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Pre-bent brake line kit for Chevy Cavalier?


zeitgeist57

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I have an '04 Cavalier LS Sport 4dr I bought from a neighbor in UA and drove down to FL to stay at our condo. It's only got 110k Miles and runs great.

 

While visiting in April, a rear hard brake line burst and leaked, but slowly. I drove it to a shop where they repaired it for $100. Unfortunately, he said all the brake lines are very rusty, and to replace everything would be about $500.

 

Is there any good website that offers either pre-bent brakes for a Cavalier, or at least all the hard lines and I can bend them myself? Or from experience, is it better to just have a shop do it for that price?

 

Obviously, I hate to spend that much money on something I should've done myself when I had the car in OH. However, my tools down here are limited. Thanks!

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You should probably just fly me down to Florida to repair it. It'll save you at least $10.

As far as hard lines to bend yourself, it's not difficult, and available at any AutoZone etc. GM would be the only source for prebent I'd imagine.

 

PS. Don't forget you'll have to flare them as well. Maybe check for a small business shop that may be cheaper??

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For ease a shop would be best to fix it. You need a lot of line. Twisted and bends to the master and calipers. Flare set of tools, and fittings. Also all doing this while laying on your back under the car as well
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I got an even more redneck idea....

 

In a city where I don't ever go over 60mph, can I just cut the rear drum brakes off and crimp the hard line? Drive it with use of only the front disc brakes?

 

It's a beach car...just covering all the options ;)

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I got an even more redneck idea....

 

In a city where I don't ever go over 60mph, can I just cut the rear drum brakes off and crimp the hard line? Drive it with use of only the front disc brakes?

 

It's a beach car...just covering all the options ;)

 

I really hope you are trolling Clay.

 

No, you cant cut and crimp it.

 

Making the lines isn't that hard, most who say it is have never run lines before. Get a good flare tool and go to town. Practice makes perfect and de-burr the cut to help create a perfect flare

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I've done brake lines on the Lincoln and my old trucks, as well as cars in my college days for myself and my friends.

 

Thanks for the points, guys. As much as I appreciate doing things myself, I'm just not going to come down to FL to lie on my back and redo brake lines. If it was a kit...then I'd definitely get some flare wrenches and go to town, let the shop bleed the brakes. As such, I'll have the shop do it all.

 

Will wait until Monday, as I'll be back in OH and let my wife deal with it. :yuno:

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Call the dealer, I just went through this on an 04 Silverado that I was going to bend lines for. The dealer was the last place I thought to call, and the complete pre bent kit was $93. The box it came in was worth more than that.
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They dont offer one for a cavalier. Just go to NAPA and get flexable brake line. Its easy to bend by hand, you will just have to flare the lines if you can save the fittings from your old lines

I wondered about this, good to know.

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They dont offer one for a cavalier. Just go to NAPA and get flexable brake line. Its easy to bend by hand, you will just have to flare the lines if you can save the fittings from your old lines

 

I called Maxton just to double-check...yep, they definitely don't have it.

 

Do you know what the line/flare-nut size is for a Cavalier?

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go to napa and get the brake lines called NiCopp, its Nickel and Copper and it is bendable by hand really easy, i just replaced all the lines on my truck, while its still a pain in the ass, its so much easier to do it by hand. its like $45 for 20' coil of it, best price i could find anywhere. Just make sure you get the right flare nuts and go to town.
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I got an even more redneck idea....

 

In a city where I don't ever go over 60mph, can I just cut the rear drum brakes off and crimp the hard line? Drive it with use of only the front disc brakes?

 

It's a beach car...just covering all the options ;)

 

People will tell you no, but I did exactly this to a DD I had when I was 19. Mazda 323. I pinched and welded shut the line where it left the master in the engine bay. If you just pinch it, it will still leak. just slower ;)

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It's always a good idea to simplify the mechanical workings of a machine, especially the non important ones like brakes. While you're at it, there is no need for all of those lug nuts, they just will add weight, and are quite unnecessary. Half of them will do the job very well, and think of the time you will save when a tire change is needed.

 

Make sure if you are working on the tapered wheel bearings and steering components, that you don't install cotter pins on the castle nuts, again extra weight, and possibly less mpg with that weight. If you have a blown fuse, you can at least double the amperage (if not more) for the replacement fuse, it won't blow again ( this applies to home breakers as well!)

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It's always a good idea to simplify the mechanical workings of a machine, especially the non important ones like brakes. While you're at it, there is no need for all of those lug nuts, they just will add weight, and are quite unnecessary. Half of them will do the job very well, and think of the time you will save when a tire change is needed.

 

Make sure if you are working on the tapered wheel bearings and steering components, that you don't install cotter pins on the castle nuts, again extra weight, and possibly less mpg with that weight. If you have a blown fuse, you can at least double the amperage (if not more) for the replacement fuse, it won't blow again ( this applies to home breakers as well!)

 

:funny:

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  • 2 months later...

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I definitely made this out to be a lot more difficult than it ended up being.

 

I got a double-flare tool, some brass brake line unions, 25' of nickel-copper 3/16"s line and assorted fittings for $80 through Amazon. Checked all of it in a bag on Southwest and, thankfully, was introduced to a friend of a friend who has a detail shop nearby with a lift. Met him Sunday at 10am, worked an easy 2.5hrs, and did both rear brake lines about mid-car all the way back while he detailed his own car. Easy time commitment.

 

http://i.imgur.com/4cWPZkZl.jpg

 

The lines from just before the rear wheel wells back were definitely rusted out, and easy to bend/break by hand. The flare tool required some strength to bubble flare the factory steel lines, but that nickel-copper line was cake. I made a couple of rookie McSteaks (flaring the tubing without putting a nut fitting on the tube first! Cut and re-flare:yuno:) but it was a relatively easy job....and now I have the brake line tool for future endeavors! :)

 

Oh, and not to knock the shop but the brake line that they fixed was a 7" piece that went from the flexible rubber line to the rear wheel cylinder - for $190!!! To be able to do $600 in brake line repairs on an $800 car was a very satisfying experience. Thank you for the help, CR! :thumbup:

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