Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram.

Posted By: yellowscamp

Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 04:26 AM

Was changing the oil on my 97 ram today and noticed that the brake lines are pretty rusty. How concerned should i be about this. I thought that maybe I should replace them. If i do is ther a good place to get prebent lines or would i be better off trying to bend them myself. Any help would be appreciated.

Posted By: radar

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 04:30 AM

Just buy a quality double flare tool and tube cutter. Then you can make anything for cheap out of parts store lines etc. I bend line with my hands, some people like to use bending tools. You just have to be careful to make a radius so it doesn't kink.

I only buy prebent/flared if I'm using stainless. Some say stainless is too hard and doesn't seal well but I'm a fan of the durability.

Posted By: SALEM1912

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 04:44 AM

Ck with a dealer, a lot of those tubes are still available at a good price.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 12:38 PM

Spray them down with oil for now to try to slow down the rust, that's what I do. It helps, imo.

Posted By: DaveKanofsky

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 02:02 PM

I'm changing the brake lines right now on my '99 Durango. The long one to the rear starting leaking, so I decided to change 5 of them that looked bad.

I was surprised how brittle and easy to snap the rusty ones were.

I got all of the one I needed from a dealer - Mancari's Chrysler in Oak Lawn, IL - Thanks Fasbird!

Posted By: JohnRR

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 03:22 PM

Quote:

Was changing the oil on my 97 ram today and noticed that the brake lines are pretty rusty. How concerned should i be about this. I thought that maybe I should replace them. If i do is ther a good place to get prebent lines or would i be better off trying to bend them myself. Any help would be appreciated.

Be very concerned , I lost the front to rear line , it goes behind the tank , if you buy factory prebent , i did , you have to drop the tank to replace it. If you take it to a repair shop they will just route the line around the tank and it will look like bleep .

Posted By: GrnMagic77

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 04:02 PM

Quote:

...route the line around the tank.

I have done this on quite a few Rams for the rear line.Dropping the tank usually involves more effort than most people are willing to go through though.As long as it's tucked up in the frame and replaced all the way to the rubber line on the rear end it's not too bad and not seen anyway.

For the trucks I have worked on,they were pretty rusty overall and I'd guess the replacement section of brakeline may outlast the body of the trucks.

Posted By: Paul_Fancsali

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 07:35 PM

Get coated or nickel lines the standard ones are total crap. The tags look like new and brake lines totally gone after 3-4 years!!

Posted By: therocks

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 07:44 PM

I just did the frt to rear line on my kids 99 Durango.Also did the 2 rears for the whl cyls.New cylinders also.I just ran the frt along the inside of the tank.You never see it.No way was I dropping the tank.Rears we bent and flared.No big deal.I probaly did a few hundred a year at work.A 25 foot length of steel line and my flaring tool.pretty easy and quick.If the rear line blows it will still stop.Just you are using the fronts.It will eventually drain the master though.Rocky

Posted By: VZCharger

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/05/13 11:52 PM

Have a 96 Ram and the long front to rear line went out on me in 2005, but just spliced it at that time. Last year I went to a Dodge dealer and the only lines that were available from them were the lines on the rear axle. So I finally bit the bullet and bought a whole new set of stainless lines from EGR Brakes, fit perect. Funny thing is the lines came in a box from one of the mainstream brake line makers (dont recall who). But i called them afterwards and asked if they had lines for my truck and they said no

, must have some sort of agreement on the pattern with EGR.

Posted By: screamindriver

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/06/13 12:09 AM

The 99 Durango we run has just about all the lines changed out now...The tranny lines are next...Some I caught in time and some I did'nt...I don't run it much and should give it some more of my time but it's old and the other vehicles seem to come first...
I did have the original rear brake lining come off the shoe !!! That was a real eye opener until I got it stopped...Spun and lodged into the other side...

Posted By: yellowscamp

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/06/13 01:33 AM

Thanks for all the great replies. Looks like I am going to be doing a complete brake as one of the brake cylinders is leaking.

Posted By: rtidd440

Re: Rusty brake lines on a 1997 dodge ram. - 04/20/13 09:01 AM

I had all of them done on my 97 Ram 1500. They were all pretty bad. While your under there check you gas tank filler tube. Mine started leaking shortly after the brake lines. After I changed it I crushed it with my bare hand it was so far gone. Got one off of ebay.