So as promised, here's my first post relating to the brake stage of my recent repair odyssey.

Having replaced the strut housings, the calipers had already been removed and brake lines opened. Rebuilt calipers and new brake hoses were purchased in advance.

So I'm replacing the rubber brake hoses. The passenger side went smooth enough - though I had to use vice grips on the rear piston line fitting as the flare wrench slipped and rounded it off enough that it wasn't holding. That mangled the fitting a bit, but it was in otherwise good condition and seated fine in the new brake hose. Passenger side done.

Went to driver's side and the forward piston line came apart without issue and I installed the new rubber hose. Here's where it gets interesting ...

The rear piston hard line for some reason appeared to be heavily corroded - all the other brake lines were clean of any corrosion and in sound condition. I also noticed that the fittings on the 1 corroded line (to the hose and the octopus) appeared to be smaller. Sure enough, the 11mm flare wrench was too big. This leads me to think that this line was replaced at some point with some generic metal line that rusted. Incidentally, this is on the same side/where the caliper bolt sheared off to start this whole adventure. So I'm inclined to think that perhaps the wrong caliper bolt, and now wrong brake line, may have been installed by the same individual.

Anyway, the corroded line separated from the rubber hose very easily. Almost too easily - which may account for the smaller (wrong?) sized fitting. Though I can't say I ever noticed any leaking there. But here's where the trouble starts.

The line was so corroded - and bear in mind I'm being extremely gentle with it - that merely touching it around the octopus junction to further examine the extent of the corrosion, led to it braking off just ahead of the octopus fitting. This suggests it was very near failure. Anyway, brake fluid started to seep out so I quickly crimped the stub of the line with vice grips. I tried to fit the 11mm flare wrench, again way to big. The 10mm sort of fit but loosely, and fit even less so once the rust scale was removed. A 9mm is too small...

So now I have to replace that line. I've been soaking the fitting in kroil and will continue to do so. Any thoughts on the best way to remove this fitting from the octopus - a fitting that is of unknown elemental composition and size? For now I was just planning on continuing to apply penetrant, perhaps giving it light taps on the side with a hammer and eventually try to (gently) hammer on the tightest fitting socket I can find and try a 1/4" breaker bar - clearance is pretty tight there.

I sure would hate to have to replace the entire octopus - but I guess I won't be surprised if I have to.

Oh, and by the way, I got the rear end up and wheels off in anticipation of the bleeding sequence and to get some kroil on the bleed screws. What a mess back there. I'm just going to go ahead and replace the brakes on all 4 corners. Now that I have the system open I might as well just go for it and get it over with.

With that in mind, does anyone have any pointers on getting the ratty old rusted rear calipers to come off without breaking a caliper bolt there? I know I'm a sucker for punishment, but that might just put me over the edge...