Giddyupz28

I had my front and rear brake lines replaced a few months ago due to rust. Now I have another leak in a hard line in the rear. I called a shop and they basically told me to get rid of the truck because it may cost thousands to replace all the brake lines. Has anyone had all the brake lines replaced and if so, how much did it cost? I think there’s still some life left in this truck and don’t really want to get rid of it. 2003 Avalanche with almost 200,000 miles

oldchevy

If you had the lines replaced a few months ago, why is there a leak now? You could also do it yourself. Lines with the flares and fittings are available in different lengths and you just have to bend them to fit. Just be careful bending and you can do it.

Giddyupz28

I guess they only replaced 2 of the lines. Why...I don’t know. I called the shop back and they said they didn’t want me to have to replace every line. Yeah, thanks, so send me out thinking everything is fine so I can crash when my brakes fail. Totally irresponsible of them. I did see some posts about doing the brake lines yourself, so I may try it. It looks like the lines themselves are inexpensive. Thanks!

tech2

6 years ago when I lived in the rust belt I would do complete lines front to rear on a vehicle every other week. for this the shop billed out 1.5 hours for the first line and 1 hour for any additional line. Add fluid and 2 rolls of brake line, fittings
find a shop that does this repair regularly. a newby will run messy lines.

if the broken line is the one that runs behind the tank....the tank doesn't have to be dropped...unroll the brake tubing and slide it between the frame rail and tank.

any shop that responds that way doesn't have a tech that can do the job efficiently. keep looking.

RCC

Giddy Up

After the present Brake Line is replaced I would suggest you do the following. It might solve future problems of the other lines are not totally bad?

First of all I think that quote on the Brake Line is a little out of reason. I had recently replaced two rear lines on my old 1995 Chevrolet Suburban at a local garage.
I have had two Brake Lines replaced recently.
But I learned something very important! When Brake Fluid gets so old it turns darker and becomes ACID! That is what happens. The Acid then eats the metal brake lines due to inner corrosion!
So the other day I took it to a garage and had the old Brake Fluid completely flushed out of the lines and put all new fluid in. Cost for doing that was $40.00 which included the price of the new fluid.

RCC

tech2

no
brake fluid does not become acid. you could soak your hands in old brake fluid and all it would do is dry your skin out. Brake fluid is hydroscopic...its absorbs water but water doesn't turn it black. It becomes black from the rubber seals in the system. Lines don't corrode from the inside...you can scrape surface rust off the outside and see clean metal underneath. That is how techs check the lines to see if they need replacement or not.

a fluid flush should cost 1 hour labour...$140 at most shops. Any shop that charges $40 to flush a complete brake system isn't doing the job correctly. Think about the time involved...raise the vehicle...access and crack open 4 bleeder screws, withdraw the old fluid in the master...fill with new fluid. connect a pressure bleeder or vacuum bleeder and flush the system. From the $40 the shop have to pay for the fluid and pay the tech...they wouldn't be in business for long.

RCC

What ever!

tech2

my experience is this: to crack open a bleeder screw on a 24 year old vehicle from the rust belt. most are so seized it would take 10minutes or torch work per bleeder screw.

for $40 you either got a fantastic deal the shop took a loss on or you got ripped off cause they only changed the fluid in the reservoir.

RCC

Tech,
The guy who has the repair shop I know. He does great work and has a 5 star rating. Maybe he did it because I know him and of his work. Most people here in the area take their vehicles to him due to his work and reputation. Here in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and small community if a person should be caught ripping someone off their reputation goes in the S*****! And the word spreads like wildfire. As far as the reaction to old brake fluid two separate repair locations advised the same. Right or Wrong. Of course my Suburban is a 1995 and old. Still running great with right at 200,000 miles on the old girl!