How to change rusty brake lines

So maybe your brake pedal is soft, or you notice your brake fluid level is constantly going down, or maybe you bleed the brakes after changing your caliper or pads and notice that the bubbles never ever stop. You probably got a leaky rusted brake line. This usually happens near the points where brake lines are joined together and mounted to the body of the car. The brake line wiggles back and forth which puts a lot of stress on the tiny tubes causing them to rust over time. My car is 24 years old so i got plenty of rust everywhere and been having a soft pedal for a while. I was bleeding my brakes and the rear right caliper had infinite bubbles coming out of it. i followed the brake line and found this little rusty turd so i had to fix it.

What you’ll need:
-Open end wrenches (sizes depend on the size of your lines and fittings)
-Some brake line, make sure to get the correct size, most cars use 3/16th” (in weird US measurements)
-Some pressure fittings, matched in size to your brake line as well
-A tube cutter, small one preferably, brake lines are usually in hard to reach places
-Brake cleaner
-Brake Fluid
-Clear Hose that fits on your caliper/drum bleeder valve
-Rags
-Drip pan, or cardboard because there will be lots of brake fluid everywhere
-Socket wrenches and extensions

Compression Fitting

Tube Cutter (OEM brand from autozone)

Brake Line

So now if your rust allows, try to unattach the brake line from the body of the car, this will give you more room to get your tube cutters in, if you can’t, just break the brake line off or cut it off with anything where it meets the fitting. Once you got your brake line loose and leaking all over your face get your tube cutters and cut all the rusty line off. With tube cutters you simply slide it over the hard line, crank it down and spin it around the line a bunch of times until it breaks off. Then get your new line and measure how much of it you will need to fill the gap, cut it with the tube cutters and install one end of the compression fittings.

The compression fittings are just that, they compress the line to the fitting with a small round washer that is squished inside the fitting by the nut that you tighten. Put the nut on first with the threads facing the end of the line and then the small washer thing. Screw it into the center piece of the fitting and do the same for the brake line that’s on the car, repeat for the other end.

Once it’s all connected and you’re sure everything is tight it should look like this.

New brake line segment

Now spray brake cleaner all over the place and wipe down any excess to prevent any more rust from appearing around the area. Bleed your brakes and you’re good to go, or stop actually.