyota should work on protecting the frame from rust for new suvs.
In Finland they don't even accept those union pieces here since the original line was a complete unit. People try to hide them under exhaust shields and what ever. They should be in places for good visibility so you can check them every now and then.
You would be surprised how many times I've seen compression fittings on both brake and fuel lines that weren't leaking after being in the car for years. I also do brake lines with the double flair and a fitting, but especially in carbureted cars where the fuel isn't under pressure from the gas tank you can run a hose from the tank to the fuel pump much less use compression fittings. Just make sure to do some kind of the flair where you clamp the hose to the old line.
As to a car that came from the factory with a plastic fuel line, that would be the S series Saturns. I have two, both over 30 years old and the fuel lines are fine... I wish all cars came with plastic fuel lines... they don't rust.
For newbies reading along, I've been working on cars for 50 years and I've seen a lot of things work that shouldn't work and even gotten away with some.... I teach my daughter to do things right, more or less the way the Car Care Nut is showing you here. If you don't have a really good mechanic on hand to teach you "safer" shortcuts, do things the way the Car Care Nut is showing you. And by the way, there is an OEM brand in-line tool that does a pretty good double flair that only costs about $20.00. It only does one size line and doesn't last very long, but it will get you through most jobs. (not to be confused with their multi size double bar tool that really doesn't work well).
Happy New Year AMD to you and your family. I found this video fascinating! I will never do this work but if I ever hear a mechanic tell me no problem I'll just throw a connection fitting on there I will know what questions to ask and run away. I have been getting under my GX a couple of times a year and wiping things down followed by a spray coat of Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector.
Great video. I also like the NiCo brake line for its ease of use, but buyer beware. I once purchased some so called "NiCo" line from an online seller, and while using it I noticed the so called "copper" on the outer layer of the line wiped off with brake cleaner and underneath was made of a cheap corrosive prone metal. It all went into the trash and I purchased a roll from a local parts supplier.
I'm glad you also recommend the copper lines and a nice flare tool. I have been watching Junkyard Diggs and Vice Grip Garage where they revive old classic cars that have been sitting for years and sometimes Kevin and Derrick need to make fuel or brake lines and they always use copper lines and fittings. Another great video AMD with a great a great how to tutorial!
Great video on brake lines. I haven't seen anything quite like this before so I learned a lot.
Definitely would like to see a master mechanics review on undercoatings and how they are perceived.
There is another great TH-cam mechanic channel called "South Main Auto". He deals with a lot of rust, being located in upstate New York. He recommends Fluid Film. Just apply it every year around September (before the snow) and your car won't rust. Don't even have to wash the under car. Apply it over the old Fluid Film. And on some years you can skip it if you still have enough product there. There is another channel called "Repair Geek" where he shows you the best products to use and how he applies them. That is all you need to know about car undercoating's.
@NoelAndres17 Thank you, appreciate it.
My mom's '92 Camry developed a leak in one of the rear brake lines, so she took it to her regular garage and they patched it...with a compression fitting. At the time I didn't know what that was so it stayed put, with thankfully no issues. But, when, soon after this, for unrelated reasons, I started to work on our cars, I found out that they used a compression fitting, I ordered some NiCopp and replaced most of that line, from the proportioning valve on the firewall to where the line snakes up to the rear LSPV by the wheel well. And I connected the two with a proper flared union, after double flaring both line ends. Since then, I've replaced the other brake line, this time end to end, along with all three fuel lines, all with NiCopp.
Just because it "works" (until it doesn't) doesn't mean that you should use them, as they WILL fail under pressure, eventually, and probably at a pretty bad time, precisely because you needed to apply a lot of brake pressure, enough to blow them right off and lose you your brakes. This is NOT like duct taping your bumper or fixing a broken sensor wire with solder and heat shrink. You do this right, PERIOD.
Also, compression unions are perfectly fine for most fuel lines, even the supply one, unless, I suppose, you're working on F1 cars or airplanes.
Great advice, compression fittings only range from 150-1200 psi at best.
Can you please make a video on what you think is the best way to prevent rust from starting or from getting worse? Like some kind of undercoating or something that would help.
Thank you!
A lot of people are using a product called Fluid Film.
1. If paint/coating that hardens = you must do full procedure, dismantling the car, sand blasting etc.
2. Less work is sticky/oily coatings (but it must be repeated every 2-3 years or so, max.).
Thanks for calling attention to the proper brake line tool
As a former auto electrician, I didn't fix many brake lines. But when I found a damaged line, I evaluated what was needed, how it would be run if necessary, then went ahead with the repair. Bleeding out the system was next, a thorough road test followed by a followup inspection to verify the repair. YOU DON'T MESS WITH BRAKES......PERIOD ! ! !
Thank you for this video.
Been using for years .. Chevy trucks .. I now have a 2003 Corolla and those brake lines are in great shape.,.
Back in the day 70s we would use rubber fuel line and in some areas steel braided fuel line. Worked great on pressures under 100psi . Wisconsin rust is just like Illinois and the lines lasted longer than the cars 😄
Happy New Year brother❤
May 2025 be our greatest year yet.
Check Napa auto parts. They have brake line compression fittings rated at 5000 lbs. We also made double flare fittings with a tool that had 3 different parts and it worked great
Compression fittings are fine for low-pressure stuff, standard fittings are rated for 120-150psi and should hold 500+ when properly installed. Using an application-appropriate joining compound helps a fair amount with lubrication to make tightening require less force and scratches in sealing surfaces. The main problem is the pipes have to be in good condition for that sealing to actually happen.
With flares, if the pipe is no good, there is a high probability it won't survive the flaring process. Sort of a built-in sanity check.
I have that set for over 15 years it pays it self off after one major job
Happy New Year! Thanks AMD, I'll apply this advice when restoring my '71 Beetle where I'll retrofit disc brakes. By the way, the compression fitting is used with no issues for bicycles, but there are some differences: it's not a metal conduit but a semi-rigid/reinforced hose and inside the hose you push a barb to keep the hose from crumpling under the olvie's force when the nipple is tight.
In Northern Europe (Denmark) we mostly use (aftermarket) underbody coating to protect the bits and bobs underneeth, including brake lines. We have ever as much salt and corrosion as you do in the U.S. northern states; but the underbody coating makes brake lines last the lifetime of the vehicle. My parents are driving an 18 year old Toyota Yaris with original lines still to this day
Back when I did brake lines, I wish I would have had that tool! Nice!
Excellent content, but I think you need to distinguish a bit more on fuel lines. Compression fittings are perfectly fine on carbureted and TBI injected engines where the pressure doesn't exceed 15psi or so. A lot of carburetors come factory with softline and a hose clamp.
Happy New Year Sir.
10:33 if you solder that brass ring on that pipe, it will seal much more better, i improved lpg system on that way because if you unscrew it, it will not seal again or you will have to screw it more stronger that will deform pipe and make hole smaller
Great video as usual, the most difficult thing is not to forget to insert the locking nut before doing the flare..😅 happy new year
I have bought a car back in 2005 in Boston, being from Florida had no knowledge of rusting issues
A year or two later sure enough the brake lines ( two of them) leaked due to rust . Luckily it was right under the middle of the car kind of accessable. I bought the flare kit from rigid in Home Depot for $60 and put unions in, 100 k later still runs great
Thank you for your service to us .
haha I needed this video half a year ago. Only difference for me is that my Toyota has Din flaring (EU production car) and not the Iso that is in this video.
The line to the clutch release cylinder on my '08 Tacoma just did exactly what you're describing. Line rusted thru and blew out at a busy intersection. I love Toyota but man, their brake and clutch lines suck!
If you ever find a couple of Pringle's cans sleeved together wrapped in Al foil with something run thru it a couple inches away from a cat- you might have run in to a red neck repair. That makes for two layers of radiant heat shielding in Appalachia. That's for the high end work only, when we take the time to do it right.
I just bought a brand new NX350h and it has those run flats. I live in the mountains and get snow in the winter.
Should I right a way swap those run flats for all weathers? Something like the Michelin Cross Climate? If not, I'll need to get snow tires in the winter anyway.
Oh, and shoudl I keep the 20" wheels that it comes with, or go down to 18"?
I love this channel; I wish I had a trustworthy mechanic near me.
Greetings: I have seen many 'so xalled' mechanics use compression. I advise them not 2 yet they continue. So I quit the advise. I will let them learn the hard way. Thx 4 the share.