A bad brake hose can result in a loss of brake fluid and stopping power. It is a good idea to check your brake hose for cracks, fraying and other signs of wear and impending failure while inspecting your brake calipers and pads. After replacing the brake hose, you must bleed the brakes to make sure no air has found its way into the brake system during the replacement process.
Tools Used: Lug wrench, Floor jack, Jack stands, Catch pan, Combination wrench, 1/4-inch diameter, hose, Clear plastic container, Torque wrench, DOT 3 brake fluid
Change Brake Hose
Removing and Installing the Brake Hose
Park the GMC 1500 on a flat, level surface. Use a lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the wheel where the brake hose is to be replaced. Raise the vehicle with a floor jack and support the vehicle on jack stands. Finish removing the lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.
Pull the wheel away from the axle and set it aside. Locate the brake hose at the back of the caliper. Place a catch pan underneath the area to catch the brake fluid.
Use a combination wrench to remove the bolt holding the hose in place. Pull the hose away from the caliper and point it toward the catch pan. Allow the contents inside of the hose to drain into the pan.
Follow the rubber brake hose to where it meets and connects with the metal brake line. Use one combination wrench to hold the nut on the metal line, and another combination wrench to loosen the nut at the end of the rubber hose. Pull the rubber brake hose away from the metal connection.
Attach the new brake hose to the metal line. Hold the nut on the metal line with one combination wrench, and use the other wrench to tighten the rubber hose onto the metal line.
Attach the washers supplied with the new brake hose onto the end of the hose where it connects to the caliper. Use the bolt to attach the hose onto the caliper and tighten the bolt with a combination wrench.
Bleeding the Brake Hose
Open the hood and locate the brake master cylinder reservoir on the driver's side of the truck. Remove the cap and add DOT 3 brake fluid to the reservoir until it reaches the MAX fill line. Replace the cap on the reservoir.
Attach a clear 1/4-inch diameter hose to the bleeder valve on the brake caliper. Fill a clear plastic container with a small amount of DOT 3 brake fluid and dip the other end of the hose into the brake fluid.
Have a partner pump the brake pedal three or four times, then hold the pedal down. Use a combination wrench to crack open the bleeder valve and allow any trapped air to come through the hose. Do not allow your partner to lift off of the brake pedal until the bleeder valve is closed, to prevent air from being sucked into the brake lines. Close the valve after the bubbles stop coming through the hose. Repeat the procedure until no more bubbles are present.
Make sure the bleeder valve is closed before removing the tube from the valve. Remove the tube from the valve and remount the wheel onto the axle. Attach the lug nuts to the wheel studs and hand-tighten them before lowering the vehicle to the ground.
Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle with the floor jack. Use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts to 120 foot-pounds. Remove the cap on the brake master cylinder reservoir and add DOT 3 brake fluid until it reaches the MAX fill line. Close the cap and close the hood.
Check underneath the wheel where the brake hose was replaced for leaks. Pour the used brake fluid into a sealable container and take it to an automotive parts store or repair shop for disposal.
Tips & Warnings
Do not reuse old brake fluid. Brake fluid readily absorbs moisture over time, causing it to boil under high temperatures. This can result in longer stopping distances and spongy brake pedal feel.
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