I have a 96 Blazer and the rear brake line has rusted through. The problem is, I can't work on it where it is and the closest mechanics want an arm and a leg to replace it for me (the rear brakes, which are drums, are going to need more work than just a brake line).

My question is, can I just cut the rear brake line and seal it up, then drive home just using the front brakes? I know drums aren't used much for braking as it is, so would it really make a difference?

Also, any tips for sealing up the brake line once it is cut would be appreciated. I planned on bending it on the end, but in case that doesnt give me a good seal some other ideas might come in handy. Thanks!

 

dont do it, its very dangerous to just cut and seal the line, if it rusted in one place it very likley that it will rust in another very soon, your best bet is to replace the line with a new one. plus if you seal off the rear line then you are depending on your front brakes to do 100% of the braking work, what if then one of the front lines blows out on the highway? then you have no brakes! Heres a website on basic brake line repair ( http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_507_re...ake-lines.html ). Trust me, get it repaired correctly the first time. im sure you can find a local shop to replace it for under 200 with bleeding the brakes included.

 

If I were you, I would get a bunch of straight lengths of brake line and bend up a replacement line completely replacing the line to the back.

I wouldn't recommend blocking off the line either.

 

Definitely a bad idea to cut and seal the brake line. If you have the ability to do that where it is then you will have the ability to put in a new brake line where it is.

You only really need 3 wrenches and maybe a pair of vise grips if it is really rusty under there along with some good penetrating oil and some new brake line. At worst you will also need a pipe cutter and flare tool and you can rent those at most auto parts stores.

Hose down any fittings you are gonna remove with the penetrating oil and let them sit for a while first. Then just disconnect the bad line and replace it with a new one and bleed the system. Unless you have some seriously heavy duty brake lines on your truck you should be able to bend the new lines by hand. Generally brake lines come in many different sizes so you should be able to get lengths to couple together properly without having to cut and re-flare them.

If you try and cut and seal the bad line like you are thinking then you are not only endangering your life but the lives of anyone on the road with you.