Re: [Amc-list] Found out why my '65 American was parked!

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

> Anyway - the right front hub is leaking grease all over the
> place. Looks like it needs seals. I'm weighing buying the tools
> and doing it, or chickening out and just getting it done. Anyway
> - gotta finish the driver's side brakes, replace the master
> cylinder - then start reading the TSM to figure out what to do
> about grease all over the place.

Are you sure it's not brake fluid all over the place from a
leaking wheel cylinder?

If the bearings are OK, changing the grease seals is easy. Just
dig the old one out. My perfect half-fast tool for installing
front grease seals is an old Bendix disc brake caliper piston
-- it sits on the correct portion of the seal to tap it into
place. You don't want to use a hammer or anything small as it
will distort the seal face and the thing will probably leak.

I no longer use solvents to get brakes clean -- I use purple
degreaser and a brush in a bucket, water rinse, followed by
a wire brush to get the dry/non-greasy stuff off. The purple
stuff + water won't hurt the spindle if you dry it off. Clearly
keep it out of bearings or wheel cylinders, but it's fine on
everything else.


> On a different note - anyone have experience with pre-cut
> brake lines?

You can do pretty much the whole car with standard pre-flared
lengths from a good store (my local NAPA carries a good
selection) and flare nut couplers. It usually takes me two
visits; I guesstimate/measure then go shopping, install that,
then find one or two need to be a different length, then I
fetch those.

The trick is to get them some perfect amount too long, like 2 - 8
inches. That much you can usually hide in a longer bend, or loop.

I've used all but the most expensive tubing benders, and I
now just use my thumbs! Seriously -- go slow and careful and
feel and you will not pinch of flatten the tubing. Big radius
bends are no problem, it's the small tight ones that are hard,
and even benders with rollers tend to flatten brake line.

I do have a double-flaring kit, know how to use it, but it's
one of those cheap wingnut-clamp types and it's a PITA and prone
to off-center second flare. They run about $40, and are barely
worth it. The next-closest tool is about $300, which I can't
justify for such infrequent use. I don't know why there's
not some tool in between that only does brake lines. The more
expensive ones seem to do 1/8 - 1/2, not all that useful around
a car.
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