Heads Up for Brake Line Check

[andrewwynn]

Absolutely agree! My assessment is that it's a manufacturing design defect. The tube was bent enough to damage the paint coating during manufacture.

If you live in a salt humid environment you can expect to self destruct sooner than later.

You can prevent failure with some steel wool and some rust stopping paint


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[StephenVA]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Absolutely agree! My assessment is that it's a manufacturing design defect. The tube was bent enough to damage the paint coating during manufacture.

If you live in a salt humid environment you can expect to self destruct sooner than later.

You can prevent failure with some steel wool and some rust stopping paint
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Correct, That is what I did not do. Mine sits on rainy and snowing days and I drive something else. Washed out the under panels multiple times a year. Nothing short of pulling the panels, unsnapping the lines from their holders, and brushing on some Rust-Oleum or POR 15, will resolve the problem. Do it now and do not wait like I did.

[andrewwynn]

I've replaced my lines but didn't put my cover back on. I'm going to drill some 2" holes for proper dehydration and future cleaning and inspection


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[StephenVA]

I personally think that no matter what you do it is only a delay result.
Whomever made these lines supplied every manufacturer as brake line failure is now so prevalent that the aftermarket is making complete kits to replace them. So far no one makes E53 kits. My Grand Cherokee had the same failure. In its case the entire rear line looked like a flute. Hundreds of rusted pin holes. The front lines were perfect and they were not under any type of protective panel. Just ran along the frame rail.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by StephenVA

The front lines were perfect and they were not under any type of protective panel. Just ran along the frame rail.

This reinforces the idea above. The plastic panel Is holding in moisture and speeding the rusting process.

My take on the X5 rear brake line failure is the tightest bends damaged the protective paint layer at the factory so the seed of rust starts there.

Catch it before it rusts through and prevent that failure.

[StephenVA]

Completely agree. The major issue is the flaking of protective covering on the lines at each bend and clip point. There appears to be no flex additive in the covering material so every movement/ bend is compromised at the factory. Time and exposure to vibrations and weather impacts the lines. Now if you live in a dry/hot climate your worries are ZERO.

Here on the east coast mine went just sitting under a cover... Oh well, just one more opportunity to learn new skills.

[audiophool]

Our '06 lines were very crusty. So bad that the rust had gone forward of one of the unions, so I had to splice in the fender. The '04, with twice the kms, and had spent its first few years in Quebec (worst rust on the planet), is fine but showing some white puffy spots along the lines.

[cn90]

Working on my 2006 X5 brake lines this weekend.
I will post all details (part numbers for pipes/unions, bubble flare tool, tricks etc.) when I am done.

[audiophool]

Here's the union I did in the fender.

[andrewwynn]

Mine also had rust ahead of one of the unions but I didn't splice I want to replace the whole line to the abs block so I "punted" for now.




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