The goal of the mission is (was..) to replace the rear brake calipers (and discs). On the right rear (haven't even touched the left side yet), here's what I did in this order:

Sprayed with PBLaster. Tried regular 11mm wrench and stopped when I saw how the wrench just got bent open. No damage to the nut at that point. Went to Sears and bought their nicest flare nut wrench set, luckily it was on sale. Used the 11mm flare nut wrench and it slipped @%^&* ! Got frustrated and used a ViseGrip (I read somewhere about using that as a last resort), which promptly shredded the nut.

Anyway, it's messed up real good now.

What are my options? New brake line... FCP sells Scantech ones only...stay away? I tried the nut at the other end of the line (above the trailing arm), and it didn't seem like it would be any more cooperative - how do I make sure not to F this one up as well?

Or patch in a new piece of brake line, using loaned flaring tool and tubing bender from Autozone?

I thought I did it by the book, at least intially, but I guess not... Any advice? It's still drivable and I could take it to a mechanic, but pride and persistence get in the way...

Thanks in advance...
--
'97 850 n/a Wagon, 170K mi ... '98 V70R AWD 115K mi

I feel your pain. What started as a simple pad replacement on a 240 turned into all new calipers, hoses and 6 new hard brake lines. I sprayed penetrating fluid for a week into the nuts, but they were completely fused.

I got some of the FCP copper lines for the short runs and they seem to work ok. After killing one of the longer lines, I ended going to a local brake and clutch shop to have custom lines fabricated. They used a product called easy bend (I think) which looks very similar to the copper/nickel original Volvo lines. Very easy to bend into position. If I did it again, I would've had them fabricate all the lines.

Bring your original fitting into the shop and they can match. It wasn't that expensive; 2x four foot lengths flared with the nuts was $35.

If you resign yourself to replacing the line, cut the line above the nut and slip a box wrench or socket onto the nut.

Hi,
you are not the only one!
had to renew the rubber tubes in front brakes in both of my 850-94s.
in both cars the right hand side nut went off easily but left hand not.
had to replace the pipes from distributor to the wheel, new pipe was 10 euros.
br tapsa

From the 240 forum, where all the cars are MUCH older than yours, we who work on our brake lines all know that the only flare nut wrenches that work (are more precisely sized not to slip, and are robust enough not to bend) are from a Snap-On dealer (or from their website).
If you're not familiar with the brand, they're the guys that work out of their trucks -- you have to ask around at shops to ask when the Snap-On guys is coming again (they make regular rounds to collect payments, because the guys in the shops all buy on credit. The tools are expensive, but they're worth it, and you only need a couple of sizes, right?

To work on an old 240 (worse than your '97), what I do is first spray with brake cleaner to get rid of the dirt (that would block the PB-Blaster from penetrating); then spray, and respray every few hours with PB-Blaster over the course of a day. By the next morning, you put a pair of Snap-Ons on the lines' nuts, and they will give way easily, and (most important) without having messed up the nuts. This has never failed me over the years, on '80, '83, '84 and '93 240s.

Good luck.

I gave up on this stuff long ago.

I generally don't even bother trying to move them with a wrench any more. They're always seized.

I have been buying those pre-made straight lengths of brake line and cutting the old stuff out and putting new lines in using union fittings with double flares. It's been working great for me so far.

It's a real life-saver to have that flare kit and some pre-made line hanging around the shop for when this is needed...

A mechanic would heat up the nut a little and take it off in 5 minutes. The sears flair wrenches are not good enough to remove the nut, the metal is too soft. Been there done that.

You could pay a mechanic $20 to loosen the nuts and finish the job at home. Once the nut is unscrewed, the original flair needs to be cut off, the nut replaced, and the line re-flared. There is plenty of brake line to do this.

The problem with a flat vice grip is that it only grabs on 2 of the six sides, you could wind up bending the brass nut out of shape. Almost better off with a pair of chanel locks.

Klaus
--
Proud owner of a 1967 220S. If I had more room, I would have more Volvos.