Brake line failure inside the frame

[BrennanK]

I just spent the day getting my boat ready for spring and in the process realized that the brake line from the master cylinder down the inside of the trailer frame is broken somewhere inside the frame. Brake fluid came running down the frame and out the hole where the line entered when I was bleeding the brakes. Does anyone have any words of advise for replacing this? I'd like to replace it with a hard line if possible. Fitting a rubber tube inside the frame comes with its own set of challenges as the hoes to get in and out of the frame are pretty tight. Not to mention the other drawbacks from rubber brake lines.

I am debating pulling the line out and having another one made. I am just worried I might not be able to get the new one back in without hurting it.

[Skidave]

Crap, that sucks. I have had enough brake lines go bad on vehicles because of all the road salt they use in the northeast. A few thoughts for you. 1) the brake line went in, it will come out. Attach a string or wire to one end before you pull it out. 2) once out, take it to a shop to create a replacement (if you are not doing it yourself) and then feed it back in. 3) stainless braided line.

Good luck.

[jhiestand]

I've had that happen. What brand trailer? I had more than one failure on my Ramlin when I finally determined it was rubbing where it exited the frame and wore a hole there. Getting a long section of hard line and a flaring tool, it actually wasn't too terrible a job to replace. Skidave has a good point - i did as he mentioned and used duct tape to splice the old line to the new and pull it through. You can "borrow" a flaring tool from an Autozone or something and just make the new line the length you need. The entry and exit points on my Ramlin were relatively large so it wasn't too bad to feed the new line through. I ended up putting some small diameter rubber tubing around the exit point to keep it from wearing through again.

[BrennanK]

Got the old line out yesterday in just a few minutes. It came out much easier than I was expecting. I guess I over estimated how difficult this might be. I am pretty decent with brakes and brake lines; I was just a little hesitant about being able to get a new line back in. I put in a pull rope when pulling out the old so getting a new line back in should be cake.
Thanks for the confidence builder fellas!