Had a wheel cylinder start leaking on the old '96 XJ so I figure I'll do all new rear brake parts since I haven't been into them in a while. After getting all the pass side taken apart I go to take the brake line off the backside of the cylinder and the hard brake line twists off right behind the 3/8" nut. It was abundantly clear after the fact that the nut is supposed to turn independently of the brake line, but it didn't. I should've looked into a tutorial before getting into it and maybe I could've avoided this altogether.

So the line that's broken is the pass side hard brake line that goes from the wheel cylinder to the brake line plenum (?) on top of the axle. The one that looks like it's wrapped in a coiled wire.

How in the world do I replace this? It's not showing up on any parts list so I guess I'll have to get my trusty mechanics to make it?

Also, I haven't broken down the driver side brake yet, so any advice on getting that nut out of the cylinder without twisting the line apart like I did with this first one is much appreciated as well.

 

A quick search for a 1996 Jeep XJ passenger side rear brake line shows several options available, if you don't have anti-lock brakes, anyway. Before you start removing the other side, soak it with PB blaster or equivalent. It looks like the brake lines come in pairs (both sides) so it might be best to replace them both anyway.

 

old brake lines can be very difficult to undo

I soak them for ages in penetrant

If the nut does not wish to give in or starts rounding with a brake c-spanner, I repeatedly heat cycle the junction with a small butane torch, then apply my small alligator wrench

work the nut back and forth while spraying penetrant, to avoid twisting the steel line

If they are so rusty that doesnt work, they 100% need replacing anyway

I am sure Rock Auto has them, or as you say, a brake shop can make you another.

If you have the flare kit, you can make them yourself with Cunifer pipe

 

CRC's Freeze-Off works very well. Outperforms PB Blaster. Inexpensive also.

 

I've been using the Nickel-Copper Line Kit. You get 25 feet of tubing and some new fittings to work with. Easy to bend without kinking.

 

I second this. Cruiser turned me onto it a while back, and it's the go to in my shop now.

Also, vibration also will help break things loose. A well placed air hammer near the frozen fitting can work wonders.

 

Just measure the length the line is supposed to be with a string, extension chord, whatever you have. Then go to the parts store or a farm & barn store, get a new pre-flared line the same length or longer and install. If they don't have the exact size, you can get a size longer and make a coil (loop) to take up the slack. That would be the quickest way to get the job done.

 

Winning advice^^^^!!

 

. . . or you could always go to the other extreme, clean up the broken end, put the nut over it, re-flare it & "stretch" the pipe 'til the nut can be screwed back in.

 

I got my rears and main body line pre made from a place called modern day muffler and brake. they were well made and were something like 30 bucks for rears and something else for main body run. They fit great. No issues

 

Bradley, are you done yet?

 

Yep. Had some interruptions so I just got it finished up last night. Still have to get the lines bled though. I ended replacing everything back from the rear center flexible brake line back.

Turns out a place called inline tube makes very accurate replacement lines so that's the route I went. Used some heat to get some joints apart but everything went fairly well.

Hadn't seen this freeze-off product yet but it's definitely interesting. When I put heat on a joint I always have a water bottle around to douse the part right after. That's an important part of the process too as it's all about flexing that union by quick temperature changes. I'm sure the freeze-off stuff could be a useful additional tool with stubborn fasteners though.