I'm A Lucky Sob!!

[NSTG8R]

My truck's no spring chicken being a '97 F250, but for the most part it's in great condition. Got home with zero issues (40+miles of nothing but stop and go hwy driving). Went to run to the store for something the wife needed and noticed the Brake/ABS light on [wasn't there when I got home 10 minutes earlier]. Pumped the brake...all the way to the floor! WTF!! Got out and there was brake fluid streaming down from the frame about half way back to the back wheels. Crawled under there and the brake line, hard to see up in the frame rail, is rusted out and pissing fluid all over. Man I'm glad it didn't decide to "fail" going down the interstate! Got a new set (all including the rubber ones) of stainless steel lines coming as soon as the company, "Inline Tube" gets back with me confirming fitment. WHEW!! Could've been ugly!!

 

[Ty]

My truck's no spring chicken being a '97 F250, but for the most part it's in great condition. Got home with zero issues (40+miles of nothing but stop and go hwy driving). Went to run to the store for something the wife needed and noticed the Brake/ABS light on [wasn't there when I got home 10 minutes earlier]. Pumped the brake...all the way to the floor! WTF!! Got out and there was brake fluid streaming down from the frame about half way back to the back wheels. Crawled under there and the brake line, hard to see up in the frame rail, is rusted out and pissing fluid all over. Man I'm glad it didn't decide to "fail" going down the interstate! Got a new set (all including the rubber ones) of stainless steel lines coming as soon as the company, "Inline Tube" gets back with me confirming fitment. WHEW!! Could've been ugly!!

Man, you ARE truly lucky!

Anyone reading this, know that the "emergency brake", also known as the "Parking brake", is a separate braking system that can be engaged should you find that your brakes aren't functioning. It won't work if you've been riding your brakes and "glazed" the rotors though. Shifting into continually lower gears will also slow you down. People with manual transmissions have it a bit easier here...

 

[Coss]

My truck's no spring chicken being a '97 F250, but for the most part it's in great condition. Got home with zero issues (40+miles of nothing but stop and go hwy driving). Went to run to the store for something the wife needed and noticed the Brake/ABS light on [wasn't there when I got home 10 minutes earlier]. Pumped the brake...all the way to the floor! WTF!! Got out and there was brake fluid streaming down from the frame about half way back to the back wheels. Crawled under there and the brake line, hard to see up in the frame rail, is rusted out and pissing fluid all over. Man I'm glad it didn't decide to "fail" going down the interstate! Got a new set (all including the rubber ones) of stainless steel lines coming as soon as the company, "Inline Tube" gets back with me confirming fitment. WHEW!! Could've been ugly!!

You are lucky; I had a wheel cylinder crack and shatter in a Ford van long time ago, first time I step on the brakes they were ok, driving down the rode and coming up to a light the brake pedal goes straight to the floor and it doesn't slow down. You would be amazed at the things that go through your mind in 1/2 a second; started applying the E-brake and got it stopped (no damage) got out and saw fluid pouring out of the front left wheel.
I never was so focused and scared at the same time before in my life. Don't ever want to go through that again.

 

[Sethodine]

The master cylinder in my '96 Toyota Rav4 just went out on me about a month ago. It was an interior seal, so no lost fluid, but still losing brake power slowly over the course of a couple days. By the time the shop had ordered the replacement part, I was down to using the E-brake in the rain.... not fun.

 

[NSTG8R]

Man, you ARE truly lucky!

Anyone reading this, know that the "emergency brake", also known as the "Parking brake", is a separate braking system that can be engaged should you find that your brakes aren't functioning. It won't work if you've been riding your brakes and "glazed" the rotors though. Shifting into continually lower gears will also slow you down. People with manual transmissions have it a bit easier here...

Very true about the E-brake, and in an "OH SH*T!!" moment it would be the go-to option, but this beast is so front heavy with the diesel I doubt it'd even slow down...It would, however, left everyone around me that my truck is about to ruin someone's day with the squealing tires!

Dropping some gears, if time to impact allowed, would be preferred.

 

[NSTG8R]

You are lucky; I had a wheel cylinder crack and shatter in a Ford van long time ago, first time I step on the brakes they were ok, driving down the rode and coming up to a light the brake pedal goes straight to the floor and it doesn't slow down. You would be amazed at the things that go through your mind in 1/2 a second; started applying the E-brake and got it stopped (no damage) got out and saw fluid pouring out of the front left wheel.
I never was so focused and scared at the same time before in my life. Don't ever want to go through that again.

Had a similar thing happen to my '63 Chevy II in High School racing (as quick as 6 bangers go). Light turned red...hit the brakes, it goes to the floor and a mist of brake fluid appeared in my rearview [ is right!], barreled through the intersection with my horn blaring!. E-brake was inop due to all the fluid coating the drums [blown rear seals]. Down shifted the powerglide until it was going as slow as it was going to, and slammed it into park [tranny didn't like that at all!].

 

[Ty]

Had a similar thing happen to my '63 Chevy II in High School racing (as quick as 6 bangers go). Light turned red...hit the brakes, it goes to the floor and a mist of brake fluid appeared in my rearview [ is right!], barreled through the intersection with my horn blaring!. E-brake was inop due to all the fluid coating the drums [blown rear seals]. Down shifted the powerglide until it was going as slow as it was going to, and slammed it into park [tranny didn't like that at all!].

I bet not!

 

[BaldGuy]

I had something similar happen to me a few times. Like you, it happened both times before I left from work and after a long trip in my driveway. I found out my garage was using compression fittings. I ask him about it, and he knew it wasn't wise, but said his grandfather and father used them also. I no longer go there and had his work replaced with flared fittings at my own expense.

 

[Injunjoe]

About this time last year I had a brake line rust thru on my 99 Nissan Quest Van. The lines were cheap to replace, but the proportioning valve would have been $360 if I had chosen to replace it. The lines going in and out of it were seized up. With the help of a machine shop and a little inventiveness, I was able to replace the lines. About two weeks after everything was back together, the ABS light came on and has been on ever since. Black tape over the light fixed that. (Back to the old days like my Geo Metro when you do the brake pumping!)

 

[NSTG8R]

Lines replaced (last weekend) with stainless steel, and didn't break a single bleeder valve (Hooray!). So for a job I was really dreading doing, Murphy's Law was nowhere to be seen. About 6 hours and the assistance of a VERY good friend and she's good (better than) as new.