13.02.2006: Saab NG900 Stainless Brake Lines

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13.02.2006: Saab NG900 Stainless Brake Lines

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Googridge stainless brake line installation on a 1996 Saab 900 (applies to all 1994-1998 900 and 1999-2002 9-3). This installation was prompted by a cracked brake line, but is usually performed to enhance the braking performance of the car.

Tools and supplies:

24 mm wrench: brake line retainer nuts (for Goodridge kit);
19 mm wrench: brake line nuts (for Goodridge kit);
17 mm socket: wheel bolts;
17 mm wrench: brake line nuts (for original rubber lines);
13 mm flare wrench: hard line nuts in the rear;
11 mm socket: banjo bolts on front calipers;
10 mm flare wrench: hard line nuts;
pliers: brake line retainers;
DOT4 brake fluid, 600 ml or more;
pressure bleeder (recommended);
torque wrench;
car jack and axle stands;
breaker bar.

	13.02.2006 The kit The Goodridge kit for 900/9-3 includes four stainless braided teflon coated brake lines, as well as new washers, fasteners and retainers. It is designed as a direct replacement for stock rubber lines.		13.02.2006 Broken line When your car is 10 years and 300K km old, pay close attention to your brake lines. They might corrode and break off, just like mine did. I'm glad it happened on my driveway instead of the road.
	13.02.2006 Front line Raise the front of the car and remove the wheels (17 mm socket). Find where the rubber brake line that goes to the front caliper is attached to the green hard line.		13.02.2006 Flare wrench It is important to use flare wrenches for all hard line nuts -- they are so small and easy to strip with conventional open wrenches. Get a pan to catch the brake fluid that will leak out when you disconnect the lines.
	13.02.2006 Top end The small hard line nut is 10 mm, the bottom takes a regular 17 mm wrench. Once the top nut is off, remove the retainer clip and pull the rubber line down.		13.02.2006 Bottom end The banjo bolt on the caliper takes an 11 mm socket. Get ready for more brake fluid spillage.
	13.02.2006 Banjo bolt The kit came with new banjo bolts which had the wrong thread for my calipers, so I reused old bolts with new washers from the kit.		13.02.2006 Caliper Attach the stainless line to the caliper so it points upwards but leaves sufficient clearance to access the top slider pin and its dust cap.
	13.02.2006 Installed Bolt the top end of the line to the fender (Goodridge uses 24 mm retainer nuts instead of clips here), and connect the hard line. Done!		13.02.2006 Rear right Raise the rear of the car and release the handbrake. Locate the brake line by the right rear spring. The clearance is tight, especially near the top end. Use a 13 mm flare wrench for the top hard line nut, 10 mm for the bottom.
	13.02.2006 Unbolted After the hard lines are off, pull the retainer clips from both ends. The fuel hose gets in the way of removing the top clip, but it's doable. Once the clips are off, pull the old rubber line.		13.02.2006 New line Install the new line. It's easier to bolt the hard lines on before the retainers are secured. In addition, the top end nut on new lines was too small so it kept slipping through the hole in its bracket, and it took some creativity to hold it in place.
	13.02.2006 Rear left The other line is found next to the left rear spring, with its top end properly blocked by the exhaust pipe.		13.02.2006 Removed The hard line nut sizes are the same: 13 mm at the top and 10 mm at the bottom.
	13.02.2006 Done Install the last new line. The retainers on the left side are easier to install than on the right: clip on the top end and nut at the bottom.		13.02.2006 Bleeding Connect a pressure bleeder to the brake fluid tank and bleed the brakes in the following order: front left, front right, rear left, rear right.

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