Brake Line Removal... Its Driving Me Mental

[BamBamGTI 0]

Im trying to remove the rear brake lines on a 205 gti 1.9 (1989), because I am trying to remove and re-new the compensators. Only problem is, the last part of the line goes over the top of the fuel tank and is connected to the union over the top of the rear beam (wher it is joined to the flexi-pipe). How the hell do I get this f***ing think off? I dont want to take the entire back end off and the exhaust just for this?!! Any short cuts? Is it normal for the brake lines to run over the fuel tank?

 

I know some of you are thinking... I should just remove and replace the compensators, but I can't... The unions are f***ed and even split ring spanners and cant move them and tons of WD40... The unions are starting to round off so the whole damn lot has to come off...

[Baz 421]

Are they not on little brackets fixed to the boot floor by a 10mm nut on a short stud?

[BamBamGTI 0]

Ill upload some pics...

[BamBamGTI 0]

The only access to the union and the metal retaining plate is through the the gap between the rear beam and the horizontal suspension rods (see above) i cant get a pair of pliers in there or a spanner.

[BamBamGTI 0]

 

Bracket can be seen throught the gap in the suspension

[BamBamGTI 0]

 

This nut is retaining the braket Im guessing...

[Baz 421]

Yep!

 

With that removed usually you can get a little more access to the joints.

[BamBamGTI 0]

still cant work out how to get the pipe from over the fuel tank? How is it done? do I need to lower the tank or something?

[BERTMAN 40 1 Cars]

only way i managed it was to the lower the tank unfortunantly mate!!

[hengti 2]

may have misunderstood, bit if the objective is in renewing the compensators, have you tried molegrips on the unions either end of the compensators?

Edited April 15, 2009 by hengti

[skeggyrik 3]

My compensator's were never going to be parted from the lines, my lines were shot anyway so I pulled it all out.

Didn't have to drop the tank for that as it was easy to just cut the lines. Even when I had them off the car there was no way in the world they were coming apart without wrecking the nut/pipe.

 

I did manage to get the new lines up and over the tank each side without dropping it, fiddly but doable, so it should be possible to get them out with a bit of mild bending. Not a fun job though.

[hengti 2]

i've never had a union snap off within another but guess it must happen; i think the biggest problem with a joint like this is with the pipe - what happens is that the union bites into the back end of the flare as they're tightened on in the first place, then years of corrosion sets in and you can find that the union has become stuck around the pipe, which will just twist if you attempt to undo it. if you can get one union off either end of either compensator, you should just be able to unscrew the compensator from the other. if the pipes are twisting both ends, you've had it.

 

if you haven't noticed that the unions will actually crack free yet, and haven't tried mole grips, they could save you a deal of bother

[BamBamGTI 0]

After a looooong day grafting I managed to remove the Exhaust, Fuel tank and I decided to remove the rear pipes completely. I also found the flexy-hoses; once disconnected spewed a load of dirty fluid full of old rubber - so I guess thats what has f***ed the compensators then. Also got a mouth full of unleaded when I was syphoning the tank - yum.

[BamBamGTI 0]

Fancy putting a brake line fixed behind the fuel tank???? Bloody jerry-built crap.... GGGGRRR

[welshpug 1,623]

Fancy putting a brake line fixed behind the fuel tank???? Bloody jerry-built crap.... GGGGRRR

 

pretty much every car I've worked on so far is like that.....

[BamBamGTI 0]

Is there a reson for that?

[supersub14 1]

i feel your pain lol.

 

Just last night i replaced my compensators and rear brake lines. Fiddly job to say the least! Eventually got the fuel tank dropped down just enough to let me free the pipe from the clips. What an awkard place to put them

[BamBamGTI 0]

precisely. I was just thinking what a garage would have charged for the labour for this job... Took me near enough a day just to remove all the old stuff from the car.