Need brake line help!

95BlueStallion

My assy trans to myself
15 Year Member
Feb 22, 2007
5,044
3,076
214
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Brake line, problem solved!

Well I was excited today to install my Mach 1 front brakes. All was good until it came time to bleed and when I pressed the pedal to pump up the brakes I found a leak on the passenger side where the new stainless line meets the hard line on the car... It went together easy (meaning not cross threaded), so I backed it out and screwed it back in again and tightened it really tight. Still a slow drip when I press the pedal... The worst part is that I havent started the car yet, so the drip is only going to be worse with the vacuum assist! :nonono: Can thread sealer be used in this application? It seems to leak out around the threads, but I guess it might be from the inner mating surface. Heres a quick pic I snapped:

AliciasCamera317.jpg


Any ideas on how to keep it from leaking? If nothing else, I guess I will have to throw the old brakes back on that side to see if it is the new stainless line, or if I screwed up the hard line somehow... Any ideas are greatly appreciated before I waste time swapping back to my old brakes for nothing...
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Where did you get the SS line? Perhaps they sent you the wrong one. The fitting is supposed to be a press-fit at the bottom of the fitting - the threads aren't supposed to seal the system. If the wrong type of connector was used on the SS line, it'll never seal right.
 
They are Goodridge G-stop SS lines that came with the Mach 1 kit from Buyfordracing.com. Yall might remember that I had a hell of a time getting the damn brakes from them in the first place. I broke down and threw on my stock rubber line and caliper, and it doesnt leak at all... It would be weird if the line was incorrect though, cause the drivers side doesnt leak at all with the SS line installed. I called Goodridge, cause there is a warranty card and all sorts of warranty info that came with the lines, but they are only open 8-5 M-F, so hopefully I can get a hold of them tomorrow and get some new lines shipped out. Until then, the car will be sitting in the air, cause Im not gonna reinstall my stock brakes again. Im too irritable for that! Cynthar thanks for the suggestion, the guys at the parts store suggested the same thing about the different style of lines. I think you may be right. They informed me that there is no way to seal the threads any better as well. Ill keep yall up to date for those that may care.
 
It's all about the angle of the sealing surface. If you notice inside the SS line connector, the bottom area is not directly flat; it's beveled at an angle. The hard line on the car must have the same angle, or it won't seal right. It's kinda like the difference between pressing your palms together and just your fingertips.

I believe -AN and JIC fittings (same specs, different names) are 37deg, other types of fittings are 45deg. Not sure what the angle is on the brake fittings offhand.
 
one side seals and one side doesnt? It would be really strange, for them to send out one correct line and one incorrect line. The two lines came out of one single package right? I think maybe that line is just defective, the surface may not be completely flat, possibly just a little bump or ripple in the material where it was not cut right and it will never seal completely.

You paid for good quality working parts and that is what you diserve, but sometimes customer survice can be horrible. If worst comes to worst some teflon tape on the threads should work, atleast till you get a replacement.
 
Well here is the latest... I called Goodridge (the manufacturer of the SS lines), and they claim no responsibility and say I need to take it up with the distributor. I get a hold of customer service of buyfordracing.com and they said take it up with the manufacturer, as they buy them wholesale through Goodridge. I call Goodridge back, and argue that the lines came in a sealed package with a warranty card, and they still say they will not help me. So I go back to buyfordracing.com and they say that they do not warrant defective parts that should have their own warranty through their own manufacturer... So I say **** buyfordracing.com, and **** Goodridge as neither will ever see my business again. :mad:
 
I don't know what to tell ya about the customer service issues, been there done that myself! :mad: :fuss:

As far as the sealing issue goes, there could be something interfering with the mating surfaces of the fittings. I spent the last 10 years working for a company that made flare tooling for various companies, and I can tell you that it takes very little surface defect to cause this type of problem. If you care to, can you take another picture like you posted, but a little closer to show the fittings and line connections larger? I would say to take it apart and dry everything off really well, then check for any signs of debris, poor machining, even light scratches. If the pieces are stainless or even regular steel, they will most likely not deform to each other to seal a surface scratch. Hope this helps!

Scott
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I plan on going home and taking it apart again and cleaning it up good with one more attempt to get it to seal. If that doesnt work, then I will probably have to put my stock brakes back on until I buy a new set of SS lines. Hopefully I can come across another product that isnt defective, or has some sort of existing customer service other than an operator that refuses to even discuss your issue...
 
I did a search but found no real clear answer. If I am to buy new SS lines, do I need cobra lines or GT lines. I know the banjo bolts are different, but I have those. Are the threads from the hard line different between a GT and Cobra? My stock rubber lines dont seem long enough to reach when the I turn the wheels...
 
The Mach 1 calipers are the same as the Bullitt calipers, just a different paint scheme. This means they're the 94-98 Cobra calipers, so you'll need the Cobra SS lines. Divit 250r has a good point, check in the SS line connector and see if there are any visible defects such as a metal burr or flashing. You may want to look at another SS line and compare the two connectors. Also check the hard line in the 'Stang, it might be dirty.

The lines are run differently if you have ABS or not, but the hard line connector is identical between the V6, GT and Cobra. Your SS lines should hook up without any leaks.
 
Thanks buddy, I think Im just going to buy some different lines. My stock line hooks back up with no leaks. Plus Ive read a couple other threads while I was searching for answers where other Stangnetters have said the SS lines from buyfordracing.com tend to leak. I just dont trust them. They probably dont have worth a **** customer service, because they know their parts are faulty.
 
Sadly, their technique works; they got your money. They also know most people figure it's not worth the effort, which it probably isn't. I would recommend a set from Russell; I haven't had any problems with the set I bought.
 
the left and right side lines are different in ow they connect to the hard line... as in the size of the threads so even though they came in the same package i dont find it weird that one is good and another may be bad.

i third the cleaning and inspection of the mating surfaces.

also the J&M lines that are stickiedd somewhere around here are really nice, believe they are the same as the ones MM distributes. Just installed a full set and the quality and attention to detail was spot on.
 
I see the Russell lines on both summit and jegs, so I will probaby pick up a set from summit, cause shipping from their Ohio warehouse take two days to get here (at least my new tires and exhaust tips came in two days). I just had some work done on my foot today, so I think I will take the next couple days to let the new lines get here and hope they work properly, and let my foot heal up. I will definitely make sure the fittings are clean when I install the new lines. Ill probably throw on some thread sealer too just for giggles. I appreciate the suggestions guys!
 
I snugged the banjo bolts with no problems or leaks there. When I took it apart after I noticed the leak at the hard line I did look in the end of the SS line to see what the deal was. It didnt look dirty, and there was nothing obstructing it, which is why I just bolted it back up again. So far, nothing has been able to make it seal. I ordered the Russell lines, and they should be here tomorrow. Im sure Ill ask for more opinions if the new lines fail to seal as well... Hey, should I be using lube on the threads? Summit "recommends" addition parts to go with every purchase, and this time it was russell assembly lube. I didnt use any lube the first time, maybe that makes a difference?