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Brake pipes and fittings
gdische - 5/8/13 at 06:14 PM

I'd appreciate some advice about brake pipes and fittings for an older car.

I'm having to replace part of a brake pipe that got damaged when removing the master cylinder. The old pipe and its fittings are steel (which is probably why I had problems in undoing it in the first place). What I plan to do is cut the end off the damaged pipe, and connect a new one to bridge the gap to the master cylinder. It's going to be a bit awkward as the pipe goes through the chassis.

If the new pipe is copper/nickel (as recommended in other threads here), should I use brass or steel fittings? Does it matter if I mix them? Should I use a steel fixing on the old pipe and a brass one on the new pipe?

I'm going to need an on-car flaring tool - any recommendations would be most welcome.

Thanks for your help.

Geoff

40inches - 5/8/13 at 06:37 PM

All my pipes are Kunifer, and fittings plated steel, some have been on 8 years. Not fallen off yet

NigeEss - 5/8/13 at 06:38 PM

Steel should be fine, the problem you will have is flaring the steel pipe in situ, can be a pig.
I'v found the Sykes Pickavant hydraulic tool to be the best but not cheap.
Linky

britishtrident - 5/8/13 at 06:47 PM

Plated type are fine.

This pattern of tool works exceptionally well, just do some practice flairs first.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-PIPE-FLARING-TOOL-3-16-ON-CAR-FLARE-BY-POWERHAND-/171073136608?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item27d4c0e7e0 />

You will also need proper brake pipe joiners
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-way-female-joiners-for-copper-brake-pipe-fittings-x-5-/360389528574?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item53e8 e3cbfe

gdische - 5/8/13 at 07:02 PM

Thank you all for your very speedy replies. I thought I'd get a good response, but not that fast!

One thing I forgot to mention, the pipes are 1/4 inch, which restricts the choice of flaring tool a bit. There do seem to be some Sealey ones which work on this size, I've seen some good comment on them.

It's going to be very tight for space making the flare (I'll try to remember to put the union on the pipe before). I'll have plenty of pipe to practice on, as it seems to come in 25 foot lengths!

Geoff

britishtrident - 5/8/13 at 07:26 PM

1/4" what car are you dealing with ?

gdische - 5/8/13 at 07:35 PM

There are some pictures here

SKY 600


The Locost bit is that I'm renewing the master cylinder and servos, not paying someone else!

Geoff

40inches - 5/8/13 at 07:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gdische
There are some pictures here

SKY 600


The Locost bit is that I'm renewing the master cylinder and servos, not paying someone else!

Geoff


That's one cool wedding car

britishtrident - 6/8/13 at 07:08 AM

Link to 1/4" on car tool ebay

I haven't tried the 1/4" version but I have used my 3/16" version to splice on to steel pipes in some very awkward in some very tight locations and now do all my flairing with it and have consigned my old Sykes-Pickavant bench to to the back of the shed.



Your biggest problem make be getting a proper 1/4" pipe joiner fitting, you may end up using a tee with a bleed nipple in the unwanted branch.

If the car had been metric I would have suggested using the special unions that step down to 3/16" pipe but I haven't seen those for UNF fittings.



[Edited on 6/8/13 by britishtrident]

[Edited on 6/8/13 by britishtrident]

gdische - 6/8/13 at 07:07 PM

Thanks for the link to the flaring tool. I saw a video of how these work on YouTube, it looks easy enough and it all gets properly aligned.

I've ordered pipe and fittings too, with luck the pipes will be done by the time the master cylinder comes back from the reconditioners.

Thank you all for your help with this.

Geoff