Brake hose leak
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 62
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From: TN
Brake hose leak
I have just finished up redoing the brakes on my 81. Flushed metal lines, new calipers on rear, rebuilt the calipers on the front, new rubber lines all around, and a new MC. Ended up having to install a new metal line up front too, boy that was fun. The issue I'm having is the driver side caliper is leaking at the copper washer. It didn't leak before the rebuild.
I have tried tightening the crap out of it but no luck. I have also sanded the mating surface down which seemed to help a lot. Now it's just a little damp after stomping on the brakes, no drip forms, at least not yet. All other fitting are bone dry as far as I can tell. I did have the proportioning valve leak at the new line but tightening that up seemed to fix it. I have very firm brakes when the car is off and the pedal seems to keep going when the car is running but it stops fine in the driveway, have not taken it out on the road yet.
Any advice? Or should I try to sand the mating surface more? I'm just tired of pulling this line off so many times, that poor metal fitting!
I have tried tightening the crap out of it but no luck. I have also sanded the mating surface down which seemed to help a lot. Now it's just a little damp after stomping on the brakes, no drip forms, at least not yet. All other fitting are bone dry as far as I can tell. I did have the proportioning valve leak at the new line but tightening that up seemed to fix it. I have very firm brakes when the car is off and the pedal seems to keep going when the car is running but it stops fine in the driveway, have not taken it out on the road yet.
Any advice? Or should I try to sand the mating surface more? I'm just tired of pulling this line off so many times, that poor metal fitting!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,233
Likes: 657
From: Thunder Bay
A few years back I replaced all my calipers just before a road trip with a friend of mine. Shortly after arriving at our destination, my brakes went out. We refilled the system and bled the brakes in the hotel parking lot, but it turned out one of the copper washers wasn't sealing properly. I tightened it about as much as I could but it continued to leak. Finally my friend (who outweighs me by a pound or two) said 'Let me show you how its done' and got another 1/8 of a turn out of it. Leak solved.
I would change the copper washer and get a bigger friend.
I would change the copper washer and get a bigger friend.
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 62
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From: TN
I tried the new and old one, also sanded them some to smooth them out. Also used a large wrench and rubber mallet to tighten it.
I will try to pick some more up. Does thickness matter? The old one was thicker then the new one. I would assume thin would form better but thick could so the same. Also thought about heating the crap out of the washer then throw it all together.
I will try to pick some more up. Does thickness matter? The old one was thicker then the new one. I would assume thin would form better but thick could so the same. Also thought about heating the crap out of the washer then throw it all together.
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 83
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From: Maine
The washer you had may not have been fully annealed. Try a new washer. You may need to try a couple. Copper washers are annealed when made tin order be soft so they will compress. They are a one time use item because once compressed they conform to the mating surfaces and get hard. Don't Re-use an old one. Washers are cheap.
