Brake line failure

Raptordude · May 11, 2016

My brake lines are pretty rusted on my 2001 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.0 it's a base (2 door) cab, 8 foot bed, and 2 wheel drive. I'm thinking about getting some stainless lines before they fail. Where would be the cheapest place to look for these? Also, when/if they fail, will all the breaks go? Or will only the fronts work or only the back depending which line goes? For instance, if one line rusts through, will all the brakes stop working or will I still have front brakes or back brakes? Thanks

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Formulabruce · May 11, 2016

Take your VIN to a GMC or Chevrolet TRUCK dealership , and get a coated, pre bent "kit" made for your exact truck..( around 200 bucks ) Biggest hassle is the ABS which is set inside the frame below DS seat . Good luck!!

Raptordude · May 12, 2016

Thanks, I'm wanting to go with stainless if the price is right, but we'll see. Hopefully it goes easy

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davester · May 12, 2016

Dorman sells pre-bent brake lines that aren't too expensive.

I did my lines last fall using the GM nylon coated lines, cost $115cdn. They went in fine, only thing that sucked is that GM doesn't include the line across the rear axle, you have to bent that line yourself. Most of the 3rd party pre-bent kits seem to include that line as well.

gilro · May 29, 2016

Hi Raptordude:

Get those brake lines fixed ASAP, keep reading.

I had the break line rust and leak going to the rear axle and lost all my brakes. This is not supposed to happen as vehicles are required to have a split braking system, but this is not the case with these trucks. There have been thousands of complete brake system failures with these trucks. I replaced all the brake lines with the GM nylon coated brake lines and made up lines for the rear axle and all worked. It really ticked me off as to why I lost all the brakes as this should not have happened. The only 3 parts that could have the brake fluid leak from one circuit to the other (front brake circuit and rear brake circuit) are the master cylinder, proportioning valve and the ABS module. I replaced the master cylinder before I filled the new lines with brake fluid as it may have had a bad piston in it causing the complete brake failure, I think the proportioning valve is ok, and not sure what is going on in the ABS module with fluid crossing over. GM has been in the crosshairs with the NHTSA for many years over this issue but have always managed to not have to recall the vehicles. When bleeding the brakes with a rear bleeder opened or a front bleeder opened the brake pedal would drop some but there still would be brakes to the other axle (with the engine off), but I still don't trust the brakes on this truck. I fixed it up last year and never drove it other than around the block a few times. I think I will start the truck up and open one of the bleeders and drive the thing down the road and see if I still have two wheels with functioning brakes for a few stops. These trucks do not have a split reservoir in the master cylinder and will only stop a few times before running out of brake fluid, if it works as designed. I know three people that had one brake line fail one these trucks at about 10 years old and lost all brakes on the first stop. Perhaps the other thing that is happening is when the first line brake the pressure greatly increases on the other circuit, and the rusty brake line brakes on the other circuit fails. Enough said, but before I drive my old truck I want to make sure if I ever have another brake line fail I still have brakes. Get those lines replaced!

davester · May 29, 2016

Yeah, I'm not sure how the abs controller works as a 'splitter' [as there are two lines in from the MC, and three lines out (left front, right front and rear)]. When my rear brake line [the rubber line] rubbed through, pedal went straight to the floor. I was lucky in that I was just pulling out of my driveway and wasn't going fast, the brakes brought the truck to a stop, but if I was up to 30 mph, it probably would have taken a block to come to a halt...or depend on the brakes of the vehicle in front of me...

backed up the driveway, and replaced that brake line [which was braided SS line from Russell, but they botched the length of the line, it was too long so it rubbed on the wheel]. They were a mistake to buy, cheaply fabricated, came with cheap aluminum washers instead of copper, didn't come with appropriate mounts [front lines didn't have a mount in the middle, making it possibly/likely the lines can rub on the wheel]. I do not recommend them.

Raptordude · June 1, 2016

Thanks for the replies everyone, that's pretty frightening....about how much would it be for the job? I can get a complete set of stainless brake lines for about $120. About how much would the install cost? I'm mechanically inclined and so far I've done all the work on my truck myself. However, this job looks like a huge pain to me. Too much of a pain to do myself.

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davester · June 1, 2016

I did the job myself, but I've got a large garage, a pretty good selection of tools and bought Autogenuity so I could bleed the ABS system properly. I also have a Cab&Chassis with a wooden flatbed, so it was much less of a hassle doing the rear line vs either removing a pickup bed or lifting/tilting it a little to do it.

I would assume labor-wise it's probably in the $1000 zone.

Raptordude · June 1, 2016

Wow...that's way too much haha. Now that I looked at it again, there's really only 1 section of the lines that is bad. They're rusty, but they're not too terrible yet. It's not an emergency quite yet, I have some time to think about what I want to do. I'm thinking I might be able to just replace the rusty section. I'll get some pics

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simplewon · July 17, 2016

Hi Raptordude:

Get those brake lines fixed ASAP, keep reading.

I had the break line rust and leak going to the rear axle and lost all my brakes. This is not supposed to happen as vehicles are required to have a split braking system, but this is not the case with these trucks. There have been thousands of complete brake system failures with these trucks. I replaced all the brake lines with the GM nylon coated brake lines and made up lines for the rear axle and all worked. It really ticked me off as to why I lost all the brakes as this should not have happened. The only 3 parts that could have the brake fluid leak from one circuit to the other (front brake circuit and rear brake circuit) are the master cylinder, proportioning valve and the ABS module. I replaced the master cylinder before I filled the new lines with brake fluid as it may have had a bad piston in it causing the complete brake failure, I think the proportioning valve is ok, and not sure what is going on in the ABS module with fluid crossing over. GM has been in the crosshairs with the NHTSA for many years over this issue but have always managed to not have to recall the vehicles. When bleeding the brakes with a rear bleeder opened or a front bleeder opened the brake pedal would drop some but there still would be brakes to the other axle (with the engine off), but I still don't trust the brakes on this truck. I fixed it up last year and never drove it other than around the block a few times. I think I will start the truck up and open one of the bleeders and drive the thing down the road and see if I still have two wheels with functioning brakes for a few stops. These trucks do not have a split reservoir in the master cylinder and will only stop a few times before running out of brake fluid, if it works as designed. I know three people that had one brake line fail one these trucks at about 10 years old and lost all brakes on the first stop. Perhaps the other thing that is happening is when the first line brake the pressure greatly increases on the other circuit, and the rusty brake line brakes on the other circuit fails. Enough said, but before I drive my old truck I want to make sure if I ever have another brake line fail I still have brakes. Get those lines replaced!

I completely agree. There is something wrong with the abs unit not keeping front and rear separate. I was pulling our 2015 35 foot camper on the interstate well spaced behind an 18 wheeler car carrier when an accident occurred in front of the 18 wheeler. He slams his brakes on and I slam mine and pop. Pedal goes to the floor. Nothing but barely enough front brakes to barely show the truck. I had to run a pu into the emergency lane who was right beside the camper in order to keep from dying on the back of the 18 wheeler.

I replaced with stainless prevent kit. Sad they'd put non stainless on it from the factory. And it would probably be safer to remove the abs motor from the system or I bet a replacement has the problem corrected.

Raptordude · July 17, 2016

Yep I'm planning to do them before too long. I'm going to go with the pre bent stainless set made by Dorman. My buddy has a lift at his house so hopefully me and him can knock it out in a day

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