I'm not an expert on brakes, but if you're in the north and drive over salted roads in the winter, the undercarriage will rust a lot. Stainless steel does rust....unless it's H1 steel.

 

The brake lines are coated steel, where the coating, like paint wears off, it will corrode.
My 2000 had that happen on a section of brake line, rght at hte clip where sediment accumulated and wore out the brake line.

 

Rusting brake lines are normal for any vehicle this age. More so if you drive over salty roads in winter and don't wash your car (including undercarriage) and rustproof often enough.

 

Not "normal" in the South, below the rust belt. No salt or, calcium chloride on the roads down here! Brake lines on my 45 year old Impala still good.

 

Depending on how long you plan on keeping the car, you might want the mechanic to replace your brake lines with cupro-nickel. Not simply copper, but an alloy of copper, nickel and traces of iron and manganese, now being sold as replacement metal brake line and fuel line at some autoparts stores. It's more easily bent and flared, with superior corrosion resistance to coated/plated steel.
I used it on a Jeep Cherokee recently, and the only issue I had was it's less stiff than steel. So on it's routing across the rear axle, where vibration was a concern, I wrapped certain small areas of the new line with bits of rubber vacuum hose, so I could secure it with an extra bracket and some cable-ties.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

So how did you get your lines fixed?? I have 2000 Camry and both my lines going from brake anti-lock unit are leaking under the drivers door. I ordered both lines from the dealer and they cost me $140. How much do you think is the labor going to cost me??? I don't have access to a lift. Can one do this on the ground?? The brake lines are long. Thanks for any input and help.

 

I'm not op, and the thread is 5 years old.... But I did have my brake lines replaced with stainless braided lines when I had a brake job done. It only cost me an extra 40$

 

oops, confusion of terms:

OP, and earnhardtnov13 who revived this old thread, are talking about the hard steel lines which corrode over time, especially in northern, salty winters. They run from the master cylinder to the ABS unit to the proportioning valve on the firewall, then to each of the 4 corners.

balashark is talking about replacing the flexible rubber lines at each wheel from rubber to braided stainless, which have more resistance to bulging during hard braking and can provide a more responsive braking feeling. They only cost a little bit more than the factory ones.

In answer to earnhardtnov13's question: the cost to replace any of the hard steel lines will depend on how much time will be required to get access to the failed lines to install the new ones. Ideally, it will be quick, as they are fully exposed underneath the car. But it could get spendy if the access to the front ends is too hard to get to on the firewall where they are attached to the proportioning valve. Only your mechanic can say for sure. Also, the lines running from the front to the rear are packaged inside of a plastic housing, along with the fuel lines, not sure how hard it will be to separate out just the bad/rusted ones from it, or if the whole thing would need to be replaced as a unit.



Norm

 

i believe lines can rust from the inside too, since brake fluid easily absorbs water which causes rust.
tony

 

Common problem on cars this age.

 

Hey Norm thank you for the reply on the brake lines. Yes I'm talking about the two lines going to the rear wheels and they are coming off the anti-lock unit. They don't look to bad to do and if I put car on car ramps I can probably fish the lines from under the car. Another question I have is how does one bleed the brakes after replacing these two lines??? I've never had to replace brake lines coming off the anti-lock assembly. Thanks for the help.

 

Every Toyota I've ever had to bleed, bleeds in the time-honoured fashion. No fancy-ness for either ABS and/or VSC.
This goes double for XV20's, as I've had to do a lot of brake work on all of my XV20s and all bleed just fine using no special technique. Though the damn calipers do like to freeze up.

Cosmo

 

So what is the best way to cut out the bad line and connect new line??? I ordered new lines from 2 different Toyota dealers near me and both times the lines they ordered me are incorrect! Weird!!! I took it to one auto shop and they want to cut and do compression fittings for $400. They want $800 plus to do the lines from anti-lock assembly to rear of car. Damn car is only worth like $800 I have it at another shop by my work but they have not checked it out as of yet. I'm just trying to get a year or to out of this car and not looking to throw more money can car is worth. I appreciate all advise on this. Thanks

 

Brake line unions. Cut and double flare is the ONLY way. Some will use compression fittings. They are known as the stupid.
If a SHOP told me they were going to use compression fittings, I would immediately inform them that ON THE PACKAGE, it states clearly THESE ARE NOT FOR BRAKE LINES. Then I'd hightail it out of there, never to return.
Brakes are important. Really. So do it right.
I do all my own, but it's a technique you can acquire. Takes some practice, not too much, but they have to be correct.
The lines do not HAVE to follow the factory routing exactly, but close is good. The less fittings, the better - less chance of leakage.
Tools are available for rent, for sale, and even (kinda) for free (Advance Auto lets you 'buy' the tools, then refunds all your money upon return).

Good luck, it's worth doing for the knowledge alone.
Cosmo

 

This is how I've done them, take it for what you will. I suggest don't follow them since this is a quick impromptu how-to.
I know how to do brake lines, I'm not great at them but I can do them. I do them even better with a hydraulic brake flaring tool. I might do even better with a dedicated brake line cutting tool but a angle grinder or any related tool works.
The most important thing on a car is its brakes (RUSTY BRAKE LINES ARE FRAGILE)

1. Determine which line is leaking
2. Determine the areas with the least rust along the line
3. Using a brake line cutter, angle grinder, or a saw, cut off the non-significant amount of rusty line
4. Remove any metal metal filings
5. Maybe file the brake line so that it is as flat as possible
6. Add the flare nut fitting
7. Using the brake flaring tool, flare the end of the non-rusted line
8. Repeat steps 1 - 7 on the other end
9. Repeat steps 1 - 7 on the new line
10. Route new brake line as needed
11. Install new brake line
12. Bleed brakes

Brake lines I've done the most on are Honda Accords 95 - 01ish, Camry's 91 - 97ish.

 

Thanks Vangm25 and Cosmofennema for all the great advice. Also do you guys know if the brake lines I got from the Toyota dealer, go from the proportional valve to the back wheels??? My part numbers are 47321-33120 and 47322-33020. Because the guy at the Toyota dealer told me they came off the Anti-lock assembly. The lines don't look like they will be coming off the Anti-lock assembly to me but when I was looking at the valve on the firewall the lines look pretty close to what they gave me. I will jack it up this weekend and see exactly what I need to do. Also another friend told me that he has used Poly-Amour lines and he said they were easier to bend. Thanks again for the great info.

 

With how I did brake lines that connected directly to a component, we reused the nuts that were attached to whatever old line we had to remove. If you go from brake line to brake line, you use a new set. Otherwise you can use almost any dedicated steel brake line you want. Not sure how much it is from the dealership but you just buy the length you might need or you can buy a big roll and cut off what you need. You will bend it to how you want it to be. Make sure you are "realistic" about the new brake lines, once the old brake lines rust away you will never have it looking perfect but you can have them looking very good.

You either cut what you need from the rusty line and the new line or if the line connected to a component is so rusty that you have to replace it. Is it easier to replace a line directly at the component? No clue. If that component leaks, you will have a lot of problems. Is it easier to replace a line where it is not rusted? Sometimes, you just have to be very careful on how to do it. Careful on cutting the line, careful on not cutting the lines near the line, careful on letting the master cylinder go dry, careful on smoothing the brake line careful on getting the flare nut on before flaring the line, careful on flaring the line, and careful on not bending the line when routing.

I make it sound hard... because for me it is relatively hard. Part of the reason I had a better time with doing the lines is because my uncle (shop owner) had invested in a hydraulic brake flaring tool so I never used a manually powered tool.