Dougs951S

I was underneath my car today, and noticed all the paint bubbling off my driver side rear caliper. I knew this meant I was leaking brake fluid onto it, and a closer inspection revealed the leak is coming from where the line meets the nut. Depending on how I positioned the hard line, it would either leak a few drops a second, or not leak at all. My question is, can I get SS brake lines that will replace the hard lines that run from up near the torsion bar carrier to the calipers? Or am I looking at just buying either a good used or new hard line? The car has 86 brakes if that matters at all. I see a SS line kit on pelican for 52 dollars that is for front and rear, but I dont think that kit is meant to thread into the calipers and replace the hard lines. I know some 951s had rubber lines threaded directly into the calipers, while some had lines that attached to hard lines which attached to the calipers, but this was only on the front if I remember correctly.

Barring a kit existing, and since it is only 1 caliper, could I simply fab up a SS line myself to do the job? I would just need a fitting to screw into the caliper, and a fitting to mate to the line near the torsion bar carrier. I could probably use -4AN line.

400hp944

I had the crossover line on the bottom of my front caliper do the same thing. Go to the auto parts store and buy a generic hard line with the correct fittings ($5-$10). They come in a variety of lengths. You can buy a small tubing bender or do what I did and just use a socket that is matched to the radius of the bend you need and roll it over the socket. If you can't get the correct length you need, you will have to cut the end off the line (make sure you keep the fitting slid down the line under where you need to cut). You will then need to get one of those tubing crimpers that put the correct "mushroom" end on the line. I don't remember the correct term for the tool or the process. You can complete this job is about an hour for under $20.

Van

A braided stainless steel line will work fine, but I agree with 400HP944 - just bend up a new hard line. That's what I've already done in the past. Just make sure you get one with metric fittings on it.

divil

I just did this on my Audi the other day. I found a tube bending pliers like this was an easy way to get an exact match for complex bends:



Also make sure you have the right flare type on the end - not sure which one the 944 uses but there are different types (eg. double flare, bubble flare) and you have to have the right type for it to seal. If you are planning on making your own flares you will have to make sure you're getting the toolkit for the right type of flare.

Here is the one I made...you can really bend this stuff quite a bit. This one uses a bubble flare but I just got it from Autozone with the flares pre-made, so I only had to bend it:

Dougs951S

Anybody know the size of the fittings? I want to say they are an 11mm nut with a 10x1.0 thread? I hope I can get something at the local auto parts store, and I hope they have something long enough else I will be fabbing a SS line.

Darwantae951

A new hardline for the rear isn't that expensive IIRC. I had to replace mine.

divil

All the ones I found in the stores marked as metric/european were 10x1 so I presume it's standard. But I could not find one with an 11mm nut, they all seemed to be 12mm.

BTW, they are typically back in the storage area behind the counter and often the staff have no idea that they have them, or what they are called. You will need them to let you back there to look through what they have. They also rent/lend the tube benders, if you are making large radius bends.

Darwantae951

http://www.paragon-products.com/pors...akes-s/313.htm

$88 or $77 depending on what side you need.

Dougs951S

7 dollars at the local parts store for a 30" length, 5mm OD with bubble flares and 10x1 thread fittings, 12mm nuts. Also bought a 4 dollar bending tool and went to work. Everything is snug up now although I havnt bled the brakes yet. I also didn't exactly follow the factory bends so I will have to jack the wheel all the way up and let it fall down to full droop to check clearance on the line at max suspension travel in both directions. If everything checks out, a quick bleed tomorrow and I'll be back up and running. Thanks everyone.