viii

1985 - decided to replace all original rubber lines - didn't get far. Top nut is a 5/8 which works with my line wrench. Manual says to use backup wrench on the bottom fitting. I have NO wrench that fits this weird sized fitting. 7/16 to small 1/2 to big. Closest fit is a 12MM but while using that I started to round it off. 11MM is too small. (doubting it is metric).

So, do you think that I can use vice grips to hold onto this fitting while backing out the 5/8 fitting attached to the hose? Any tricks to this? Thanks for any advice.






what size is this fitting or how to hold onto it while backing out fitting above?

xrav22

I just changed mine last week spraying cant really help much. I used a crescent wrench
pushed down on the bottom nut( not sure exact size ) and a 5/8 (I think it was)brake line wrench for the top. For 1 stubborn one I used a vise grip on the brake line to break loose then an open end wrench. The vise grip did little damage to the brake line nut. I pulled out the clip so I could move it a bit then put the clip back. Mine is 85.
Good luck

Tom400CFI

The 5/8" part which is part of the hose, should be "locked" into the bracket, having two "flats" on it that correspond w/"flats" on the ID of the bracket. So forget about the 5/8" wrench initially, and focus on the 12 mm on the hard line. My first piece of advice with that is to chuck the line wrenches; I think they're garbage and I chucked all mine (a nice MAC set) years ago. While they do wrap the nut further, they just don't have enough rigidity and the jaws open. I have always had much better results using a good quality, open-end wrench. Mine are all Snap-On, but any good brand will work about the same.

Second, get some heat on it to break it free. Heat works. Heat it. Once you break that nut free, spin it off, pull the retaining clip on the hose, and the hose will be free of the bracket.

viii

Thanks, did a search of the forum and found a few posts (not much out there on this) and people were using vice grips on C3's. So I tried and failed. chewed up that nut a bit. This was after I removed the clip and tried to break free that way. My wrench was turning, so looking at it, the lower fitting seemed to be turning around the skinnier metal line (it was not backing out from the rubber hose portion). Hope I didn't create a leak.

Deciding I had the potential to do something really stupid (like split the metal line), I decided to try and put it back together and that is when I learned what Tom400CFI said about the flats.. I tried for 20 minutes to get the clip back on and then noticed that the flats had to match the notches in the bracket.

Is that metal fitting permanently attached to the line, because the line is flared upstream? I might go with heat tomorrow. I thought this would be a simple maintenance project.

xrav22

The reason I had taken out the clip was so I could quickly replace the line. I used very new vise grips and broke it loose . Did you try a crescent wrench? That worked for 3 of them.
You must hold the top 5/8 and turn the bottom at the same time. It will crack free.
Also make sure you remove the 2 old washers because they can stick and you need to replace them with the new ones.

Tom400CFI

No. As I stated already, the 5/8 portion is secured in the bracket. It won't turn. Here is a pic of the end of that rubber hose;



^See the "flats"? They match corresponding notches in the bracket, so w/the retaining clip in place, the rubber hose, with 5/8" end...can't turn.





Go with heat. Heat will work. Heat it.

Here is what you're dealing with, on the hard line side:



^The nut/threads DO spin around the pipe and when tightened into the female fitting (the rubber hose-end), the nut compresses the flared end into a flange in the female fitting.

If a good open end wrench doesn't grab the nut well enough, then you have no choice but to move to a pair of Vice Grips. Don't be afraid to latch onto the nut w/a lot of clamping force. As long as the nut spins around the pipe as you loosen it, you're good. If the pipe wants to spin w/the nut, then you need more heat on the nut. Yours doesn't look corroded at all...I'll bet you hit it hard and quick w/some good heat -like a propane or MAP gas torch, clamp some Vice Grips on there quick, it should loosen right up.


.

viii

following up with what I learned in case someone else attempts this. there is a lack of threads with helpful tips.

here is how I broke them loose and tips for replacement. (thanks to Tom for the tips)

gotta use beefy vice grips. Lots of force. PB blaster.. but doubt it did much. Propane torch.

This is how I broke them loose. Not sure its the right way, but worked for me. Pull clip holding the connection to the bracket. Put the connection up off of the bracket base and heat it (have to get those notches out of the base, or else you will not be able to turn the 5/8 fitting. Use a 5/8 line wrench on the rubber hose fitting and vice grips on the nut on the metal line. I needed some force to get it to break (and slam my knuckles into the caliper).

For installation of new hoses, I learned that it helped me to pre-seat and

scribe the fitting (for alignment of tabs) and bracket with sharpie before I tried to tighten things up. Trying to get it to seat properly after you have tightened it up was not easy.




note the notches in the bracket... this is how the rubber hose seats




sharpie scribe marks on bracket and fitting

xrav22

Christi@n

Flare nut spanner is what i use to work safely on line....

Are both metric and fractional

Did you mean line whrench for flare nut spanner

BlueTwoToneCorvette

I just did this to replace my lines with stainless steel ones on my 85.

I had both types of flare nut spanners to work with.

I removed the clip securing the line to the bracket before I started. The nuts were very, very tight, and the bracket connection is not strong enough to hold when trying to break it free.

I had the the exact size spanner for the nut and the base and I still ended up rounding the corners on one nut. The spanner just flexed open from the force.

On one I had to lock the nut in vice grips to break it free. A little cosmetic damage but I had no other choice. Just be careful not to distort the line when you are wrenching on it.