Had to choose between a quick fix and a full repair on a customer's brake line

A customer came in with a corroded brake line on their 2012 F-150. The line was shot near a rear wheel. I had two choices: cut out the bad section and splice in a new piece with compression fittings, or run a whole new line from the master cylinder back. The splice would have taken maybe an hour and cost them a lot less. I went with the full line replacement, which took me almost half a day. It was more work and I knew they might balk at the bill, but those compression fittings can fail under pressure, and I just couldn't risk it on brakes. I explained it to the customer, showed them the rust, and they agreed. It went smooth, but I was sweating the whole time they were thinking it over. What's your rule of thumb when you're stuck between a fast patch and the right way?

4 comments

4 Comments

gray_morgan2mo ago

Honestly, that's the whole game right there. It's not just about the part you're fixing, it's about everything it touches. A bad brake line fails and now you're looking at calipers, the ABS module, maybe even a crash. That quick fix cost turns into a huge bill, or worse. Good on you for showing them the rust and taking the time. Too many people just see the price tag and not the problem down the road.

angelarivera2mo ago

That same "right way" pressure shows up with home repairs and even relationships.

aaron_perry2mo ago

Yeah, that "right way" pressure is real. I once tried a quick fix on my own truck's fuel line with a splice kit, and let's just say @angelarivera is onto something, because it ended about as well as a band-aid on a busted pipe. Now my rule is if it carries fluid or feelings, do the full job.

davidkim1mo ago

Carries fluid or feelings" is a good line but I think people overhype the danger of quick fixes. A splice kit on a fuel line is sketchy I'll give you that, but a lot of hacks work fine if you know what you're doing. @angelarivera probably has a point about relationships being the same - sometimes a band-aid is really what you need, not a full rebuild.