2012 Ford Explorer Base, when replacing the driver side rear brake hose the threads on the hydraulic brake line were damaged. The brake hose is cheap and easy to find, but I cannot find a replacement hard brake line and connector that screws into it. Do I have to cut and flare a new connector? Can I buy and bend a new line with flares already?
Yes, or Yes.
You can buy fittings at the auto parts store. Metric and English fittings are close in size. Make sure you get the right one. It should be metric. English in a metric hose fitting will be very loose. Cut the flare off the end, slip on a new tube nut and re-flare. There should be enough length to do this once. You can borrow the tool from the auto parts store.
You can also buy lengths of hard line, too, but in finite lengths. 2 ft, 3ft, 4 ft
Thanks! One more… what type of flare tool do I need, I see a few choices. Is it a double flare?
All brake lines are double flare OR ISO bubble. Single flares will fail. If the end looks like a little cone, it is double flare. If it looks like a rounded bubble it is an ISO flare. I think Ford uses double flares and not ISO. Some rental tools may have both.
Buy a small tubing cutter as well so you can make a nice straight cut. If you can lay your hands on a couple pieces of the same size brake line to practice on, do it! Flaring lines can be a bit tricky.