The one that attaches to the flex hose often has a smaller than normal hex size relative to the thread diameter. It’s so that you strip it even with a flare nut wrench and have to mangle it with vice-grips to get it apart.
@chienfou@Lynnerizer@walarney
Extended thought; nut didn’t fit, person doing repair set it aside, thinking “I need to go get the right nut”, got distracted, did something else, came back, remembered that they needed to flare the end of the line - and spaced on the correct nut’s absence.
You must understand that this is entirely just speculation that in no way derives from any personal experience.
The one that attaches to the flex hose often has a smaller than normal hex size relative to the thread diameter. It’s so that you strip it even with a flare nut wrench and have to mangle it with vice-grips to get it apart.
And what do we have just below the line in the photo? Why, I do believe that it’s the bracket for a flex hose…
For the ability to induce massive levels of frustration, those brake line fittings are right up there with the spring clamps on coolant hoses in locations that cannot be approached with any form of pinch-capable tool without removing massive amounts of stuff first. (But a conventional screw-tightened clamp had a half dozen potential access points…)
Last year I was replacing my kitchen sink faucet with a fancy one. I struggled to get the old one out and when installing the new one I realized I had the wrong sized braided supply lines. I quickly headed to Home Depot and after a frantic search to find the correct ones, I headed to checkout where I realized I hadn’t brought my wallet with me. Pissed off at myself, I flew home, grabbed my wallet and returned to buy the parts I needed. I completed the install in a bad mood but called it a day.
A week later I got a $75 bill in the mail from MDOT because in my pissed-off hurry to get my wallet I didn’t come to a complete stop at a red light. It would have been cheaper to hire a contractor to do it twice. Meh. I still resent that sink.
@capnjb Had it been me, I very well might have exited Home Depot triumphantly lugging six different items I’d found while there - and still without the flipping hoses.
I’ve had a life like that.
OBTW, did I mention that I’m in the middle of repairing my 45-year-old Maytag washing machine at the moment, and the job went full-on onion? The next step in the procedure is “replace the water service valves on the wall because they leaked immediately when the handles were turned to shut off the water to the washer”. We will not discuss how many runs to Lowe’s and HD have been involved; the actual washer parts have all been ordered online.
@capnjb
IT LIVES! The machine is most of the way back together, and it’s working. While I still need to replace one more worn part, it’s functional enough that I’m running a load now. One damaged component caused me to do some fabricating and brazing rather than spend $45 plus shipping (and wait three to five days) for a giant band clamp, and there’s non-disabling corrosion damage that I won’t try to repair because there’s little point, but it’s complete enough that the laundry is getting done.
Ok…Ive fucked up “mechanic-ing” in most ways imaginable… But still not sure what the reference is?
@chienfou Looks like someone forgot to put the flare nut on the hydraulic line prior to installation and/or flaring.
@macromeh
That was my first thought too. However the fitting seems to be way too small in diameter to fit over the line in the picture…?
The one that attaches to the flex hose often has a smaller than normal hex size relative to the thread diameter. It’s so that you strip it even with a flare nut wrench and have to mangle it with vice-grips to get it apart.
@walarney


They just think of everything don’t they?!
@Lynnerizer @walarney
yeah, sorry. No way in hell that flare is gonna fit inside that nut base!
@chienfou @Lynnerizer @walarney
Extended thought; nut didn’t fit, person doing repair set it aside, thinking “I need to go get the right nut”, got distracted, did something else, came back, remembered that they needed to flare the end of the line - and spaced on the correct nut’s absence.
You must understand that this is entirely just speculation that in no way derives from any personal experience.
@chienfou @Lynnerizer @walarney @werehatrack Of course. You are just tattling on a friend.
@walarney
And what do we have just below the line in the photo? Why, I do believe that it’s the bracket for a flex hose…
For the ability to induce massive levels of frustration, those brake line fittings are right up there with the spring clamps on coolant hoses in locations that cannot be approached with any form of pinch-capable tool without removing massive amounts of stuff first. (But a conventional screw-tightened clamp had a half dozen potential access points…)
Last year I was replacing my kitchen sink faucet with a fancy one. I struggled to get the old one out and when installing the new one I realized I had the wrong sized braided supply lines. I quickly headed to Home Depot and after a frantic search to find the correct ones, I headed to checkout where I realized I hadn’t brought my wallet with me. Pissed off at myself, I flew home, grabbed my wallet and returned to buy the parts I needed. I completed the install in a bad mood but called it a day.
A week later I got a $75 bill in the mail from MDOT because in my pissed-off hurry to get my wallet I didn’t come to a complete stop at a red light. It would have been cheaper to hire a contractor to do it twice. Meh. I still resent that sink.
@capnjb Had it been me, I very well might have exited Home Depot triumphantly lugging six different items I’d found while there - and still without the flipping hoses.
I’ve had a life like that.
OBTW, did I mention that I’m in the middle of repairing my 45-year-old Maytag washing machine at the moment, and the job went full-on onion? The next step in the procedure is “replace the water service valves on the wall because they leaked immediately when the handles were turned to shut off the water to the washer”. We will not discuss how many runs to Lowe’s and HD have been involved; the actual washer parts have all been ordered online.
@werehatrack
@capnjb
IT LIVES! The machine is most of the way back together, and it’s working. While I still need to replace one more worn part, it’s functional enough that I’m running a load now. One damaged component caused me to do some fabricating and brazing rather than spend $45 plus shipping (and wait three to five days) for a giant band clamp, and there’s non-disabling corrosion damage that I won’t try to repair because there’s little point, but it’s complete enough that the laundry is getting done.
@werehatrack Pics or it didn’t happen!
Nice hustle!