Fitting Braided Brake Lines

[Jimbob 2705]

Doing my Brake Refresh today hopefully - new discs, pads, braided brake lines and new fluid

Happy enough with the discs and pads as I've done them before, and reading on the bleeding side of things it looks easy enough as I've got an Eezibleed kit

Just wondering if it's a case of literally unscrewing the old lines off and fitting the new ones, and then bleeding the system? (Obviously making sure the system is kept up fully and does goes below the min line)

I'm hoping the brake fluid I've got (ATE Superblue) is a different colour to the old stuff, so it's easy to see the colour change when bleeding each caliper...

Many Thanks, James

 

[JB21]

Snap, doing my lines today as well and the NSR hard line from caliper to flexi as its rusted to s**t. For the front lines unscrew at the bulk head first then once free undo at the caliper, reverse when fitting. Not sure on the rear but pressume its the same process. Get rid of the black tube of the bleed kit and use the clear tube as its a better fit, i just cable tie it onto each bleed nipple as well for added security. The system takes around a litre and if you have the blue stuff its easy as, I've got the gold so to be sure i use around a litre and half.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

 

[barnesautos]

A little tip when you come across seized brake lines where the pipe meets the flexy. As you are changing them to new braided it doesn't matter what happens now to the original one . Many have had to have been cut and then cut along the outer metal part where the pipe and union go into it . Doing this is time consuming but when finished , what an achievement and not spending more money on replacing pipes ect .

 

[Tommo.]

Yes, in theory, it's as simple as that. Just be careful you don't round anything off (easily done with seized brake lines).

 

[bloke]

first off make sure the nipples and the metal pipes crack off ok, if not then 50/50 acetone and atf on them couple of times and leave to soak in for day or two.

if you want to grab a set of these they make the job ten times easier...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Fu...398371?hash=item46361a36e3:g:dgIAAOSwEeFU-2ZN

unscrew the metal line from the start of the flexi pipe, when it's off cap it so it doesn't drop fluid. then undo the other end. screw new flexi into the calliper first and then hook it in place and screw the metal pipe in to the top. crack the nipple open and give it 30 seconds or so and that should push most if not all of the air out of the pipe.

on the rear do it the same way but you let fluid run through the flexi before you connect the metal pipe to the end of it.

do it that way and you'll get 90% if not all of the air out of the flexi and that way will need minimal bleeding r just makes it that bit easier if you're doing a full fluid change.

 

[JB21]

Well mine attempt failed before it started, rounded of the first nut, lol. The rest of the brake line is rusted as well so needs a full new line making up.

 

[bloke]

d'oh!!

forgot to ask if the hoses got to you but assumed they did.

 

[Tommo.]

Well mine attempt failed before it started, rounded of the first nut, lol. The rest of the brake line is rusted as well so needs a full new line making up.

Ah sorry to hear that mate!! So frustrating but hopefully easily sorted.

I have a set of Facom flanged flare nut spanners, well worth having for jobs like this.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/FACOM-43-series-4-Piece-FLANGED-FLARE-NUT-SPANNER-WRENCH-SET-8-sizes-7-14mm-/181242594769?hash=item2a32e685d1:g:23UAAOxyEoFSYwFA&_trkparms=pageci%3A80c3b3b1-6230-11e6-838e-0050568f6852%7Cparentrq%3A8995d7e21560a350d8eca7b0fff037b9%7Ciid%3A1

 

[JB21]

d'oh!!

forgot to ask if the hoses got to you but assumed they did.

Yeah received mate, thanks for that. The lady at the counter when i picked them up said the postage will have been expensive, if so mate let me know the difference and I'll fire it over.

 

[bloke]

It's cool. Don't worry about it.

 

[JB21]

Ah sorry to hear that mate!! So frustrating but hopefully easily sorted.

I have a set of Facom flanged flare nut spanners, well worth having for jobs like this.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/FACOM-43-series-4-Piece-FLANGED-FLARE-NUT-SPANNER-WRENCH-SET-8-sizes-7-14mm-/181242594769?hash=item2a32e685d1:g:23UAAOxyEoFSYwFA&_trkparms=pageci%3A80c3b3b1-6230-11e6-838e-0050568f6852%7Cparentrq%3A8995d7e21560a350d8eca7b0fff037b9%7Ciid%3A1

Defo need some flare nut spanners, changing my abs pump recently without them was fun...

 

[Rystar]

I Did this exact task yesterday.
I'd been spraying WD-40 on the unions for last week to try and help when it came to change day. I purchased some cheapy flare spanners but these didn't really fit so had to go open ended. Luckily the unions came undone. Just a manner of remove and replace after that. The rear lines seemed to be fairly corroded into the mount on mine so a large screwdriver and hammer was used.

Bleeding in the new fluid using an eezibleed was easy (would you believe 😂) and went with ATE Supergold. Not really a different colour from conventional fluid, but managed to drain through about a litres worth and the fluid was definitely clearer than what was in there initially so i'd say the best part has been changed. Obviously if you;re using blue the change will be visually easier to see.

Not a bad job all in all, your brakes should feel better for it!

 

[Jimbob 2705]

Thanks all, some really good info on here!

Must confess I didn't actually get around to doing it, my mate who was going to help but couldn't make it so it will be done one evening this week!

What size flare spanners do I need? Tempted to get some, especially if it makes life easier

 

[JB21]

Thanks all, some really good info on here!

Must confess I didn't actually get around to doing it, my mate who was going to help but couldn't make it so it will be done one evening this week!

What size flare spanners do I need? Tempted to get some, especially if it makes life easier

11mm for most brake lines on the CS.

 

[Stay Puft]

Just pay someone to do it. Sounds like a pain of a job. Rentech the legend did mine.

 

[leeds2592]

This thread doesn't inspire me with confidence to do mine. I've had some braided lines sat in my garage for 6 months.

 

[Tommo.]

It's really not that bad, but you need a good quality set of flare nut spanners IMO, otherwise you will round something off. I really rate the Facom ones, which I liked to above, for the money. :up:

 

[JB21]

As @Tommo. says its a piece of pi$$ if you have the correct tools and the nuts come loose without rounding off. My advise soak them for 2-3 days before twice a day and then attack it. I could of just got mole grips on mine but just lost interest once the first nut rounded. I need new hard lines anyway so will just get the garage to do mine all in one hit.

 

[Rystar]

Mine were left soaking in WD-40 every night for 7-10 days before changing. Unions came undone with an open ended spanner without rounding. Its all luck of the draw and obviously depends on corrosion etc but it didn't seem like that bad of a job. Of course you've always got the possibility of unions being rusted onto lines and twisting off when undoing them, which would leave you stranded in need of a new hard pipe. You'd be insanely unlucky for this to happen but still a possibility to be considered!!

 

[Jimbob 2705]

11mm for most brake lines on the CS.

Something like that do the job?

Or am I better off just getting a full set of sizes, bare in mind I'll probably never use them again

 

[leeds2592]

Pity you aren't closer @Jimbob 2705 as we could have tackled this together, I really want to have a bash at it but don't fancy buggering the brakes up!

 

[Budgie]

View attachment 162327
Something like that do the job?

Or am I better off just getting a full set of sizes, bare in mind I'll probably never use them again

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/spanners-wrenches/halfords-professional-flare-spanner

£5.29 at Halfords.

 

[Jimbob 2705]

Pity you aren't closer @Jimbob 2705 as we could have tackled this together, I really want to have a bash at it but don't fancy buggering the brakes up!

That is a shame! Luckily I've got a mate who is fairly mechanically minded who's offered to help, but just thought I'd try and get as much information and tools needed before we start

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/spanners-wrenches/halfords-professional-flare-spanner

£5.29 at Halfords.

You sir are a legend! Good price too, especially with a lifetime guarantee

I'll call by after work today,
I see they come in two sizes on the same spanner so it's 9&11mm together, any other sizes I need?

 

[Budgie]

That is a shame! Luckily I've got a mate who is fairly mechanically minded who's offered to help, but just thought I'd try and get as much information and tools needed before we start


You sir are a legend! Good price too, especially with a lifetime guarantee

I'll call by after work today,
I see they come in two sizes on the same spanner so it's 9&11mm together, any other sizes I need?

Nope, 11mm is fine. Then just use regular tools for everything else.

 

[PhilT]

Just my fronts today (Rear has K-Tec on already, so I'll leave those for now). I put new suspension and calipers on the other other week, so it was a fairly painless job.
I did it this way to try to minimise the amount of air:
1. Loosen off old hose from caliper. If it's really tight, you'll be taking the caliper off later anyway, so don't go crazy on it.
2. Unbolt the caliper but leave it where it is for now.
3. Remove old hose from car (Stick a take away plastic tray next to the drive shaft to catch drips).
4. Attach new hose to car (We'll do the final tighten later) with the cap still on the other end.
5. Unscrew cap until fluid comes out so you know the new hose has fluid in it.
6. Remove caliper.
7. Remove old hose from caliper (Try to keep the caliper uprights so no fluid comes out).
8. Remove cap from new hose and screw the caliper onto the hose (Might sound odd but the hose is attached at the other end).
9. Refit caliper to car. This is a good time to make sure the hose is tight into the caliper.
10. If the hose is coiled (i.e. it's not nice and straight), undo the car end of the hose and adjust so it sits nicely.
11. Tighten car end.
12. Bleed brakes to make sure you have the air out.

 

[Sam Linssner]

i did mine myself with minimal mechanical skill/knowledge. just take it slow and do it right. and when doing the rears don't lie under the car with your mouth open when you release the lines. you will get a mouth full of brake fluid and it really does not taste nice :mask:

 

[Jimbob 2705]

Thanks for all the help all, finally got around to actually changing them and surprisingly it went very well!

Lines all changed, nothing too difficult to undo but the flared nut spanner was really useful

When it came to bleeding the brakes a couple of the bleed nippled were difficult to undo, but nothing a sharp hit didn't sort - Bled with an Eezibleed kit and it was nice and simple

Brakes feel a lot better now, much more solid and sharper

Only thing I've found is the pedal travel seems quite a bit more than it used to be? (Before the brakes activate)
Not sure what that would be from as there's no air locks that I can tell, and the brakes aren't spongy in anyway - I'm wondering if it's to do with the order I bled the brakes in? As there was loads of conflicting ways