Rear Wheel Cylinder fittings

[gzig5]

I rebuilt my rear drums this weekend using a kit from Dr Diff.  Only issue I had was that on both sides when trying to remove the hard line from the wheel cylinder, the nut wouldn't let go and the fitting backed out of the cylinder, twisting and ruining the hard line.  I want to make new lines.  I know they are available pre-bent, but I'm hard headed and I have the flaring tools.  The pre-bent will be my fallback.

I don't think I can save the fittings that goes into the wheel cylinders so I need those and the nuts that hold the line into them.  I may as well  use new fittings at the distribution block too.   So far I've not had any luck finding these individual fittings and I don't know what to call them to look them up on a generic parts site like RockAuto.  Can somebody help me out with these?

[JS29]

@gzig5  NAPA, or any GOOD parts store. I think what you need are 3/16 or maybe 1/4" tube nuts. I cut the line, use a socket to remove the tube nut. I have ground the line flush with the back of the nut, and drill the tube out.

[1 Wild R/T]

The nut on the line should screw directly into the wheel cylinder, if there's some sort of fitting there it doesn't belong...

[gzig5]

The nut on the line should screw directly into the wheel cylinder, if there's some sort of fitting there it doesn't belong...

You sir, are correct!

Lighting wasn't good under the car and the part that came out of the wheel cylinder looked like it was a two part fitting.  It just has a a long hex section and it's obvious once it is all the way out of the wheel cylinder.  Weird that the fittings on each end of the pipe are different.

I think I should be able to get the remnant of the tube out of the fitting and clean and reuse them.  Hexes are still in pretty good shape.

[Rich G.]

It probably was replaced once before. Usually the lines you get at the parts store come with one short and one long line fitting.

[JS29]

That doesn't look like a parts store tube nut. I think the assembly line had that so the person doing the install would know what direction to install it quicker and easier. I would reuse it.   

[Rich G.]

Oops! You're right I didn't look at that picture, the parts store ones have the short and long threads not the hex.

[jimynick]

Heat is your friend, especially when dealing with rusty old fittings. Heat the flare nut bright orange to dull yellow and use a flare wrench. When it breaks loose, work it back and forth and it should come right out. If the hex is screwed, a pair of ViceGrips will do the trick. It won't hurt the wheel cylinder and you'll stop twisting off brake lines! Good luck 

[gzig5]

Heat is your friend, especially when dealing with rusty old fittings. Heat the flare nut bright orange to dull yellow and use a flare wrench. When it breaks loose, work it back and forth and it should come right out. If the hex is screwed, a pair of ViceGrips will do the trick. It won't hurt the wheel cylinder and you'll stop twisting off brake lines! Good luck 

Actually the flare nuts didn't give too much of a fight and seem to be in good condition, but the tube was jammed/welded to the nut so as it was unscrewed, the steel tube twisted.   The wheel cylinders are going in the garbage.  New ones came in the kit so no worries.  Everything needs to be changed including the lines after I saw how much rust came out of the wheel cylinders.  I'll use the torch when I have to but on brake parts, I think if you need to use the smoke wrench, those parts should be replaced.

[gzig5]

What do you guys like to use for the brake line material?  I'm not worried about looking original.  Prefer something that isn't too hard to work with and will last.  SS, Cupro-Nickle, coated steel, zinc plated steel are the options I'm aware of.  Not a fan of bending SS, not very forgiving and more prone to cracks if done incorrectly. 

One of the steel versions or cupro-nickle? 

[JS29]

Nickel!