Short brake hose?

[Loww]

Hi all,

my mechanic lifted my 1979 K25 on a hydraulic ramp (under the frame). Then he told me, that the rear brake hose was too short, because it was so tight, that it seemed, it was holding up the rear axle, when the truck was lifted on the ramp. I believed him and ordered a new rear brake hose, believing the former owner of the truck put in a wrong hose. When the new hose arrived, I realized, that it was the same length and I could not find a longer hose for this truck anywhere.

Now I wonder:

- Is the hose too short (it looks pretty original), or did one of the former owners modify the brake lines in any way? (see picture - not lifted)
- Is it normal, that the hose is so tight, when the truck is lifted unter the frame and the axles come down?
- Is it a correct procedure to lift the truck under the frame the way he did?

Thanks

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[PrairieDrifter]

It’s correct procedure to lift on the frame. That hose does look pretty factory but it also looks kinda short. Brake line routing also looks good and factory. I’ll have to take a look at my 79 k10, if I remember right my 84 suburban had a lot more slack than yours does

 

[Loww]

It’s correct procedure to lift on the frame. That hose does look pretty factory but it also looks kinda short. Brake line routing also looks good and factory. I’ll have to take a look at my 79 k10, if I remember right my 84 suburban had a lot more slack than yours does

Thank you very much for the explanation. I think you are right. Everything looks pretty factory. That's why I do not understand, why the brake hose seems to be so short. And even the new hose I ordered is the same length. I cannot find longer hoses for this truck model anywhere. The hose is about 14 inches in length and it is the same for the K10. So I would be very glad to hear whether the hose on your K10 looks similar or has more slack, because it is longer. Thank you!

 

[dhenderz]

Not sure why the factory length hose would be too short, but an option is to install an extended hose. They are available for lift kits. I installed the one from Rough Country.

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[PrairieDrifter]

My 79 has some beat up rear leaf springs so it sags, so that might not be a good reference but I’ll check anyways. Your 3/4 ton ride height might make the hose tight like that, and it’s not designed to droop the whole axle, but instead is meant for pulling and work.

But yes an extended brake line is an option if you are concerned about it. When I lifted my suburban I ordered an extended brake hose from ORD, nice quality and decent price.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Nailed it @

Your 3/4 ton ride height

I like the sound of that. I bet 14 inches is what ya get knowing how few brake.hose.part.numbers. there are for a VERY lengthy list of applications 5/10/20 trucks,burban,VAN...that runs damn near a decade before it switched toooooooo METRIC. but what year was that?

Spring pack and ride height. a 3/4 frame is even taller, right?

Carry on.

You're not gonna find a different part number dude , no way. who are we talkin about here again? the General? Oh yeahhh ffs he looooves stuff like that! sounds just like a squarebody.

It's not too short because OBVIOUSLY it doesn't need to be any longer?
Wouldn't legnthening the hose DIRECTLY MODIFY line pressure? It would reduce it, yes?

Go tell General Motors your "mechanic" discovered a design flaw in your Square...
I think it sounds like you need a new MECHANIC, not new BRAKE HOSES.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Hold on a second, maybe we're lookin at this all wrong!
What year is that truck again?
1979...

2019-1979=40.

Man. What did you have the truck in the shop for?

You'd think that driving around for FORTY YEARS with brake hoses that were "too short" would have had some type of negative effect or some type of "adverse reaction" that SOMEBODY would have caught on to, or seen, before now.
They were fine when it pulled IN to the shop, right? But he noticed that inherent design flaw that has been a ticking.TIME.BOMB. all this time without ANYBODY KNOWING.

Holy crap man, that mechanic probably just SAVED.YOUR.LIFE!!!
Best to run, don't walk (or drive that truck) to the store and buy a lottery ticket or someshit. Might oughta buy him dinner or somethin - he's on the good lookin out. Whatta pal!

And you!!!! OP Junior Loww. YOU likely just saved every member of this MSB from their Squarebody DEATH TRAPS.
How can we ever repay you? How did we manage all this time before you joined?

Thank heavens you're here!

 

[Loww]

Hold on a second, maybe we're lookin at this all wrong!
What year is that truck again?
1979...

2019-1979=40.

Man. What did you have the truck in the shop for?

You'd think that driving around for FORTY YEARS with brake hoses that were "too short" would have had some type of negative effect or some type of "adverse reaction" that SOMEBODY would have caught on to, or seen, before now.
They were fine when it pulled IN to the shop, right? But he noticed that inherent design flaw that has been a ticking.TIME.BOMB. all this time without ANYBODY KNOWING.

Holy crap man, that mechanic probably just SAVED.YOUR.LIFE!!!
Best to run, don't walk (or drive that truck) to the store and buy a lottery ticket or someshit. Might oughta buy him dinner or somethin - he's on the good lookin out. Whatta pal!

And you!!!! OP Junior Loww. YOU likely just saved every member of this MSB from their Squarebody DEATH TRAPS.
How can we ever repay you? How did we manage all this time before you joined?

Thank heavens you're here!

Very grown-up answer! Thank you.

The mechanic thought, the former owner installed the wrong hose, which is too short. He was just concerned, that the hose would tear apart, when he lifted the truck, because the hose was holding the axle up. I didn't say it's a design flaw. I just wanted to find out, if one of the former owners modified some parts years ago, because it just does not look right, if a small brake hose holds some hundred pounds of rear axle and wheels up in the air, when the truck is on the ramp...