A Nutty Caliper Question
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
A Nutty Caliper Question
Guys, I am in deep here now. Caliper is off, hose is clamped off with a vise grip, new caliper and brake pads ready to go, 
new hose mounted on the right front caliper and I even cleaned up the rotor. 
Then I go to remove the last nut and bam, can't get this darn nut off.
I have sprayed it and sprayed it and I am afraid of stripping it.
Your eagle eye guidance would be a bunch appreciated before I dig in to the other three...
Thanks in advance.
David
new hose mounted on the right front caliper and I even cleaned up the rotor. Then I go to remove the last nut and bam, can't get this darn nut off.
I have sprayed it and sprayed it and I am afraid of stripping it.
Your eagle eye guidance would be a bunch appreciated before I dig in to the other three...
Thanks in advance.
David
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,235
Likes: 0
From: Mesa AZ
yeah, those are the ones that usually give everyone trouble.use a frare wrench or even vise grips to try and get it off. i had to replace my left front line because i couldn't get it off without destroying it.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Thanks for the thoughts, I appreciate it. New front lines, heading for NAPA tomorrow with my fingers crossed.
David
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Now there is a solid point, a solid point indeed. Okay, the nut is history, first thing tomorrow I break the darn thing off, that will sure teach it a lesson. 
I feel better already just thinking about it.
Time to get tough with the Vette....
Whew, I'm spent. Anyone got a cigarette?
David
I feel better already just thinking about it.
Time to get tough with the Vette....
Whew, I'm spent. Anyone got a cigarette?
David
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Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
If you have already ruined the nut it's too late for this suggestion, but in the future try using plenty of PB Blaster (spray daily for a week or so), use a line wrench and clamp a Vice grip around the wrench/nut. The Vice Grip will help keep the ends of the wrench from spreading and rounding off the nut. You can then hammer the wrench back and forth to break the nut free.
The front brake hard lines aren't difficult to replace but the rears are more challenging. Don't expect the 'prebent' lines to drop into place either.
Rick B.
The front brake hard lines aren't difficult to replace but the rears are more challenging. Don't expect the 'prebent' lines to drop into place either.
Rick B.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Hmmmm...interesting never heard of doing that and I have some pretty weird methods I've come up with over the years.It makes sense.In the past because the line wrench does round the nut off I go for the vice grip "first" just to break the nut loose.If you clamp tight and it doesnt slip you only leave a couple nicks in the nut.Once you get it to break dont turn it...the nut will be stuck to the line and it will twist the line.Thats where your PB will free up the nut from the line.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 4
From: Bay Area CA
There's a new steel hardline in your future. You see all that corrosion at the joint? that means even if you do get it to turn out of the screw holes, it's gonna take that line with it and twist it. Just replace them.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 1
From: Kirkland WA
HEAT!
That Brass nut is soft and if you try and get it off cold, you WILL round the nut. Since you're replacing the rubber line, get yourself a propane torch, and alternate HEAT and spraying the penetrating oil. Don't be afraid to get it HOT. Concentrate the heat towards the rubber line (female) end, not directly on the nut. You're trying to get the female portion to expand, and leech the penetrating oil in much like you would sweat/solider a brass pipe.
Use the flare wrench and alternate LEFT-RIGHT turns until it comes loose. I've gotten way worse rusted parts off than that. Once it's off, get yourself a scotch brite and clean up the fitting. No reason you can't reuse that - just don't round off the tip. You will be amazed how well the heat works.
That Brass nut is soft and if you try and get it off cold, you WILL round the nut. Since you're replacing the rubber line, get yourself a propane torch, and alternate HEAT and spraying the penetrating oil. Don't be afraid to get it HOT. Concentrate the heat towards the rubber line (female) end, not directly on the nut. You're trying to get the female portion to expand, and leech the penetrating oil in much like you would sweat/solider a brass pipe.
Use the flare wrench and alternate LEFT-RIGHT turns until it comes loose. I've gotten way worse rusted parts off than that. Once it's off, get yourself a scotch brite and clean up the fitting. No reason you can't reuse that - just don't round off the tip. You will be amazed how well the heat works.
Last edited by Corellian Corvette; Sep 10, 2008 at 01:53 AM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
HEAT!
That Brass nut is soft and if you try and get it off cold, you WILL round the nut. Since you're replacing the rubber line, get yourself a propane torch, and alternate HEAT and spraying the penetrating oil. Don't be afraid to get it HOT. Concentrate the heat towards the rubber line (female) end, not directly on the nut. You're trying to get the female portion to expand, and leech the penetrating oil in much like you would sweat/solider a brass pipe.
Use the flare wrench and alternate LEFT-RIGHT turns until it comes loose. I've gotten way worse rusted parts off than that. Once it's off, get yourself a scotch brite and clean up the fitting. No reason you can't reuse that - just don't round off the tip. You will be amazed how well the heat works.
That Brass nut is soft and if you try and get it off cold, you WILL round the nut. Since you're replacing the rubber line, get yourself a propane torch, and alternate HEAT and spraying the penetrating oil. Don't be afraid to get it HOT. Concentrate the heat towards the rubber line (female) end, not directly on the nut. You're trying to get the female portion to expand, and leech the penetrating oil in much like you would sweat/solider a brass pipe.
Use the flare wrench and alternate LEFT-RIGHT turns until it comes loose. I've gotten way worse rusted parts off than that. Once it's off, get yourself a scotch brite and clean up the fitting. No reason you can't reuse that - just don't round off the tip. You will be amazed how well the heat works.
I have the replacement hose and hard line for the back calipers as well as new calipers and brake pads, caliper bolts, the works. The only thing I didn't buy was new rotors, these look pretty good. I'm trying to finish this up so I can get the wheels back on her and get her back out on the road. I have a lift coming in a week and need the bay empty to accomodate the lift.
Anyway, I'll assume there are no other tricks on this and just try to get connections undone and the parts off the car.
Thanks again.
David
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Thoughts?
David
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Thoughts?
David
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 478
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville AL
What I did was cut the line as close to the nut as possible, then went and bought a flare tool and new nut for the line. There was enough line to reform to attach it to the frame. Saved buying a new line and has been working for several years with no leaks.
YBnormal...drive a vette
YBnormal...drive a vette
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
What I did was cut the line as close to the nut as possible, then went and bought a flare tool and new nut for the line. There was enough line to reform to attach it to the frame. Saved buying a new line and has been working for several years with no leaks.
YBnormal...drive a vette
YBnormal...drive a vette
Best regards,
77Sleeper
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
YB, what did you use to cut the line, pipe cutters tool? I like what you are suggesting as time and detail to replace that cross over line is not looking attractive to me. Where can you pick up the flairing tool and the new nut? Is this something NAPA can help me with? I sure appreciate your thoughts on this one.
Best regards,
77Sleeper
Best regards,
77Sleeper
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Munster IN
I actually had to replace the cross over line last weekend for the same reason you are facing. I did most of the tricks mentioned except for heating the fitting and the line still cracked. Since mine is a 78 and I don't plan on it ever getting close to being NCRS I replaced the line with 2 pieces and a coupling. Worked much easier. I also used the pictures in Mid-Americas catalog to see where the brackets were located, that was the hardest part of the whole line replacement. Good luck and hope you have plenty of band-aids for you knuckles.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
I actually had to replace the cross over line last weekend for the same reason you are facing. I did most of the tricks mentioned except for heating the fitting and the line still cracked. Since mine is a 78 and I don't plan on it ever getting close to being NCRS I replaced the line with 2 pieces and a coupling. Worked much easier. I also used the pictures in Mid-Americas catalog to see where the brackets were located, that was the hardest part of the whole line replacement. Good luck and hope you have plenty of band-aids for you knuckles.
As for band-aids, not a problem, I work for Johnson & Johnson, the band-aid people, I got band-aids out the wazoooooooo.
I particularly like the stretch finger and knuckle band-aids, they are life savers for a knuckle buster like me.
David