Brake Line nut rounded off
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Shearwater Nova Scotia
Brake Line nut rounded off
Good morning all,
I'm installing new calipers/rotors/brake hoses and discovered that the brake line nut on the front right wheel has been rounded off. I've tried to work around it, and did more damage than good.
Anyone else have experience with this? Grind off two sides and try again? Something else?
Thanks for your input.
I'm installing new calipers/rotors/brake hoses and discovered that the brake line nut on the front right wheel has been rounded off. I've tried to work around it, and did more damage than good.
Anyone else have experience with this? Grind off two sides and try again? Something else?
Thanks for your input.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 850
Likes: 36
From: Providence RI
I've always had good luck with a vise-grip and heat at the threads. Lock it on TIGHT, with the serrations grabbing hard into the nut, and tap the handle of the vise-grip with a ball-peen to shock the nut (steady pressure can just round it off more).
You'll ruin the nut, but you've already not got replace it anyway.
You'll ruin the nut, but you've already not got replace it anyway.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Shearwater Nova Scotia
ulgh, Im hoping to salvage what I can - replacing the line looks like it could be really easy or really annoying. My experience is given the option - its always annoying.
For instance - remove the rivets. Sounds easy...these things won't budge. (rotor off, just cant get them out of the hub.)
For instance - remove the rivets. Sounds easy...these things won't budge. (rotor off, just cant get them out of the hub.)
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 26,563
Likes: 29
From: Northridge California
St. Jude Donor '14
ulgh, Im hoping to salvage what I can - replacing the line looks like it could be really easy or really annoying. My experience is given the option - its always annoying.
For instance - remove the rivets. Sounds easy...these things won't budge. (rotor off, just cant get them out of the hub.)
For instance - remove the rivets. Sounds easy...these things won't budge. (rotor off, just cant get them out of the hub.)
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 8
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If you can break that fitting loose with a Vise-Grip, you can tighten it back up with the Vise-Grip. Having a rounded-off fitting should not cause you to change a brake line, if you don't want to.
Buying a good quality (Snap-ON) tubing wrench would have been a good investment so that you would not round off the fitting. But, as that is a missed-opportunity, just re-install it "as is".
Buying a good quality (Snap-ON) tubing wrench would have been a good investment so that you would not round off the fitting. But, as that is a missed-opportunity, just re-install it "as is".
Racer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 8
You can put it back on but using the "it came off like that, it will go back on like that" logic is not something you should be using on a Corvette. Unless you don't plan on ever touching that brake line or having anyone else touch it either.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
bagpype i know what you are saying and i agree but sometimes we all cheat a little as it gets expensive and time consuming to replace everything.also some after market stuff is complete garbage.check out this ac delco boxed brake hose.it had sunsong written on it.
Last edited by billcarson; May 5, 2013 at 01:43 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
There should be no problem tightening that fitting so that it won't leak. If so, the fact the fitting is 'rounded off' will have NO EFFECT on the brake system.
If the OP cared about the fact the car was a "vintage Corvette that should be handled with kid gloves", the OP would have used a better tool in the first place (like I recommeded...after-the-fact). As he rounded it off to start, putting it back on that way should not be an issue, IMO.
But, thanks for your attempt at teaching me some better "Corvette manners"....
If the OP cared about the fact the car was a "vintage Corvette that should be handled with kid gloves", the OP would have used a better tool in the first place (like I recommeded...after-the-fact). As he rounded it off to start, putting it back on that way should not be an issue, IMO.
But, thanks for your attempt at teaching me some better "Corvette manners"....
Racer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 8
There should be no problem tightening that fitting so that it won't leak. If so, the fact the fitting is 'rounded off' will have NO EFFECT on the brake system.
If the OP cared about the fact the car was a "vintage Corvette that should be handled with kid gloves", the OP would have used a better tool in the first place (like I recommeded...after-the-fact). As he rounded it off to start, putting it back on that way should not be an issue, IMO.
But, thanks for your attempt at teaching me some better "Corvette manners"....
If the OP cared about the fact the car was a "vintage Corvette that should be handled with kid gloves", the OP would have used a better tool in the first place (like I recommeded...after-the-fact). As he rounded it off to start, putting it back on that way should not be an issue, IMO.
But, thanks for your attempt at teaching me some better "Corvette manners"....
+ heats and mechanically massage 
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
From: Sherwood Ar
St. Jude Donor '16-'17,'19
I used a small pipe wrench. I could only find a 10" locally. An 8" or 6" would have been better. I didn't want to wait for the ups truck.
I applied a bit of heat to the hose side but I don't think that really mattered. I ended up ordering all new lines and that same line was stuck in the combo valve. The pipe wrench broke it free without any heat and did very little damage. I had soaked them pretty good with pb blaster.
edit: i tried two different vise grips, trying to work the nut back and forth. they just rounded the nuts more.
I applied a bit of heat to the hose side but I don't think that really mattered. I ended up ordering all new lines and that same line was stuck in the combo valve. The pipe wrench broke it free without any heat and did very little damage. I had soaked them pretty good with pb blaster.
edit: i tried two different vise grips, trying to work the nut back and forth. they just rounded the nuts more.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 252
Likes: 12
From: Fredericksburg Va.
Man...... I've never seen someone who likes to try and start arguments as much as you. The OP says he found it that way when he went to do the job. Oh and by the way it's not a tubing wrench it's a flare nut wrench.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
john 72-04, really i have.seriously though he has helped me in the past with his suggestions and when you start posting for a few years you might get a little sharp with your comments.try and give the long time posters some slack,they have helped many guy's over a long period of time and deserve it.