Quick and easy brake line banjo plug

[jonheld]

Since the weather here is ridiculously warm and I have some free time, I've been working through the brake system of my 97. New rotors, pads, soft lines, and cleaning up and rebuilding calipers on all 4 corners.
Now I'm sure someone thought of this before me, but I was looking at one of the new soft lines at my dining room table and said, "Hmmm."
I went into my plumbing box and picked out some beveled washers and generic 8-32 screw and nut. The pictures tell the rest, but in actual application I removed the 2 flat washers. They are not needed and cause leaks.
In place and tightened by hand I got about 1 drip per minute, which in my opinion is fine and far better than pinching the line which I always thought was pretty stupid.

$0.25 worth of hardware.

The assembled plug. Completely non-invasive and effective when tightened. Do not use the flat washers.

 

[excessive]

are you replacing with OEM lines or aftermarket ones?

 

[jonheld]

All OEM parts, all the time.

 

[excessive]

sigh... i need to do this on my 20 year old cruiser someday, but I shudder to think how much all those soft lines cost from Toyota.

 

[Hornd]

A Golf Tee is perfect for sealing small diameter fuel and air lines. Since it's wood it gives a little. Just watch out for splinters contaminating.
Hate crimping lines with a vice grips, in fear it will crush or rip a line.
I buy the big bottle of brake fluid and let it run reservoir low then refill so I know fluid is fresh. I try to keep air out of Twin Master Cylinder and ABS Module.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time (less so for Silicone based DOT V) if left to open air.
It also eats off paint, but is water soluble.

 

[jonheld]

sigh... i need to do this on my 20 year old cruiser someday, but I shudder to think how much all those soft lines cost from Toyota.

It's just not that expensive. It's your brakes man. Way more important to stop than to go.

 

[Golgo13]

The OE hoses are what, $20-30 bucks each for the soft lines? It really isn't so bad.
My '92 had 4 originally. I upgraded the rear axle to a '96 and that added 2 more lines for the floating caliper. so that is 6 total. It isn't "cheap" but I would never compromise brake function for cost advantages. Had I inclination to add a lift, I'd investigate different part numbers for the flex hoses from the frame to the axle. I believe Tacoma rear flex hose for this location is nearly 1.5x the length of the LC part. Easy way to get longer, OE spec hoses...

 

[bloc]

Good tech..


Also, a front driveshaft bolt (M10x1.0) is also the same thread as the hard lines fittings.. can be used to stop (or at least dramatically slow down) flow from parts of the system if lines are removed for work.

 

[Yogi Beer]

Since the weather here is ridiculously warm and I have some free time, I've been working through the brake system of my 97. New rotors, pads, soft lines, and cleaning up and rebuilding calipers on all 4 corners.
Now I'm sure someone thought of this before me, but I was looking at one of the new soft lines at my dining room table and said, "Hmmm."
I went into my plumbing box and picked out some beveled washers and generic 8-32 screw and nut. The pictures tell the rest, but in actual application I removed the 2 flat washers. They are not needed and cause leaks.
In place and tightened by hand I got about 1 drip per minute, which in my opinion is fine and far better than pinching the line which I always thought was pretty stupid.

$0.25 worth of hardware.
View attachment 1203414

The assembled plug. Completely non-invasive and effective when tightened. Do not use the flat washers.
View attachment 1203415

That’s an awesome idea! Thanks! Now if I can get Boo Boo’s feet to reach the brake pedal!