Brake Line Coating

06/09/2007

I took advantage of the barren engine bay to coat the brake lines with a clear rubberized coating. If this stuff has any durability it is great. It comes out of the can a bit foamy and will cover areas even not in the direct path such as behind the lines, also dries very quick. It's called Electra Coat Clear Rubberized Coating. Comes in a 11 oz can and is made by Certified Laboratories, division of NCH Corp Ft. Worth. To order call 800-527-9929 if you cannot find it.

I will coat it with some spray Vaseline type grease that I had used a couple of years earlier. This too is very good and will cling and not easily be washed off.

I also coated the AC line that runs along the passenger fender seam, the one on the bottom as it was quite rusty.

Paul

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I don't recall hearing much about rusting brake lines around here.

Is this a goose-berry pie, sledding, skating on the pond and "salting the roads" kind of thing?

Best Regards,
Doug
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Yes

Ron Porter
(That has to set a record for a Ron response!) U.L.
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Where you been? Rusted brake lines have been a somewhat hot topic here, and it is becoming epidemic in at least the rust belt. Yea, probably just a rust belt thing, but it is happening a lot, and the problem is, if you don't inspect under the car at least once a year, you don't know it is happening till you hit the brakes in an emergency in in a best case, you have two wheel brakes (only one line blows) or none in the worst case.

Mild steel lines, tight up against the body, where moisture and that lovely salt collect and sit.

Don
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Amen to the rusted lines. I had just finished some high speed runs on
Jon Martinucci's car after changing out a mouse eaten wiring loom.
Jon and Uncle Larry were both there a little later that day. Started
the car, put my foot on the brake to shift out of park and the pedal
goes to the floor.

huh.

a 4 second look located the huge puddle under a body brake line.
Flatbed took the car for that repair, they did a beautiful job bending
lines on the spot, IIRC.

Eric Lehmann
97 Ebony 42k Welded - With the Angels Now so that I don't have to be.
Long Live the Garage Queen !
96 Medium Willow Green Metallic 103k Resurrected, Welded
96 Rosemist 72k 2006 Best Of SHO, Popular Vote, Welded
96 Medium Graphite 120k - Resurrected, Welded
97 Pacific Green - Parting this one Out

(I was standing on the drivers side of the car. Eric had just started it, IIRC was going for another "spirited" test drive. I saw the geyser and yelled!! That part of the driveway is still waterproofed!)
U.L
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Yeah, I still haven't gotten a passenger front line off yet. I've been spending every other week in NC for work, so I haven't had much time. Everything else is off and sitting on my garage floor.

Daniel J. Holtman
Olivet Nazarene University
Department of Engineering
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I have replaced more brake lines on Ford products then on any other brand.
It is unnerving seeing a 6 year old car with perforated lines.

Paul L Fisher
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Salt exposure may play a major factor, but one should not assume that
because none of their cars have rust issues that they are in the
clear. My car has no significant rust anywhere other than on the
brake line that goes from the bias valve to the RR caliper. That line
looks pretty bad! You'd never see it unless you actually looked up
under the car behind the gas tank, though. All the other lines
actually look OK, but that one collects moisture, dust, etc. quite
effectively.

Dan Carman
Philadelphia, PA
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Yes, I think the lesson is, that rusted brake lines are not just a rust
belt exclusive. In any case, it takes little to check them, just
anytime the car is on a hoist or even jacked up high enough to get under
it with a light (be sure to put proper stands under there first!).

Don
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I'll be sure to keep checking them. I will finally be putting on the cryotech discs when I change brakes this time. ( I figure 100,000 miles is enough on the originals). Plus I need to flush the brake fluid...

I have just never had to replace any solid brake lines on a car before. I have replaced flexible lines, but just as a precaution. I don't think that I have ever heard of anyone around here having to replace a hard brake line.

It certainly could happen.

BTW, on that line that is still not taken out of the donor car, if (when) we do get a SS set made, shouldn't that one be made two piece, to ease installation?

IIRC, the donor has the engine out and there were still problems getting that one out. I bet that getting a one piece, new one into an otherwise assembled vehicle would be a real challenge. Just wondering.

Would all the other lines go in OK as one piece?

Best Regards,
Doug
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Crude and effective. :)

Does the "X" look like a good place for a connection to ease replacement?

(See the second picture above)

I mean if someone is going to the cost and trouble of putting in stainless lines, I would think that they would want them all stainless, and want the set to be something that could reasonably be installed?

Really just bringing this up for other folks, since I hope that my lines will be in really good shape when I check them.

Best Regards,
Doug
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Yes, all other lines can come out without "too" much work. There is a junction block between the transmission valve body and the driver's side inner fender. The battery box has to come out to access the ABS pump lines obviously. The rear passenger line from the bias block to the caliper is tricky to get out around the gas tank, but it is doable.

Daniel J. Holtman
Olivet Nazarene University
Department of Engineering
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After looking at the car again the other day it would be easier on an install to go over the top of the AC lines. Just some slight had maneuvering would be all that is needed.

Paul

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