Rear Metal Brake Line Size for 1968 Newport

Ghostultramarine

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While trying to bleed my rear drum brakes, the driver's side bleed valve sheered off at the brake cylinder.

While frustrating, that was okay, because I have a new wheel cylinder.

In trying to loosen the brake line off the wheel cylinder, though, that line sheered off ...

Despite Deep Creep and clamping the line and turning the nut separately it did not work out well, at all.

What size of brake line do I need to get to replace it?

Edit: Oh, how much (length) would I need? (yes, I know I could measure it, BUT it's getting dark, I'm pretty frustrated, stores are closed now and any help would be very appreciated)
 
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Here’s a complete kit with all new lines pre-bent like factory ready to install. I bought this kit, installed what I needed and save the rest for a rainy day.

Products
 
Posted above also.
Capri Tools 3/16 in. Double Flaring Tool | eBay
This tool has good reviews. FYI, Don't waste your money on the cheapy $23.00 line flaring set. The pilot on the smaller die will break off and you will be left to line up the die yourself. Still useable but a hassle, possibly having to re-make your line because the pilot is now stuck in the line.
 
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A few members have already noted about Inline tube. You can get each line separately, or the whole kit, and get it in a couple of days, then you won't have to worry about frozen lines again.
 
So it’s 3/16” brake line that is on the car? (the service manual does not specify)

A local shop has the flaring tool used in the video for about $22usd and the bender for about $14.

Being in Canada, shipping is never that fast and prices for shipping are often outrageous.
 
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So it’s 3/16” brake line that is on the car?

Yes, 3/16" Dia. copper/nickel, rust and corrosion proof, designed for areas prone to corrosion. Hope this helps. I choose this one because I'm not doing a concourse restoration, plus the material is easy to work and they have good reviews.
 
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Took the old one off and I was worried about how frozen it would be at the T junction. Picturing that breaking too ...

Put the wrench on and it just turned ever so easy. Why couldn't the nut at the wheel have done the same thing?! (Yeah, I know, it's all the crud, corruption and communism that splashes up against the wheel and not above the differential.)

My wife was outside in the driveway when I took it off and so I showed the line to her. "Is that all?! You'd better be able to do that yourself."
 
Grabbed some of the copper nickel line. That stuff is very soft - so easier to work with.

B98874C2-4CE5-467C-AB21-CC319BA4B2C8.jpeg


Had some trouble lining up the line to the T junction block on the differential (probably from lying on my back and connecting the wheel first).

Changed out the wheel cylinder. Looks like it was time...

E919B1B3-CFA3-49F7-A7CD-2715A67DA4B4.jpeg
 
Grabbed some of the copper nickel line. That stuff is very soft - so easier to work with.

View attachment 489238

Had some trouble lining up the line to the T junction block on the differential (probably from lying on my back and connecting the wheel first).

Changed out the wheel cylinder. Looks like it was time...

View attachment 489237

Yeah. The soft lines get brittle over time, and will eventually break, but for now its good. I'd say your brake cylinders should've been changed about 30 yrs ago. I'll have to work over all the brakes on Gertrude soon. I don't trust the Yahoo who flipped her to me. He used NAPA bearings. Not good enough, though not the absolute worst either.
 
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The Mancini stainless ones might be something I’ll look into in the future.

Sadly, with fall here I’ll have to park the car for winter here in Canada.

It really would be nice to have Arizona, New Mexico weather ...
 
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Sadly, with fall here I’ll have to park the car for winter here in Canada.

It really would be nice to have Arizona, New Mexico weather ...

Hmmm, be WARY of assumptions about Az or NM winter weather. While sheltered valleys such as Tucson and Phoenix can go several years without a hard freeze, the many MOUNTAINS and the NORTHERN parts of these States can get as cold as Calgary! New Mexico freezes from about November through April bro. Folks there live astraddle the Continental Divide, with an average altitude of 1 mi above sea level. Even West Texas freezes hard, though SUPER DRY from about November through March. I used to hunt deer in Llano County, Tx, and parts of northern New Mexico, up near Raton as a lad, w my dad, and we donned arctic gear for those jaunts.

Still, TUCSON winters run downright PEACHY, which was why I came here in Jan., 1988, and why I've stayed. I recall getting sunburned that first winter here, in 85 F daylight in early February. BUT, the further east or north one heads from here, the colder the winters get. My recent acquisition, that '68 Newport from Fort Huachuca/Douglas, AZ has a GROSSLY INADEQUATE radiator for Tucson summers, and came with a VERY OLD coolant heater-pump meant to plug into 115VAC to prepare the engine for cold weather starts. I removed it, flushed the cooling system thoroughly, and installed a manual choke, which helps me start these B/RB motors in freezing weather very well. One MUST run them up a bit on cold mornings, admittedly. If we get any glaciers around here, I have a brand new 25' length of heating tape I could wrap the block in, but I haven't felt any urge to unpack it yet....
 
You just reminded me that I need a new block heater cord!

Come visit in January/February and see -40 weather and you’ll appreciate those assumptions.
 
Doing a bunch of brake line work (replacing flex hoses, new hard lines on diff due to corrosion and need to adapt to flex hose for rear disk brake kit), and I learned quickly the utility of a torch and penetrating oil when attempting to turn a flare nut!
 
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