Brake line and Reintroduction

[Too Fuzzy]

Greetings to all,

 

My last post was May 2017 at which time I was starting to replace hoses on my ‘89 8v early block. Yes, the car sat for a year but in my defense I acquired a John Deere 2240 for the homestead. I spent the winter not restoring but we’ll call refurbishing the tractor. I went back to work on the TC last week and and completed all the belts, hoses, timing belt, water pump, both pan gaskets and all 3 shaft seals. I fabricated a crank sprocket puller. It was ugly but it worked, pulling from all 5 screws. The car started fine and idles good but when I was pulling the car out of the garage I noticed a large puddle of fluid just forward of the right rear wheel and the associated brake warning light. Of course, I’m thinking motor oil, the car’s telling me  brake fluid. Duh! Of course it’s brake fluid!  The steel brake line, right side just forward of the connection to the most forward rubber brake hose is rusted thru. This line snakes behind the fuel tank to a 3-way fitting on the left side.   Upside,fuel gage is reading empty?. Really, any other better ideas than to drop the tank and change the whole line and are these lines double flared?

Thanks,

Larry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hemi Dude]

12 hours ago, Too Fuzzy said:

Greetings to all,

 

My last post was May 2017 at which time I was starting to replace hoses on my ‘89 8v early block. Yes, the car sat for a year but in my defense I acquired a John Deere 2240 for the homestead. I spent the winter not restoring but we’ll call refurbishing the tractor. I went back to work on the TC last week and and completed all the belts, hoses, timing belt, water pump, both pan gaskets and all 3 shaft seals. I fabricated a crank sprocket puller. It was ugly but it worked, pulling from all 5 screws. The car started fine and idles good but when I was pulling the car out of the garage I noticed a large puddle of fluid just forward of the right rear wheel and the associated brake warning light. Of course, I’m thinking motor oil, the car’s telling me  brake fluid. Duh! Of course it’s brake fluid!  The steel brake line, right side just forward of the connection to the most forward rubber brake hose is rusted thru. This line snakes behind the fuel tank to a 3-way fitting on the left side.   Upside, fuel gage is reading empty?. Really, any other better ideas than to drop the tank and change the whole line and are these lines double flared?

Thanks,

Larry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It would be best to replace the entire brake line that is rusted. Yes, the lines are all double flared, except those which are attached at the Tevis ABS assembly.

Since your fuel gauge is reading empty, there is a possibility that the fuel sending unit has failed due to fuel deterioration and the sending unit rusting out. If that is the case, you would be wise to replace both the sending unit and the electric fuel pump. If it is the original pump, it is very likely to fail once you begin driving the car.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Hemi Dude
Forgot about flaring. (see edit history)

[Too Fuzzy]

Hemi,

Do you know if this is standard 3/16 line or metric?

 

Larry

[Hemi Dude]

9 hours ago, Too Fuzzy said:

Hemi,

Do you know if this is standard 3/16 line or metric?

 

Larry

I am fairly sure that it is standard 3/16" tubing. The brake hardware on the TC is the very same as that used on the 87 - 88 Daytona rear disc brakes.

[Too Fuzzy]

Thanks Hemi!

 

Larry

[Too Fuzzy]

The plot thickens.... ,

it is impossible to remove brake line flare nuts from the fittings. Flare nut wrench is no good, he’ll vice grips are no good.

Left side brake line from the 3-way to the hose connection looks like it’s also on borrowed time.

Right rear brake caliper is a ball of rust and doubt it’s even functioning. It looks like it’s time to drop the fuel tank, fab new brake lines from the 3-way ( if I can get them off) back to to both rear brakes, new hoses and replace the impossible to find right caliper. Oh, should I do something with that fist size hole in the muffler also?

 This car has a hard 45k on the odo...

Larry

 

 

[JFranklin]

A hacksaw and some new parts are in order!

[Bill Reichert]

Some one needs to write up how to use the 89 Daytona rear brakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Rock auto is down to 6 sets of rear pads.  My local parts store that sources all the parts stores and could not find any!

Try 50/50 brake fluid and acetone for loosening the parts.  If you are replacing the flex line, cut the flex line and rotate IT of the caliper or the brake line.  Then you can carefully work the flare nut loose from the brake line.  I figured this out AFTER ruining a brake line!  I sat there for 15 minutes and figured out how I SHOULD have done it!  I'm old and don't mind sharing my mistakes.  EVERYBODY makes them That is how we learn.  Best to all the TC owners.

[Too Fuzzy]

I actually found a right rear caliper at my local auto parts store. Unloaded, unbracketed but other wise identical. How did that happened ?? I guess I’ll have to start this job in earnest tomorrow...

 

Larry

[royalcabTC]

Hemi,

I'm interested in doing this conversion on my TC. Checking the online inventory at the local jy shows that they have an 88 reliant and a 94 caravan. I would use a new master cylinder so that is not a concern. I am concerned about the brake pedal, do you know if either of these will interchange? If not can the retaining clip be removed from the donor and put on the TC brake pedal swing arm?

Thanks,  Mike

 

[Hemi Dude]

I have 'MESSAGED' you.

[Hemi Dude]

On 7/9/2018 at 9:59 AM, Bill Reichert said:

Some one needs to write up how to use the 89 Daytona rear brakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Rock auto is down to 6 sets of rear pads.  My local parts store that sources all the parts stores and could not find any!

Try 50/50 brake fluid and acetone for loosening the parts.  If you are replacing the flex line, cut the flex line and rotate IT of the caliper or the brake line.  Then you can carefully work the flare nut loose from the brake line.  I figured this out AFTER ruining a brake line!  I sat there for 15 minutes and figured out how I SHOULD have done it!  I'm old and don't mind sharing my mistakes.  EVERYBODY makes them That is how we learn.  Best to all the TC owners.

You are right, Bill.

An 89 Daytona or any other 'K' platform car from 89 up that has rear disc brakes would make a perfect conversion for the TC cars which use the 87-88 Daytona type rear disc brakes. I have a set on my 1985 Laser. 

Basically, it is just a matter of finding a donor car and exchanging all the parts. No big mystery.

Take the TC brake hardware off and install the one generation newer parts.

A shop manual for any other 89 year model or newer FWD MOPAR car would give all the instructions anyone should need.