Replacing Solid Brake Lines

[24seven 104]

got my car back from it's MOT today and it needs new solid brake lines. Is this an easy job I can do at home, or does it need specialist tools? Bleeding the brakes should be fine, I can do that no probs. Just replacing the solid lines themselves. In fact I'm thinking about running them inside the car. is there an easy way to do this?

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

If you were doing it yourself completely, you would need a pipe flaring tool and unions.

 

Best to use your old line as a measurement and cut the new bit of copper to that length using copper slices.

(If you dont use slices you can get a really sh*t end on the pipe and it wont flare properly.)

 

Then flare one end, then put the 2 unions on respectively and flare the other end.

 

When bending the tube be very careful as it kinks easy. Best practising first and trying to bend round something like a fat handled screw driver, as you do not want to reduce the internal diameter.

 

You can get the flaring tool from halfords not sure about the slices though but hardware shops will sell them.

 

Sounds alot harder than it is, patience is the key!

Edited May 11, 2009 by paul_xiii

[Batfink 201]

its an easy job. make sure you buy a pipe flaring kit. This comes with the cutter and the tool for flaring the end. Use new connectors as they will have clean threads and will tighten up nice without any leaks.

Get brakeline spanners too!

 

kev

[24seven 104]

Cheers folks. will get to it .

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Buy the Automec kit, it's flared, cut to the correct lengths and has all the fittings intsalled for you. All you have to do is bend it to fit/

Took me a day to do with the car up on axle stands.

I think the kit was around £65 - it was a couple of years ago though. A good flaring tool is around the same price.

 

http://www.automec.co.uk

[djinuk 2]

laser flaring tool is about £20 , once brought you can do them all day long.. the ends are about 49p each from motorfactors and the copper tube i paid around £7 for 2/3 meters from motorfactors.

[shalmaneser 26]

would this bad boy do the job?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laser-2943-10-PC-Bra...511132004r13551

 

got to do this job myself soon.

[pug_ham 241 3 Cars]

would this bad boy do the job?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laser-2943-10-PC-Bra...511132004r13551

 

got to do this job myself soon.

Thats the type of kit that you can use to make up new brake pipes with the flares, I used one a while ago to do a couple of rtear beam pipes but you have to cut the pipe perfectly straight or the flare doesn't form properly. YOu xcan get them from Machine Mart for a similar prices iirc if you have one close by.

 

I managed to chance upon a garage style cam action Sealey brake pipe flaring kit which takes seconds to do the flare & some minature pipe cutters so its straight rather than a hacksaw.

 

TBH unless you intend to do loads of pipes, a kit from Automecis the best option imo. YOu'll spend the saem (or close to it) buying pipe, unions & the flaring tool.

 

Graham.

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

Mines a Draper one, looks just the same as the Laser one though but cost me about £30 IIRC

I'd advise you buy a couple of spare dies too as chances are it will be a Sunday afternoon when yours breaks.

There only about 50p or £1 each.

Do a few test flares too on a bit of scrap pipe just to get used to the tool. You'll know when you've overtightened it when you break the die! LOL

Edited May 12, 2009 by ALEX