Brake pipe

[johnnyroper]

Not the old gal but my x type.

Noticed brakes didn't feel quite right as was more travel than normal and when held pedal was creeping down,then low fluid light came on.
A mile from home so I nursed it back and found fluid all around off side rear on examination discovers the steel pipe going over suspension had fractured good job it wasn't an hour before when doing 70mph down m5!!!!

Anyway moral of the story if you have advisory for corrosion probably best not to forget about it like I did!!! This one failed but one for other side not too far behind either.
So tomorrow's job replace front to back pipes and get it ready for this years test on Tuesday..

[insanitybeard]

The last brake pipe I replaced was due to a snapping coil spring, I can recommend the guy who I linked in that post for making brake pipes to order, though are you planning to make one up yourself from copper pipe? Even with a proper hydraulic flaring tool I always found the steel stuff bloody tough to flare, I even cracked the die block in the flaring tool trying! On the other hand, I've read a few stories about copper pipe not being ideal either possibly due to stress failure/ fracturing especially when not adequately clipped/ secured? That's why I went for the cupronickel pipe, plus it's more corrosion resistant.

[johnnyroper]

Steel pipe is super tough to flare,I had to put new union on a section on sisters car after it cracked close to caliper. I seem to remember spending ages getting it to go but once it started was a bit easier.

I need it back on road for Monday so dug the roll of copper and unions out of garage,originally the pipes had joins on bulkhead and then by rear subframe. I have managed to manoeuvre pipe around suspension and connect to flexi hoses to get rid of a couple of joints in system... my thinking was less joints so less to give Leak problems.

[johnnyroper]

Pipes all fitted with no real problems apart from bleeding it took an age to get any fluid through abs block,had to crack the 2 inlet pipes to vent air and then each outlet before I could even get resavoir level to drop.

Once done got a cracking pedal far better than it ever has been,I suspect the pipes have been a bit pourous for some time gradually degrading rear end braking before it finally fractured.
Hopefully now it goes through not Tuesday with no issues.

[johnnyroper]

Well that's another year of cheapish motoring for the old mans motor, 1 brake light bulb and slight handbrake adjustement was all that was required for a pass.

Hopefully the gal goes through ok aswell next month.

[insanitybeard]

That's a good result then, I need to get the sills of the Galaxy (at the front where the vehicle has been incorrectly jacked up before I took ownership of it) and rear wheelarches (right down at the bottom) attended to this year before next winter, not because I think it'll fail (yet) at MOT but because I want the old girl to last me a few more years yet, I've grown quite attached to her!

[johnnyroper]

Know what you mean about sills mine are the same I cleaned them up,painted etc then covered with plastic trims to hide damage.

Got some scabs starting on arches and top of drivers sill by door though that I want to sort over summer....... time permitting

Like me I am quite attached to it aswell for some strange reason.