Question re: Stainless Steel Brake line install

[xav8r]

After being on hold w/ Edelbrock/Russel Technical Support for half my morning, I'm turning to you all for help. I also want to confess that I have only a tiny amount of the knowledge, wisdom, and experience contained by most of you on this site. Operating under the "there's no such thing as a stupid question" premise, here is my question ...

I am going to install the Russell Brake Line kit on my '01 Tahoe 4WD and have a very basic question. How do I avoid brake fluid pouring out of the line when I disconnect the current rubber line, and thereby draining the master cylinder? I know the system uses pressure (mechanical assisted by vacuum) but won't gravity cause the fluid to drain the moment I "loosen" the fittings? Sorry to sound like an idiot here, but I figure it's better to ask and learn, than pretend to have the knowledge/experience and make a messy mistake.

Depending on my success with this install, and the install of my Hawk Pads & Powerslot Rotors, I may have a few more questions re: bench bleeding the master cylinder etc.

Thanks in advance for all the knowledge and experience you guys take the time to share on this site. It's awesome and I've learned a ton.

 

[Sepiroth]

I think you are under the impression that there is an amount of pressure in the brake lines. Ok, once you disconnect the rubber brake hose from the line, yes it will begin to leak. Brake fluid will not begin to squirt out as if there is pressure. The brake fluid will begin to drip. There really is nothing you can do about that. All you can really do is keep an eye on your fluid level. Doing one brake line at a time your reservoir should not go empty.

 

[radkon]

There isn't any pressure on the system when the car is off and the pedal isn't being pushed. It will drip out slowly not gush out like a firehouse that has been cut. Just keep an eye on the master and don't let it go dry.


My line kit for the GTO came with little rubber caps to put on the hard lines to keep fluid loss at a minimum. The only reason I used them is I had the calipers off for a few hours while they were getting painted.

 

[Boost Creep]

pretty simple way to change lines and keep it mostly clean.

loosen the brake line where it meets the caliper
take off your calipers from their brackets
put vice grips on the old rubber line
remove caliper from rubber line
install ss line onto the caliper
then remove the rubber line from the hard line
then put the ss line onto the hard line
reinstall caliper

doing it this way help minimize fluid loss by limiting the time that it has to leak. keeps things slightly cleaner too. just never put vice grips on lines you plan on reusing because it can crush and/or crack them

 

[xav8r]

Thanks everyone ... appreciate the help, suggestions, and advice.

BTW, for anyone that cares, for some reason today tirerack told be that Powerslot Cryo treated rotors were being discontinued.

I phoned buybrakes.com and got what i needed.

I'll let everyone know how it all turns out when the rotors arrive and I tackle this project.