Can't Make This Shyt Up -- Need advice!!

Hello Brain Trust -- anybody out there??

Step 1 - clone Danny or Stan

Step 2 - crack a beer

Helloooooo, citizen of Earth!
(Guess I don’t count in Chris’ household)  Hey, Chris!    

Not sure what you’re asking for, Kelly, but here are my thoughts:

1. That looks like an abrasion on the metal brake line, like it got caught between the frame and a jack stand or something.  Pushing really hard on the brake pedal, repeatedly, with a pressure line lock in the line could see up to 2000 Psi in the rear lines and that’s what caused the rupture.   But you probably knew that.  I would not necessarily armor the line, but make sure it’s not running anywhere that it could become pinched between anything, especially where you might use as a jack point.  
2. Take the old brake line with you when you search for a place to make a new one.  NAPA stores often can do this work or know who can.  Lord knows, it’s a JPS car and could have non-standard or different fittings on each end, so the brake guy needs to now that.  If they make the new one right it should go right back in.  
3. Do you have a brake line bending tool?  The cheap ones look like a tiny pulley with a stationary arm on it.  You’ll need one to bend the tubing to fit back in your car (unless the tubing guy can do this for you from the old line).
4. Sway bar bushings:  I have the same setup on my rear sway bar, but I don’t have red urethane bushings.     Mine has what look like rubber shock absorber bushings.  Remove the bushing bolt/link (or measure the diameter of the shank) and get a pair of new shock mount bushings at NAPA to fit the bolt.  They carry them online - Don’t know about at the store:   https://www.napaonline.com/en/...rxkleriAN6L6klnPcmzQ
   
   That’s all I’ve got, el Frazoo. Good luck!

Both wheels off ground there is no pressure on sway bar. 

I just don't know you Gordon. No offense meant.

That's OK, Chris - We met at Carlisle the year that Cory and Jeni hosted the group.  

I'm just yanking your chain on a rainy afternoon.    

Chris, meet Gordon.  Gordon, meet Chris.  I've shared beers with you both.  There, now that's behind us.

I do remember meeting you and I normally charge hourly for chain yanking.

Get Ni-Copp replacement line. Made of Nickel and Copper. Strong enough, doesn't corrode, but can be bent easily enough(copper). Get the bender Gordon suggests, it has different width slots for the different tube sizes available. The old tube is most probably a fixed length and not custom, they are usually available in approximately foot increments.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/...BSABEgK6y_D_BwE&

Take a piece of string and trace out the line, then straighten it and measure. Take the old one with you to match the threads. It should have 10mm x 1.0 threads unless JPS put American lines in your car.

Don't use cheap red urethane bushings(it ain't silicone), use rubber.

And as you found out, line locks are CRAP. Get rid of it, and put some damn cables and a handle in there.

The Ni-Copp lines appear to be much more readily available in domestic sizes rather than metric. I used 5/16" for my EFI fuel lines through the chassis. SO just get regular steel at Advance Auto, NAPA, or the like.

Copy that.  Thanks to all. I will take old line to store and see what they say.  Maybe Tuesday if sched permits.  Tube OD is 0.184" ~ 3/16" and 4.7 mm; thread diam of fittings is 0.386" or ~ 3/8" or 9.8 mm.   The tube is 30 in long.  The damaged part is no where near any body or chassis interference and jack point, and just loops out the rear of the caliper and makes an immediate 180 toward the front.  wrt the wheel and roadway, it is just hanging out there in the breeze. Sure looks like a projectile of some kind gave it a glancing blow that almost penetrated.  Will consider reconnecting the cable and handle to the parking brake levers, etc.  All eqt is present on the car or in hand.   I'd love a real (or facsimile) umbrella handle, but understand that mod to be very difficult -- beyond my ability.  Maybe there is another solution that does not involve the VW handle sticking up in the middle of the cockpit. . . .

@El Frazoo posted:

The damaged part is no where near any body or chassis interference and jack point, and just loops out the rear of the caliper and makes an immediate 180 toward the front.  wrt the wheel and roadway, it is just hanging out there in the breeze.

Kelly, if I may: where is the soft line in this system? You know, the flexible one that allows for suspension movement and what-not?

Just a note: VW uses bubble flares on brake lines.  These are a little different than American components.  Make sure to mention this to NAPA or others if your car uses VW components.  It may be easier to order a replacement brake line from someone like CIP1.

https://www2.cip1.com/searchre...rch=metal+brake+line

@edsnova asked: "Kelly, if I may: where is the soft line in this system? You know, the flexible one that allows for suspension movement and what-not?"

The Big Frazoo has an IRS rear end, so the flex tube is at the base of the diagonal arm, either side of the frame flare for the transaxle frame horns.  Look here:

Find the diagonal arms in this photo and follow from the wheel hub back to the base of the arm at the frame and you'll see them on both sides.

Given that, there is a hard line from the end of the relatively short flex hose that leads out to the hub and enters the wheel cylinder at the top of the drum.

If you have a rear disk caliper instead, what I've seen a lot (and JPS does this) is to run the hard brake line along the bottom of the diagonal arm and out the back of the hub, make a big loop up to the top of the caliper and into the fitting.  I assume this is to allow for that left-right movement of the caliper as the pads wear.

And no, this is NOT one of my cars - I wouldn't have that red Urethane stuff anywhere near my car!

@James posted:

Just a note: VW uses bubble flares on brake lines.  These are a little different than American components.  Make sure to mention this to NAPA or others if your car uses VW components.  It may be easier to order a replacement brake line from someone like CIP1.

https://www2.cip1.com/searchre...rch=metal+brake+line

Agreed. At Advance Auto, I was able to purchase 10 x 1.0mm bubble flare, marked as "European"(VW, P, Audi, Mercedes, BMW, and Volvo). I believe the 10mm x 1.25 was marked as "Japanese". I got this to extend my clutch hard line around the frame rather than floating in midair.

@DannyP posted:

Agreed. At Advance Auto, I was able to purchase 10 x 1.0mm bubble flare, marked as "European"(VW, P, Audi, Mercedes, BMW, and Volvo). I believe the 10mm x 1.25 was marked as "Japanese". I got this to extend my clutch hard line around the frame rather than floating in midair.

I did the same at O’Reilly’s when I needed a plug for the extra hole in my new brake MC. I asked for a VW one, which they “didn’t have.”  I looked through the bits and pieces and found a 10 x 1.0 one marked “European.”