Hello I am new to the forums but a long time T-Bird owner. My problem is a bit complex so I will just go into it. My 1994 T-Bird is leaking brake fluid bad, I traced it to the lines coming from the ABS hydraulic unit to where the battery is mounted. So I took the hydraulic unit out and took the brake lines off of it. The problem is that the block that mounts by the battery, I can not get the brake lines off of that block. I believe it is a 11 mm wrench but I have rounded 3 nuts already. My question is offer that block with fittings or am I going to have to figure something else out?

Secondly when bleeding these brakes is there a special tool I need to plug into the ABS? If yes what is it?


Thanks in advance and if you need a picture let me know I can get it up here tomorrow to show you what I'm talking about.

Alright got a pic so this might help

The fittings in red are what I can not break lose. The top of the fitting that is in blue is a question I have been wondering what kind of fitting is this called?

Frequently when removing brakelines you have to grab the nut with a vice-grip pliers to get them out. Use the kind of pliers that have a rounded toothed jaw inside for gripping round things. The 6" size vice grip fits brake line fittings better. Use genuine Irwin or Petersen US made vice-grip pliers, nothing else is as good. If it says made in china, it is made of imitation steel, not real steel. Try heating the block briefly with a propane torch if you can get away from rubber hoses and wires. Be sure to hold the block with a wrench or something so your effort does not go into bending the tubing. Be prepared to replace the brake line, the nut is often rusted to the brake line and twists it off when it screws out. You have to have a tubing bender to bend straight brake line properly.
I can't identify the fittings, they look a bit like 45 degree aeroquip hydraulic fittings, but this is an odd fitting to have on brakes so suspect they may be ford specials.

You have to use a "FLARE NUT" wrench from the get go when working with hard lines. They are available form local tool houses including Sears. It is not advisable to use ANY sort of vice grip as the pressure needed to clamp the fitting will distort it and may not allow it to seat properly if you have to reuse it.

If you are looking for that particular block and fittings, call Sanderson Ford in Phoenix. 1-800-367-3673 (1-800- FOR-FORD)
If they don't have it or can't get it, IT DOESN'T EXIST!

in my experience, 90 percent of the time if the nut is stuck enough on a brake fluid line to need a flare wrench, the flare wrench is just going to tear all six ears off instead of just two. Once the ears are gone, you need to replace the brake line. I believe the hydraulic line fittings mentioned in the problem is a little tougher, and may respond better to a flare nut wrench. I find the convenience of using a tubing bender and installing generic auto supply brake tubing the same day I need it (I keep them on the shelf in my garage, and I am not a business) a whole lot more convenient than jacking the car down, waiting 2 days for a shipment of pre-bent line from Atlanta, then jacking the car back up again. Nearly every time I work on a brake line, I have to replace it. As for as stuck brake lines go, they don't use salt on the roads much in Phoenix, do they? Flare nut wrenches may actually be useful there.

This post has been edited by Indianajo: Dec 31 2009, 10:46 AM