Yesterday I noticed my rear brake pedal was getting pretty soft on my 06 EG. I found drops of brake fluid under the bike, and pulled the line to see what was going on. It turns out the metal tubing running from the master cylinder to the stop light switch had been rubbing the frame--right about even with the driver floorboard--and finally wore through to create a pinhole leak. 44K miles on the clock.

My dealer wanted $150 (!!!) for a replacement and didn't have one in stock. A quick trip to the machine shop at the local NAPA for advice. The guy told me to cut out the bad section and rejoin the pieces with a compression fitting for $3.25. The damaged area was small enough that I didn't need to splice in any additional tubing. He also said he could fix me up a 3000 psi rated braided line with the Harley stop light switch for around $35-$40.

I cut the bad part out and got things put back together this evening. So far no signs of leaking or any other problems.

I don't know whether this was just my bike, or a more widespread problem. For about a month I had noticed an occasional click when I applied the rear brake, but I couldn't run it down until it declared itself. Apparently it was the concave section in the tubing slipping over the frame. If you hear any mysterious clicking like this, pull your brake line and examine it closely.

 

I applaud both of you gentleman's resourcefulness however, a 2 piece brake line with slip/compression fittings is asking for failure at the worst possible moment(panic stop). That would be ok to get you home but get a real 1 piece brake line or something with threaded fittings on your bike asap.

 

Yep, it will break. Tried that on My 67FL Chopper years ago, the fitting broke after about 6mo. I was coming to a stop at a red light, when the brake pedal went al the way down. Luckly I wasn't going fast and was able to stop with my front brake.

 

Funny I had exactly the same thing bappen to mine, I did exactly the same fix, TWO years ago, still there, how ever it has vibrated loose and had to be retitend.
I realy don't see how one of these could come undone from pressure, these things have a ferrol in them that compresses onto the line like a little collar that is so tight that you cant remove it. as for one breaking I guess it would be possible to have gotten a bad splice with some kind of crack in it or somthing.
I used to find two or three of these in a row on the break lines of old pick up trucks, none of them leaked, used to be quite common.
Terry

 

Thanks for the feedback. Maybe I'll go with the braided line.

 

your brake line is different then mine, I have a banjo fitting on one end, and the stop light switch is not part of the line as I recall, but seriously I don't realy see how these fittings can fail, if you look at it, it is the same thing that you have on either end of the line where it connect to the master, and to the caliper.
Terry

 

Very wise! I recently fitted an as new later model swingarm wheel and rear brake to my old Glide. I got the brake pipe with the parts I bought, but couldn't believe how complicated it is! I bought a new braided pipe instead, which was much easier to route and fit.

 

I had the muffler shop weld hole shut on my old 92 but yours looks like it rubbed along the line a lot further. Just another option.

 

If you're going to splice a metal brake line it needs to be double flared. You are asking for trouble doing anything less.

 

+1!!!! Compression fittings are unsafe at brake pressures!!!!!
Might as well replace it with a S/S line as long as you have it off. Will be an easier replacement.