Total Brake Failure !!

Kalali · 07-09-2012, 05:40 PM

I'm still counting my blessings and can't believe nothing tragic happened.
Drove home from work, mostly hiway ride, pull into the driveway and hit the brakes to check the mailbox. As I press the pedal, even before getting a chance to put the Jeep in park, I hear/feel a very faint "popping" sound and pedal goes to the floor and the brake light comes on and the car starts rolling backwards. Pulled the handbrake all the way up and put the thing in park. Look underneath and brake fluid is dripping on the front and in the rear near the axle.
I just could not believe how lucky I was...
Anyway, look underneath and the front leak is near the lower control arm drivers side. Not sure about the source. But the rear one is leaking heavily right where the metal tube meets the plastic portion on the drivers side. The line looks real rusty almost through its entire length so I'm guessing it just could not handle the pressure and popped right where the metal portion is screwed into the plastic piece.
First and foremost, those of you who live in snowy climate, please check your brake lines. IT CAN rust through. Secondly, how difficult is it to replace the brake line? It looks like a one piece metal tube all the way from the booster/valve area to the rear plastic line. How do you put it in?
Also, I noticed a "black box" under a metal bracket/cover bolted underneath near the rear axle with some metal tube lines attached. Looks like a brake component but can't be sure. Never noticed it before.
Appreciate any help from the experts and sorry about the long post. Just feel real lucky tonight....

Garvin · 07-09-2012, 06:05 PM

Rusted out lines above the rust belt is actually very common. I was doing atleast one a week when I worked at a garage.

If you have a flaring tool then you can make one continuous line from the front to back. What you do is get a 25' roll of brake line (any auto parts store should have it), cut the ends off your line, put them on the new line and flare them. The easiest way to do is is to flare the fitting for the line that goes into the proportioning valve (near the brake booster), screw the line in and start bending the line to fit. When you get to the end, cut the line about an inch longer, put the rear fitting on and flare that end then screw it in. If you can get the Jeep over my way, I can give you a hand doing all of that.

Maybe someone else can chime in on the black box but sounds like it's the evap canister. I believe they moved the canister to the back on the newer ones.

Kalali · 07-09-2012, 06:53 PM

Thanks Garvin. Appreciate the input and the offer. I was thinking to just ask the dealer and get the line already shaped. It just seems like a challenge to install a line that long. I hope the service manual gives some tips.
Looking at where the line is located I'm not surprised its so rust prone and I honestly think its a poor design. Something this critical should be better protected from the elements. As for the "black box" its about the size of a medium size dictionary and I have no idea what it does. Its got some metal tubes coming out of it and go back towards the rear bakes or the gas tank.
I still can't believe the system failed in my driveway and not a minute sooner.

**chriskeenan** · 07-09-2012, 07:16 PM

the black box is part of the EVAP system, its emissions gear, if it works dont screw with it.

**chriskeenan** · 07-09-2012, 07:19 PM

as for rusting lines, you may be able to get stainless steel lines, if you do the bend it your self method, would offer better corrosion resistance, but it'll cost more

**CJ7-Tim** · 07-09-2012, 07:21 PM

evap cannister

.

bend · 07-09-2012, 10:08 PM

I just went through this myself. From what I have read, the pre-bent line is more corrosion resistant than the coils of soft bend-it-yourself material.

My two threads on this project:
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/b...-line-1382097/
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/c...inder-1383225/

Get flare wrenches. Spray a bunch of penetrating oil on everything you will be opening up. Let it sit for hours or days.

**Agony Wagon** · 07-09-2012, 10:47 PM

Copper-nickel brake line tubing sounds pretty good for corrosion resistance.

Kalali · 07-10-2012, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bend

I just went through this myself. From what I have read, the pre-bent line is more corrosion resistant that the coils of soft bend-it-yourself material.

My two threads on this project:
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/b...-line-1382097/
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/c...inder-1383225/

Get flare wrenches. Spray a bunch of penetrating oil on everything you will be opening up. Let it sit for hours or days.

This is perfect, thank you. I'll get the OEM tube from the dealer to keep life simple.

bend · 07-10-2012, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agony Wagon

Copper-nickel brake line tubing sounds pretty good for corrosion resistance.

I was also surprised to learn that the pre-bent material is more corrosion resistant. My intuition matches what you wrote - that the copper-nickel tube would be very good.

But my reading led me to believe otherwise. I'm not 100% convinced, but that is my (current) belief.

Kalali · 07-14-2012, 12:04 PM

I (special) ordered the hard line (from the front to the rear) from the dealer. In case anyone needs it, the part number is 52127967 and its $34.85. While checking the brake lines I noticed that the hard line going to the passenger side front brake is also rusted in a couple of spots. Looking at all the bends on that one , it looks like a big hassle to route the line behind the valve cover and in through the fender. Has anyone changed that on? Any tips?
Thanks in advance.