I changed out the steel line and hose for the right front brake yesterday on an '81 Dodge D150 truck, and as our cousins across the pond would say: "I was having fun, wasn't I?" What a snake that line was!

I bled the line, and the pedal came up some, before I ran out of fluid, but it's still not right. Tomorrow I'll get some more fluid and do a proper bleed on all four wheels.

The question is, I read somewhere that there is a tool or clip to hold open the proportioning valve (not RWAL) to bleed the rear brakes, is that true? IIRC, this is for pressure bleeding, but I will be using a vacuum bleeder. Will I need to do something with the proportioning valve?


I had an epiphany while replacing this line as to why there is a spiral wire wrap on some of the brake lines. A cookie to who knows the purpose of these spiral wraps.

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'81 D150 with "Lean Burn"

So you can bend the line without crimping it...........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Since only in certain areas, I'd say protection of the brake line.

If the cookie is still available I'll say to keep the dirt off and/or to keep it from being abraded since its usually the part under the wheel well.

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<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2992308402_5481afb26e_t.jpg">

The brake line runs from the proportioning valve on the drivers side and snakes it's way down and across the backside of the cross member and then up and and forward through a hole in the cross member and then a sharp right with a few more squiggles to end at a bracket for the rubber brake hose. After I got both ends loose, I realized that no amount of maneuvering would allow the line to be withdrawn through the hole on the right side of the frame. Not needing the old piece, I just grabbed the line in the front and quickly straightened it by hand, not caring if it broke or kinked, and to my surprise it easily bent smoothly and without kinking.

Now, I had never given it much thought, and I had just off handedly assumed these wraps were for protection, but this is when I realized that in order to install the new line only part of the line can be pre-bent and it is necessary to leave the last section straight and bend it on the vehicle, precisely where the wraps are installed. That is when I realized that these were, in fact, tube bending springs that function like the tube bender springs you buy at the hardware/plumbing supply store.

So, the cookie goes to "emsvitil", it was sent to your computer, and is downloading all of your personal information as we speak!

(Just kidding!)

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'81 D150 with "Lean Burn"

or as they say in england, armour. Anybody can bend brake line with out kinking it, its not that hard

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madam im adam