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Help with 70 brake line hoses to calipers

3K views 22 replies 6 participants last post by  PetesPonies 
#1 ·
I've noticed an ever so slight leak out of both hoses to the calipers and I think I'm getting air in the lines.
I can get the peddle to pump up but when the car starts the peddle sinks way below where it should be.
I haven't bled the lines again yet but am considering getting some new brass washers for the banjo bolts to see if takes care of the leak problem.
Which brings me to the next issue, is there a right or wrong way that you can install the hoses onto the calipers?
Pictures are worth a 1000 words...
Thanks in advance.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Reusing the copper washers is like reusing toilet paper.... don't do it! They slightly compress or 'crush' to seal the hose to the caliper once, after that they won't seal as well and can leak. New ones are cheap, and every auto parts store carries them. If you have a hard pedal, then sinks after started- I'd be more suspect of your mc/booster/vacuum line connection.
 
#6 ·
+1 you can get the washers at any parts store for a buck

IIRC when i did mine the caliper was noticed so the banjo fitting can only go on the way it fits
 
#9 ·
Here we go again :shrug:I've always just 'snugged' them up using the German torque spec of gutentite. I'm sure others will chime in about the actual spec (such as wheel bearings have)...
 
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#11 ·
So I stopped at the local parts store today and picked up some new banjo bolt washers, all they had was what looks like aluminium ones.
So I cleaned up the seats and put them on, so far it doesn't look to be leaking from either side.
What's happening now is when I'm bleeding them the peddle goes to the floor and by 4 pumps it's right up there.
However, if you let it sit for a minute and try pumping them up the peddle goes right to the floor and by 4 pumps it right up there.
I'm pretty sure there is no more air left in the lines as I went through a lot of brake fluid trying to get the air all out.
Anybody got any ideas on this one?
 
#15 ·
It's not necessarily which way the bleeder is POINTING, but where it enters the void below the piston. Take a look at the attached photo. Note how the bleeder is offset toward one side of the void, not in the middle. The side the bleeder is offset to should be the upward side. The caliper in the photo would be the driver's-side caliper as it mounts rearward of the spindle.

 
G
#16 ·
In this application, it is which way the bleeder is pointing. I wasn't speaking in general terms for all calipers. But with this caliper, that is the way for someone being able to easily check the orientation.
 
#17 ·
Bart,
Thanks for that pic, I'm 99.9% that the bleeder on the drivers side is just like in the pic you sent.
But why after pumping them up and then letting it sit for a minute does the peddle go right to the floor?
I've got a new master, new lines, old calipers (which shouldn't be a problem as long as they're not leaking) and original proportion valve.


Thanks
Tim
 
#21 ·
The pic of the caliper is a generic Ford unit. If it was mounted on the driver's side the bleeder would be toward the top and facing rearward and slightly up.

The reason your pedal gets soft after sitting is air in the system. Brake fluid isn't compressible but air is. When you pump up the pedal the air gets highly compressed and the pedal gets firm. When you let it sit, the compressed air "relaxes" and pushes the fluid that replaced the uncompressed volume of air back into the master reservoir and the process gets repeated over again.

It could be the result of a defective master cylinder. It could also be air trapped in a hard place to get out.

You could try bleeding the system into a fluid-filled container. I would remove the bleeder and apply a liberal amount of teflon tape to seal the threads of the bleeder before it reaches its seat, secure a piece of clear vinyl hose to the bleeder and clamp it in place, fill a clear container with fresh brake fluid and submerge the hose, then SLOWLY depress and SLOWLY release the pedal until the bubbles stop, then either install a new bleeder or remove the teflon tape and re-install the bleeder and move to the next wheel.
 
#22 ·
Petes Ponies, Thanks for your help with advice.
I did have the calipers on the wrong side (I totally missed that) and it makes perfect sense why now after taking them apart having the bleeders more vertical would never allow them to bleed correctly.
I stopped at my local auto parts store and they actually had the passenger side in stock for $22 (all the web stores have them for +$40) and the bleeder is Horizontal.
At this point I took them both totally apart and cleaned them thoroughly again and then reinstalled them on the CORRECT sides then let them gravity bleed a bit went and got my helper (the wife @ 11:00pm) and in less than 10 minutes got them bled. And the PEDAL stays hard and where it's supposed to !

Woodchuck,
That's a great idea and I never would have thought of that, I'm gonna keep that in my bag of tricks if I ever need to do this again.

Thanks again for everyones input and help you guys are a multitude of help and information!
.
 
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