How to replace break lines for 92 Chevy Cavalier Z24 The one person Method

Supplies:

12 mm line wrench or open ended wrench
8 mm open ended wrench
2 feet of 1/4 inch clear tubing
Tin snips
12 mm socket
Ratchet
Tie wraps
Floor jack
Jack stands (4 or 2 with ramps)

Important Note: it is much easier to just pay the extra money to get a flaring tool and line by foot and line nuts than it is to buy a full ready made kit. This blog post is for those of us who are frugal or when money is just super tight.

Difficulty: Not for the faint of heart ❤ (Moderate)

The first thing that you will want to do is to remove all of the lines from the break module. Unclip all of the electrical lines to the module and then remove the module. It will be necessary to utilize the space where the module is in order to replace the lines, even if you aren't replacing them all.

With the beginning of the lines removed, you can start disconnecting the line organizing clip and cut away the lines that you will be replacing (its easier for removal and there is no shame in working smarter not harder). The lines are pretty much fitted to the plastic or rubber fittings that keep them lined up so you will want to snap those out. There will be a metal bracket that isn't removable closer to the firewall. You should bend and pull the old lines through that. It will be easier if you cut as closely to the bracket as possible while giving yourself room to grab onto it, being sure to only cut the break lines as other lines will be going through there as well that look very similar. Be patient and take your time.

If you're like me, and have limited upper body strength...get resourceful and get leverage! This pic identifies 2 different ways to do that. You can use a metal pipe or your extension that comes with most socket sets and a socket big enough to fit your handles.

Next, I would go to the farthest end of the vehicle and disconnect or cut away the lines as close to the nut as you can. Many older cars have a lot of rusted on nuts and it will most likely be quicker to use your socket than the 12 mm wrench to get them off. There will also be more plastic organizing clips along the way that may need to be removed. I only removed a couple of mine by the back end to assist with realigning the lines to the body. Not all line clips will need to be removed if you are going to use the wraps to snug up any new lines in the end. If replacing ALL the lines, continue to do the same thing for any remaining lines in the same fashion.

Organize your break lines and begin the installation. It is easier to first feed your longest lines through the bracket by the firewall and shimmy them up while gently bending and straightening the lines through that space, up to approximately where the break module area is. Don't pin them down right away. There will most likely be some adjustment needed after the module is reinstalled. I like to get the hardest parts over with first, then its smoother sailing for the remainder of the job. Some folks remove the tires, I didn't because I only needed to replace the back break lines.

Seating the lines: Some areas are relatively difficult to get the line seated properly. You will notice that your line isn't correct if you keep tightening the nut and you never get anywhere. Something that I found helpful is to do micro-bending of the line. Just slightly line it up while it is detached and see if it sits in the orifice in a straight line. You may need to do this a couple of times before you get it right. If you get roughly halfway down into tightening that nut...SCORE! You got it seated in properly. You might feel like a hero if you happened to be struggling with one for 30 minutes or more. Then you will realize that there are a few more lines to go! Ha ha ha...just breathe, you will get there. I have talked to a number of shade tree mechanics and we all agree that there are some Zen moments that get you through. Often, its right before you give up and start breaking sh*t out of pure rage and frustration....breathe and relax...the appifany to your problem will come.

Repeat the above steps for each line. There will be some locations where you have to rebend an area almost entirely. Be somewhat gentle, but definitely dont be afraid to make it all fit within the vacancies available for the lines as much as possible. You can now start tying up the longer lines that fit the length of the body. I didn't remove all of my organizing clips. I did remove some that seemed really important with the plan to tie wrap the remainder of the lines to the other ones. That was a huge time save! Consider trying the same thing as well. Technically, you could tie wrap throughout, it just seemed a little cleaner in the end and (in my mind) more durable over time.

Bleeding the breaks solo:

Supplies:
Break fluid
2 feet of 1/4" clear tubing
A lighter
1/4" drill bit
Smaller drill bit for an air hole
Clear plastic bottle with a lid

Start by bleeding the slave and the master cylinder. Your tubing may not be flexible in the cold. Heat up one end of the tubing and while warm, push it over the relief valve to get the appropriate size. Put the other end of the tube into the reservoir. Open the relief valve and start pumping the breaks. Since the lines are new...this will take a while. If you need a break, walk around the vehicle and look for leaks in your line and tighten those that need it. Pump out as much of the air as you can for now in both the slave and the master cylinder of your module.

Now, drill a 1/4" hole in the top of your plastic bottle lid and then make another breather hole to allow air to escape. Feed the non-heated end of your hose through the 1/4" hole and put a few inches worth of break fluid into the bottle. Make sure that your hose gets pretty deep into the fluid in your bottle and tighten the cap down. Use the other end to attach to the opened bleeder valve. Start pumping the breaks until the hose is full of fluid and no bubbles. Go around to all of the valves and do the same thing. For good measure, I bleed the module one more time. If the car still has some good breaks after starting it...You have conquered the beast and deserve a congratulatory shoulder punch. You are officially, a GREASE MONKEY!

You can find a pretty decent flaring tool at Amazon.com here: 

And some lines with the nuts: