Scouse Monkey
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 12:54 PM |
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Rusty Brake Pipe Unions
This is not for a Locost but for my normal car which I have just struggled to change the rear subframe on.
I am having a lot of trouble removing some breaklines and I really dont want to replace the entire run to the rear of the car as it is going to be
expensive. I have the proper break line tool but some of the unions are just too rusty and the heads are rounding off. Anyone got any tips on how to
get them off?
So far i have used mole grips, spanners, the proper tool, vice etc and am now trying to carefully splt one of the unions so I dont have to replace the
entire run. My only other option would be to remove it fromt he car and take it to the garage and see if they will put a new end on the long pipe.
Cheers
Andy
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 01:06 PM |
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Complicated answer alert!
1. Brake pipes are cheap, not expensive, particularly if you make them yourself.
2. The fittings are put on the pipe before the flares are made, so to put on a new fitting you will have to cut the pipe and make a new flare.
3. If you've got steel brake pipes, then it may be a good idea to replace them anyway - if the fittings are rusted, then probably the pipes are
as well!
I'm not trying to be a know-it-all here - making new pipes is a skill that isn't too hard to learn (hell, even I managed it!) and even a
long run shouldn't be too costly. Better than losing all your brakes at an important moment... 
cheers,
David
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Alan B
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 01:27 PM |
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Yep, I agree with David here....
This is one of those kind of jobs where you can use previously aquired locosting skills on your everyday vehicles.....
And even if you haven't got that skill yet, you have to learn sometime....
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 02:18 PM |
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I found making pipes up a total ba$tard, due to the fact there wasnt a set of instructions with the tool. You can use it wrongly and get something
that looks right, but is in fact completly wrong!
If you have a cheapo flare tool, make sure its got instructions, or you will end up with something that doesnt work on the car.
Once I got guidance, making up the flares was easy. Just remember to make the ends square, and taper the inner bore, and the outer edges a bit with a
needle file.
atb
steve
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Scouse Monkey
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 06:35 PM |
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Cheers for the answers but does anyone know where I can get a pipe flaring tool cheap? I am going to a garage round the corner tomorrow to see if they
will lend me one if they have a hand held one as I would like to reflare the ones on the car as they pass all the way along the bottom of the car
until the fuel tank when Mr Citroen decided to route them over it! 
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andyd
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 06:38 PM |
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Got ours from Screwfix.
Andy
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Peteff
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 06:59 PM |
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Machine mart
Cheap one or same one with a tube cutter included.Have used mine continually since building the locost. A roll of cunifer brake pipe only costs £9
where the wife works and since doing mine I have read somewhere of a firm that does brass unions so if you use them you should never have to do the
job again. You can get a joining piece to connect 2 seperate brake pipes if you don't want to run a new one the full length of the car.
yours, Pete.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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Scouse Monkey
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 07:27 PM |
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another note:
anyone got a clue what size brake pipe Citroens use. (it's a ZX and don't laugh its a good car taking me on many adventures(!) and just
been fixed by dodgy people in the past)
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eddie
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 10:46 PM |
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the moral here is if in doubt, BUY NEW.
sounds like an extravogant statement, and on many other areas on a car it is.
but as far as your brakes go, they are more important than any other part on your car (this is literally life and death stuff)
Please feel free in advance to: correct, update, ridicule or laugh and point at any comments made by myself in this post....
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 9/7/03 at 10:50 PM |
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it seems that virtually all cars use the same brake pipe. If you go to a motor factors they will sell you a roll - i doubt you will be asked a
size.
atb
steve
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 10/7/03 at 07:44 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Scouse Monkey
I am going to a garage round the corner tomorrow to see if they will lend me one if they have a hand held one as I would like to reflare the ones on
the car as they pass all the way along the bottom of the car until the fuel tank when Mr Citroen decided to route them over it!
Ah - did you say Citroen? Do you have the hydraulic suspension?
If so, then it uses a totally different size of pipe and, in addition, I wouldn't touch that system in a month of Sundays. Definately a
professional's job!
If it uses conventional suspension, then everything everyone has said so far still stands... 
regards,
David
BTW: If it's a conventional system, you could always cut the pipes to size, then take them to your friendly neighbourhood garage and ask them to
put the fittings on and flare them.
Mind you, most of the car spares shops in my local town will make up pipes for you.
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Scouse Monkey
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| posted on 10/7/03 at 07:57 AM |
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Normal suspension, just the brake lines I have to do. I hvae changed the suspension lines on a BX when I was on work experience at school - not fun!
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