I would not necessarily replace them just to do it, but will do them if I am replacing calipers and/or have a brake drag problem. As for the age, I would not worry as much about brake hoses (due to internals being the 'active' part of the assembly) as I would belts and regular hoses. You can usually find a date coded somewhere on those to determine just how old they are.

 

I guess the word "tune up" doesn't really fit, but just wondering if these are an item that should be periodically replaced even if they don't look like they have signs of wear? I haven't typically seen people say that every x number of years or miles they should be replaced, but I have seen some places online that say after 8 or 10 years they should be replaced as standard maintenance. It kind of makes sense, because rubber does get old after a while...I have a 99 Tec, so that means the flex lines are 16 years old. What do you all think?


(It kind of also begs the question; even if you buy new ones who's to say they haven't been sitting on the shelf somewhere for ten years...)

If the ones on the vehicle are showing signs of dry rot cracks, swelling, or if you have a sorta springy brake pedal & suspect they may be swelling with pressure applied, by all means replace them with OEM, or parts that say in writing that they meet Ford specs. I changed the front brake hoses on my old Merc Zypher at about 5 years, because they were showing Bad signs of dry rot.
When replacing them, its also a good time to perform a system brake fluid flush, with some Motorcraft PM-1 DOT-3 fluid, I flush my systems at least every 3 years with it, its of good quality.
Check here Why Change Brake Fluid to see where you likely are on "the curve"!!!

 

I have never had an issue or replaced the hoses on my five Taurus, two past ones and three present and four of them are 14 years old and one 9 years.

 

And I have replaced hoses, not only in my wagon which resolved a pull to the right, but this was caused by a bad hose causing the caliper not to release.....

My brother's car NOT mine! So for as many of the "I've never" there can be just as many "I have". I personally wouldn't bother replacing them unless there were symptoms of a bad hose, or they look to be in poor shape.

 

On my previous 99 tec, I was replacing a lot of the braking components, and I replaced one of the hoses with a Centric brand new hose, and believe it or not the new hose burst on me shortly thereafter. Kind of made me wonder about quality control

 

what is that picture, i can't figure it out....?

 

That is a rotor minus it's outboard braking surface

 

What kind of car was that, it's not a Taurus? Early Taurus had a recall for corrosion related failures that caused the rotors to come apart. I think it was in the early 80s.

 

95 Cutlass

 

I have had/have 8 bulls and 5 Lin Cont.
Never replaced a rubber hose, never had an issue.
One new Lin of the batch, rest used cars, bulls passed on to my daughters.

Have had stuck guide pins, and they wear out the outside pad. Pins are cheap. Symptoms, car does not roll free first thing after sitting overnight.

-chart-

 

Most of the brake hoses I have changed were due to rubbing damage or cracks.

I just changed the rubber hoses for the first time on my 76 Nova 2 years ago. I figured while I was changing the rusted steel lines might as well do the rubber ones since they were 26 years old. They actually still looked ok.

 

I had to replace the front hoses on my '03 Sable. Rusted hose brackets were pinching the hoses closed causing high pedal resistance (hard pedal and you had to really stomp on the pedal to stop) and rear wheel lockup on gravel.
Car was like this when I bought it from widow.