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Duramax Brake Lines

I put mine on the rack at the local alignment shop and went through the front end with the mechanic when I was getting ready for new tires. We decided there was significant wear in the upper ball joint and it was worth replacing bushings that were showing wear too. They were too high on parts so I bought all of the steering and front chassis components from RA and paid them an installation upcharge to have them do it. Fortunately my tire and alignment shop has no problem with me being out in their shop working with them.
 
btfarm said:
I put mine on the rack at the local alignment shop and went through the front end with the mechanic when I was getting ready for new tires. We decided there was significant wear in the upper ball joint and it was worth replacing bushings that were showing wear too. They were too high on parts so I bought all of the steering and front chassis components from RA and paid them an installation upcharge to have them do it. Fortunately my tire and alignment shop has no problem with me being out in their shop working with them.
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Shops around here wont do that, insurance they claim.
I`m one that will not turn just anyone loose with My wehicles, been there and done that before. LOL
 
“Insurance wont allow” is just an easier thing than saying: I am at risk of people being clumsy or not paying attention and hurting themselves then sueing me out of business.

Then when customers are walking around the shop, many mechanics will stop working because they feel the need to watchdog their tools from bad experiences, and others stop working to chat. So it really can impact productivity. Many shops wouldn’t allow me as a Mac Tools guy in the shop other than lunchtime. A couple wouldn’t allow me in at all, I just parked and the guys new at time 11:00 Wednesday, tool guy is here so go out to parking lot. All but 1 of those I just quit going to until they changed policy. The 1 that didn’t- the weekly payment option ended because I couldn’t enforce my repossession that way.

So when there is a shop that won’t let you in, don’t think it is something against you personally. When there is a shop that lets you- don’t abuse it or policy might change.
 
Will L. said:
“Insurance wont allow” is just an easier thing than saying: I am at risk of people being clumsy or not paying attention and hurting themselves then sueing me out of business.

Then when customers are walking around the shop, many mechanics will stop working because they feel the need to watchdog their tools from bad experiences, and others stop working to chat. So it really can impact productivity. Many shops wouldn’t allow me as a Mac Tools guy in the shop other than lunchtime. A couple wouldn’t allow me in at all, I just parked and the guys new at time 11:00 Wednesday, tool guy is here so go out to parking lot. All but 1 of those I just quit going to until they changed policy. The 1 that didn’t- the weekly payment option ended because I couldn’t enforce my repossession that way.

So when there is a shop that won’t let you in, don’t think it is something against you personally. When there is a shop that lets you- don’t abuse it or policy might change.
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YUP, nothing personal taken, just the way some shops function.
A couple of the shops over here would love for Me to hang out, even haul in My boxes. LOL
I just do not want, nor really need a job. I know that life would be a little richer and I would be able to afford more parts, I just have something about this thing called a JOB. LOL
 
IIRC, about a year or so ago DieselPower had in their Power Bits section a blurb on GM issuing a TSB on a stretch of model years HD2500/3500 Duramax (that included yours, @RI Chevy Silveradoman ) for excessive external corrosion of the front brake lines, that especially affected vehicles in the "rust belt where lots of salt is used on the roads in the winter time. The terne (that grayish-green coating on the outside of the steel lines that helps limit corrosion) wasn't effective and the lines corroded through prematurely.

You can not go wrong with high quality stainless steel brake lines as a replacement (why, for what a new Duramax costs, don't they just use them at the factory when building them?) for the rusted out OEM's. I have had great success with SSBC's lines fitting perfectly on several vehicles, including when I did the resto on my ex-girlfriend's '68 Cutlass convertible. The body line from the proportioning valve back to the rear axle even had the extra 2" of length to allow the wider bend just before the proportioning valve to account for the double wide frame rail that the convertible used for rigidity instead of the coupe's single width rail. Two other, less expensive, manufaturers didn't allow for that, even when I specified convertible when ordering. Evidentally they just made generic 68-72 GM A body line kits without specific applications like convertible.
 
RI Chevy Silveradoman said:
TSB??? They should have a recall. The brake lines were ugly. One burst, the others weren't too far behind.
Maybe Dorman built that little bit extra onto that line for the reasons you mentioned.
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Like I said, GM stressed that this was a "watch for" on Dmax's in New England area and other States that use road salt in the winter. The manufacturers are getting kind of weird any more about issuing blanket recalls for all models in a certain year(s), unless it is for something that affects all vehicles, like melting wire harness connectors when you turn the HVAC fan on Hi with your windshield wipers on Hi also. You know what I mean.
 
And of course the Stealership mechanics are supposed to look for this (if they know about/remember the TSB - if the VIN was even entered into the computer system like they're supposed to when it's brought in) when the vehicle is brought in for its scheduled maintenance during the warranty period. Of course, we both know that once the warranty is up, very few people continue to bring vehicles back to the Stealership. Then there's the issue that this rust through often occurs AFTER the vehicle is out of warranty and nobody is actively looking for it unless they know about the TSB ahead of time. So, it is discovered either preemptively while some other action is being performed like a tire rotation, or catastrophically from brake line failure like you did.
 
Nice Mike. Check right under the driver's seat where the lines all meet up. That's where mine corroded through.
Nothing like coming to a red light, hitting the brake pedal and having that soft squishy feeling then touch the floor. Gotta think quick. Left foot went for the e-brake. Lol
Thank god I didn't hit anyone.
 
Yeah, preventative maintenance like regular undercarriage washing during the winter months (and especially during thaw periods when all that road salt/slush is blasted up underneath in a fine spray and heavy splashes into all the nooks and crannies [or is that crooks and nannies?] where it sits undisturbed and does its evil work) goes a LONG way in preventing not only brake line rust, but also deters the metal termites from eating away fender wells, wheel arches, rocker panels, door bottoms, tail gates, floor pans. . .
 
As an advantage, my truck has been parked in a heated shop in winter every night and got a weekly undercarriage flush at the local super wash. I doubt it would be in such good shape otherwise. The rockers and cab corners are beginning to show rust now though.
 
ak diesel driver said:
up here it's better to leave it outside rust wise
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Same here, not because of rust but because of condensation.
I keep the shop/garage at about 70 degrees, when it gets cold outside, I have a concern about condensation.
I do keep the wifeys car and the truck plugged in though, even when the temps get to around 30 degrees. Sves a lot of wear and tear on components of the enjun. LOL
 
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