Are real metric steel brake lines available - SOLVED

[scottt]

Here's my issue. I'm replacing the rear wheel cylinders and rubber brake lines on my 73. The steel line snapped at the wheel cyl, I picked up a bubble flare line at Advance Auto, It is the usual 3/16" line with 7/16 "fittings. I've used these before on many E30's etc and the interference fit of the threds always seems a little loose ( not always a bad thing, but not cool here. ) The male nuts are longer as well, meaning the u shaped tension clips at the joints don't tighten properly.

When I tighten up the joint between the new flex line and the steel line something stripped as it tightened. Unfortuatly, I can't tell by looking if it was the male fitting on the steel line, or the female threads on the rubber line, or both that failed.

I know I can order the oe lines from the dealer, but I don't really have much time. Does anyone know if I can get true metric stuff from NAPA or Pepboys etc or am I always going to get the closest US size instead.

Thanks.

[Kidasters]

I've had really bad luck getting metric stuff at the chain stores. You might go in there and specifically ask. My quick converter says that 5/8" is about 15.9 mm - so you probably got that instead of the correct Metric fitting (which I thought was 14 mm on the rear).

Good Luck.

Ken

[Mike Self]

snapped off one of the short lines (thank goodness) from the M/C to the left front caliper. I took the old line with me to make sure the fittings were the proper thread...all I had to do was carefully bend it to the correct profile--fittings were the correct ones...

mike

[scottt]

BMW wants $ 25 ea for a 520mm line. That's highway robbery.

[nevadainMN]

I pinched a front caliper line a couple weekends ago and the Napa a few blocks from my house had a replacement. It was a couple inches longer, but beggars can't be choosers.

And i live in a sleepy little bedroom community so its not like I have one of those big distribution Napa centers. Take the old line with though.

One of the bleeders on my master cylinder was stripped. That was a much bigger problem. Finally got lucky and found a 320i at the picknpull. Had an event the next day so I couldn't order them. 4 hours of searching, calling parts places and driving to the parts yard and retrieving the needed valve. Two days later I found the old cylinders in the bottom of the box the parts came in. I thought I had thrown them away. So I had the damn bleeder i needed all the time. Aaaargh!

[cj]

Find a local VW air cooled shop. You'll find line that you can bend and at very reasonable prices.

Cris

[scottt]

This is a beaut. I work in the BMW parts biz so I should know better but here's what happened.

I stop at local Advance Auto for a steel brake line. I go out back with one of the guys that is going to " help " me and look at the lengths. Ah ha, I need a 20in line, metric bubble flare. He asks me " Japanese or European "? I say european, he hands me two lines I go off on my way. They don't work.

I go to the Pep and bring all asociated fittings, as I check out their selection I have the Eureka moment, The first guy gave me BRITISH lines. As we are aware anything threaded in anything British fits nothing else except the part that was hand made for it. I didn't even think British lines existed, but they do and they are dangerously close to what you need, but not close enough. I am now all set and reassembling.

Thanks for you help.