Got 20ft coil of brake line tubing - How to uncoil it

Well I am going to get started saturday morning on the brake lines, the main line on the 70 electra is 1/4'' and I am going to start with this first and replace the old line. One last question, I purchased through my parts store a 20 Ft coil of tubing, how do you straight out this coil ? In the past when I needed a brake line or fuel line I purchased a determined length which was easy, but since I am going to have to run a new line altogether I purchased the 20 ft one. Any tips on straighting this 20ft coil would help.

Thanks - Ratt

 

I sprung a leak along the frame rail of the drivers door - I checked the whole line along the frame and it does not look good at all. I was going to put a 5ft new piece in but looking at the rest of the line it did not look good at all. So I figure I might as well replace the line from the master cylinder to the rear wheel axle.
Thanks

 

Brake Lines

The shorter 6' lengths are easier to work with, unions are not expensive and you don't have the hassel of trying to uncoil a 20' 1/4" steel line - but each union in a line will reduce/restrict the fluid flow in the line. A one piece line (like the original) is preferred.
Sorta of a damnd if you do, damd if you don't scenario !
Not exactly a fun job (without a hoist), but you will have peace-of-mind knowing your braking system is up to par in an older car. :TU:

 

I kinda figured that, I looked at the line that goes down from the master cylinder and it does not look all that bad. It goes straight down and then along the frame rail and then upwards to the rear axle junction box. The only real bends are at the front and rear of the frame, other then that is pretty straight. I am going to have to take my time and being that the line is inside the frame rail from the front fender to almost the rear fender, it does not have to be that perfect. I will keep everyone updated. Thanks to everyone for your help, the car started fine last week and with the exception of the brakes its ready to be road tested. Its been a long month trying to get this car back up to mechanical spec.

 

Lay it against a hard surface like a cement floor and roll it out. It comes out almost perfectly straight. Then you can finish straightening it by hand in long sections. Just put all new lines on of of my LeSabres, no unions or splices of any kind. Looks just like the factory did it. I bought a roll of 3/16", 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8", and used almost all of each. My old ones were just intact enough to copy bend for bend out of the car. A roll of line, tubing bender and a double flaring tool is all you need.

 

Thanks quicksabre, this is how I am going to un ravel the line. I should have thought of this earlier.

 

I never worried about getting it perfectly straight, but now that you mentioned the idea of rolling it on the floor, I'll definitely have to try that the next time I replace a line. Great idea.

I prefer the coil because it's cheaper, I can do a continuous line, and I can get exactly the size I want/need. I think it bends easier than the short lenghts, but I don't know if it lasts as long.

Oh, and I don't mean to state the obvious, but make sure you put the flare nuts on before you flare the ends... it's easy to forget if you've not dealt with a roll before.

Also, you have more than you need - so you can practice double-flaring a bit before actually replacing the line.

 

Truzi,
At a given store, it's the same stuff. I've always bought line that way because I don't like seeing unions and compression fittings where there shouldn't be any. It is easier to work with up to a point. But redoing a fullsize means that by the time you get to the last bend, there's 25 feet of line flopping around. Then stuffing that one piece under the car without removing the body from the frame is a treat also.

 

I was lucky when doing the Buick - I worked at a garage, and was allowed to use the lift when off the clock. Other than that, I've done tiny little cars at home, and didn't care how it looked on them.