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Dodge Grand Caravan question - brake lines

L

LJD

Well-known Member
I've got my 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan in my shop since it lost half its brakes. Having rotted out brake lines in my salt-belt area is no big surprise. But - I found that several of the steel lines near where they attach to the ABS box have a section of flexible hose built in. I'm wondering what purpose it serves? Dodge wants near $100 each for each line which is rediculous. I've got four bad lines. But - I guess that is to be expected from what is now a foreign car company (Chrysler now of Italy).

I first assumed the flexible sections where there because the ABS pump-box is rubber mounted and can shake around a little. But - I later found that only half the lines going to the box have the flexible sections. The others are just hard steel.

I'm in the process of making new lines now from copper-nickel tubing and I'm wondering if I should stick in some braided rubber hoses in the middle of each line or not. I also had to run out and buy a new flaring tool to make these foreign ISO "bubble" flares.
 
I "Think " you may get by without the rubber hose . Maybe put a loop or tow in the line if vibration or flexing is an issue . Dealer parts were over the top before "fix It Again Tony " took them over, lol
 
What Ted said x2, especially with ABS, copper is not an approved material for brake lines and the pressure that ABS systems can produce is even higher than normal brakes. Don't risk it.A hundred bucks may sound like a lot but when you figure the time involved making them yourself, it might sound like a bargain later. You can buy bulk line in 25 foot rolls or in the different length sections from about 4 inches to about 60 inches. You already sprang for the right tool, might as well use the right material.
 
He said "Copper Nickel Tubing" Which is far better than plain old brake line . It's tough , corrosion resistant and used by many OEM 's. Plain old copper tubing ,,no,,,this stuff ,yes .
 
I had the same thing about 2 years ago, 94 caravan. I went to NAPA, bought 6 pre flared steel brake lines in the lengths as close as possible to the rotten one- btw, while I was under there, I replaced all 6, $50 odd total? I borrowed a pro tubing bender and nice tubing wrenches from my fork lift friend, oh it was a pain in the neck, and back, and fingertips... took almost 2 days- but what other choice ya got? Spend hundreds? junk the van? Or just take you time and get it done.
 
Coil the line like they use to to absorb vibration... I rap it around a pipe a few times....

The first step of a double flair is a bubble flare :wink: try it , it works for me....

BTW standard and metric line is the same size.... most lines have a tag that gives the std and metric size...
 
Copper-nickel certainly IS approved for brake systems. It's been used in high-end cars for years in Europe and in all Volvos. It is superior to anything used OEM in American cars/trucks.
 
First step in a double flare it close to a bubble flare - but not close enough and is wrong. A bubble flare is flat behind the flare. Double flare leaves a curve behind the flare and does not match the flat surface in the ISO bubble-flare nut.

About the "vibration loop" . . . I was thinking the same thing except there is very little room to do it.
 
As far as I have seen, those are in place of the vibration loop, typically due to space constraints.

Take this advice for what it cost, free.

Copper nickel line would be fine. Learned my lesson on cheap uncoated Autozone line. Re-did my truck after 5 Michigan winters.

Rick
 
Actually your Caravan is German (Daimler Chrysler) it got converted to 15% Italian with the government and UAW currently owning most of the company. Your refusal to buy the OEM brake lines is contributing to our national deficit and potentially causing UAW pension funds to become underfunded and probably requiring an infusion of tax dollars in the future to remain solvent. No wait Daimler Benz and Chrysler merged in spring of 1998 so it was an American adopted by the Germans only to be abandoned and re-adopted by the Italians sorry my bad.
 
I stand corrected, the Italians wrote out a check and now hold 61% of Chrysler mama-mia! Seems like a slow and painful death. Still waiting for the new large Dodge/Fiat/Iveco van.
 
Saw some preformed stainless tubing while getting parts for my truck.Plain steel tubing should be illegal.Ive seen the copper/nickle tubing.Next step is finding a double flare tool that works.I have a military tool that works but it only does 1/4 inch line.We need some control on the amount of salt that is dumped on road.A ban on plain steel tubing would fix the problem.Gas tank straps should be rust proof.Line failure starts at 60,000 miles here and is a sure thing at 100,000.
 
Coiled lines are there to absorb movement. The coils "absorb" the flex of the two ends of the line. They are primarily used between the master cylinder (bolted to the body) and wherever they terminate (bolted to the frame). I'd put the OEM one's on or look for an aftermarket replacement braided line of the same length.
 
in New York they use calcium chloride and magnesium chloride in addition to the salt,you can see the liquid tanks on the sides of the salters. apparently salt wasnt rusting stuff out fast enough! Bill
 
You bought exactly what? Advance and Autozone do not sell OEM style brake lines - unless they are all lying to me. Their Website catalogs must be lying also.

Besides that - Chrysler tells me that the type of brake line I'm talking about was not used in 2003 Caravans or Grand Caravans. The brake lines with the braided flexible section were only used 1997 to 2000. They were NOT used in 2003 Caravans.

Primary Line with ABS #4683675
Secondary Line with ABS #4683674

Primary Line with ABS & Traction Control # 4683691
Secondary Line with ABS & Traction Control # 4683690
 
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