CRD - Bubble In Brake Line Hose

MOSFET · **Joined:** Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:40 pm **Posts:** 295

Is it common for a bubble to develop in brake line hoses? Is this a fix it quick type of problem? Both formed on the brake lines to the rear wheels. Photos are below.

Right rear wheel

Right rear wheel

Left rear wheel

flman · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2011 5:14 pm

Looks like something I would be replacing.

Lancer · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2011 5:39 pm

That is a weakness developing in the hoses. Replace now, because they could rupture at any time under pressure.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2011 8:36 pm

Check the high and low limits of rear axle travel. If you have any kind of lift, you may need to make a mod to keep from damaging the flex hoses. If you don't have a lift, you might have some kind of bind that caused the bubble in the brake hose.
Since Chrysler does not make the brake hoses, but buys them, there should be good Aftermarket ones available at a reasonable price. To bleed the brakes, use a 1 man brake bleeder like Harbor Freight sells to save you the time on flushing out the line. If the brake fluid is dark or crappy looking, I would replace it. You can use an suction gun to remove all the old stuff from the master, top it up with fresh and with the one man brake start with the right rear and slowly pump the brake until the fluid in the one man bleeder looks clean. The go to the left rear, then the right front, then the left front. Make sure you keep the master topped up.
Since I have an allergic reaction to DOT 3 and break out in a rash, I use DOT3/4 synthetic (cheaper than Doctors), which is better for the brake hydraulics any way.
If the bleeder valve does not have a rubber cap on it, I put one on to keep the water and salt out, helps keep the bleeder from rusting into the caliper.

geordi · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2011 9:31 pm

Another alternative to the one-man-bleeder method is using the 3-quart suction-oil-changer from Home Depot. You pump it's handle a few times to build vacuum in the tank, then open a valve to its intake hose - Sucks the badness right out of the caliper with a LOT less hassle than constantly pumping the harbor freight thing.

You do need to keep an eye on the reservoir tho and top it up frequently... Theres a lot of fluid to completely change it all.

MOSFET · **Joined:** Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:40 pm **Posts:** 295

Brakes are above my skill level, so I took it to a local shop that is very trustworthy and reasonable. They had to order two new hoses that could only be obtained from Chrysler.

X-52128514 Brake Hose $45.35
X-52128515 Brake Hose $385.00

Labor $80.00

Tax $40.83

Total $551.18

It is amazing how much that one hose cost. It is times like this when I wish I owned a cheaper vehicle to maintain.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 10:53 am

I hate to say this but these hoses should be nothing special other than length; they are standard brake hoses for both the gas and diesel Liberty. The O'Reilly price for 2005 Jeep Liberty brake hoses is $16.99 right rear and $22.99 left rear; dealer list is $26.85 and $21.35 per Steve White's online site and their online prices are $18.35 and $14.59 respectively. Unless I am mistaken you were serioiusly overcharged on that $385 hose; $38.50 would be high but not unreasonable.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 2:55 pm

x2. Not every shop is "trustworthy and reasonable" all the time. Even the place that installed my engine for me, that I have been going to for 20 years needs to be watched from time to time.

Add to that, the brakes and hoses don't give a rip what engine is pulling them around - If it was for a KJ, the same parts would be used. I've seen on MULTIPLE occasions where MOPAR will pull the exact same part off a shelf and give it two different numbers, with two WILDLY different prices.

The accessory idler pulley is a prime example: $15 for a metal pulley used under the accessory drive belt on Dodge Truck engines (gas)... $50 for a PLASTIC pulley with the SAME BEARING for the timing belt idler on our CRD. (The bearing is the same part in this case, but the outer diameter of the pulleys is the same too)

I'd investigate that hose some more, and kvetch at the shop a bit. That price for any single hose is beyond excessive.

flman · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 6:49 am

MOSFET wrote:

Brakes are above my skill level, so I took it to a local shop that is very trustworthy and reasonable. They had to order two new hoses that could only be obtained from Chrysler.

X-52128514 Brake Hose $45.35
X-52128515 Brake Hose $385.00

Labor $80.00

Tax $40.83

Total $551.18

It is amazing how much that one hose cost. It is times like this when I wish I owned a cheaper vehicle to maintain.

The $80 labor was the loss leader, the $385 was the profit on this job? No brake fluid?

CRD - Bubble In Brake Line Hose

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