I have a little brake project for my C5 planned. New Stainless Steel Brake lines, new front brakes, new brake fluid, and painting my calipers. Now this all seems pretty straight forward. However, I've never installed SS lines and painted calipers. I'm excited to do the project but I have two questions.

For the brake lines, I understand I need a special flare nut wrench as to not strip the nut connecting the rubber line to the hard line? Any other special tools I should need?

Second, changing out brake fluid is simple enough. Don't let the fluid get too low in the reservoir as to not introduce air into the system and master cylinder. But since I am going to be removing the calipers to paint them, obviously there will be nothing attached to the lines while the calipers sit getting multiple coats of paint and clear coat. Is there a trick or anything I can do to keep brake fluid from leaking out of the lines and completely draining the system as to not introduce air? This is the only part that worries me. I've read of people clamping the rubber lines shut but I'd rather not do that in case the Stainless lines don't fit as planned and I run into a problem.

 

https://www.autozone.com/brakes-and-...13888/441046_0

 

When you seperate the calipers from the break line you will introduce air into the system and will need to bleed the air once you reinstall the painted calipers. I would recommend you go to youtube and search for a couple of how-tos on replacing calipers. My second recommendation is to get a pressure bleeder that pushes new fluid into the system as you bleed air from each caliper. Also be aware that there is a bleed sequence that is spelled out in the service manual. Again you should be able to look that up or search here I'm sure someone has posted it. Look through the DIY thread there is a good chance what you are looking for is covered there.

 

Having just done a big brake upgrade on my C5 Z06, I can tell you a few things that made my job easier.

1) Purchase the Doug Rippie Motorsports Stainless Steel brake lines (not cheap) but awesome stainless steel lines. They have screw in fittings and 90 degree connectors on the caliper end. Gets away from those banjo washers and bolts on the rubber lines. Can't say enough good things about them.

2) As previously mentioned - purchase a pressure tank and overflow container to help. It puts a few PSI of air pressure on the brake master cylinder (the tank cap fit right on the brake master cylinder) and you pump it up. Go to the caliper you wish to bleed, and open up the bleed valve. Watch as fluid pushes thru - and when no air bubbles come out, close the valve. Go bad and fill brake fluid, and repeat until done.

3) Use a good high quality brake fluid. I went with Motul DOT 4 (non synthetic) and by the end you will have gone thru approximately 1.5 to 2 bottles which allows for a good flush of clean high performance fluid.

On my application I used C6 Z06 brake calipers and rotors. The new calipers were already powder coated red and added a huge amount of braking power and visual appearance to my C5 Z06. Of course to do this you need to run at least an 18" front wheel to clear the bigger brakes. I am running a completely square setup of 4 - 18" Z06 rear wheels front and back, with 295/35/18 tires X 4. Its pretty awesome!

Good luck and take your time. PS. I have flare wrenches, but found that regular combo wrenches worked for me.

 

Brake fluid will attack most rattle can applied paints. Best to find a powder coater. Purchase 4 Brake Quip BQ-164 caps to cap the rigid brake fittings where they connect to the flex lines. If you buy the correct flex lines, there is no reason to have to re-do the fittings. Yes you will get air in the system doing this job. The clip that holds the flex line to the bracket is usually difficult to remove. Study the clip so you know how to take it off.

To remove the existing flex lines, first remove the rigid line and immediately cap it with a BQ -164. then using an angle pick and a screwdriver. Put the pick in the rounded portion of the clip, then pry thr clip fingers with a screwdriver. Then pull out the clip with the pick.

Now back to powder coating. The baking temps used will fry the seals, so you have to pull the pistons out. Also you have to put a metal plug in the location where the banjo fitting goes and leave the bleed screw in too. Some powder coasters offer rebuild services. Belmetric sells plugs, they are metric, m10-1.0

 

There are a couple ways to cap the lines to prevent the fluid from draining while the calipers are removed. I personally just found some spare bolts laying around that fit the banjo fittings and used them to clamp the original copper washers in place like this.



You could also try what this guy does.

 

You know lots of people have recommended the Doug Rippie lines because of their AN style fittings vs the banjo bolts on the Goodridge lines which is what I was originally going to get. Why does everyone rave about the AN fittings? Why are these better than banjo fittings?

Is the Motive Pressure bleeder needed if I have someone step on the brake pedal as I open the bleeder screw? I guess the pressure bleeder makes it a quicker job with constant pressure?

And I was going to go with ATE Type 200 fluid for the brakes and possibly for the clutch fluid as well. This seems to be a good bang for buck fluid. High wet boiling point for the price. However it comes in a larger 1L metal container. Will one 1L container be enough for the brake job?