View Full Version : Replacing/making own rigid brake lines(copper tube)
Anyone done this?
Any tips? Lol
Is it best bend the tube to fit the car, then fit it? Or bend it whilst under the car?
Ive got to replace every line on the car lol
Royston
25-10-07, 06:38 PM
Take all the lines off the car carefully and use them as a pattern to make the replacements
I redone the front ones on mine in copper, wasn't that bad really, just had a measure up and made the first few bends off the car to get them pointing in the right direction, you can get pipe benders but i just bent mine around a small aerosol can.
If you've got the old ones maybe just make a copy while its off the car.
Rich
I had to cut most of the old ones to bits to get them off the car.... lol
I guess i'll have to just bend it as i go.
mikey14sr
25-10-07, 07:10 PM
I guess i'll have to just bend it as i go.
lol
Thats the way I used to do them, did quite a few whilst working in mot stations.
staggy_gsi
25-10-07, 07:12 PM
i usually bend them as i go along, unless i manage to get the old one off in one piece which is very rare!
Lol
Thats the weekends job then.
coochiSR
25-10-07, 08:06 PM
Yeah, easy Ad ;) Good luck!
Saloony
25-10-07, 09:18 PM
Always bend them by hand, meself. Get the length then with both old and new pipe in hands follow along making the bends giving you the pattern. Copper is very forgiving will go wherever you want, nice to work with.
just run them through the car...job done :thumb:
Thats more work tho /\ Lol
craig green
26-10-07, 10:45 AM
The more time & patience you have, the better the outcome.
My mate has just done the copper lines on his mk1 Golf he's restoring & the technique he has used is quite stunning. The lines look awesome & its totally done by hand. Smoothing out all the kinks etc.
Good luck with the flaring tool, that seems tricky IMO.
Indeed, ive heard the flaring bit is very difficult to do to get a good fluid tight seal.
Hoping the flarer and tube cutter are here tomorrow so i can crack on.
Nah not to bad to flare the ends, just have a few practise goes first, the only fiddly bit is getting the right amount of tubing sticking thru the clamp to flare over, the guide i got with mine was crap so just had to use a bit of triel & error ... also don't forget to put the sleeve nut on before for flare the end !! lol
Aye, also have to remember the little rubber pipe things for the pipe to sit in the metal floor clamps. lol
Think i need make a post-it note to remind myself.
craig green
26-10-07, 10:20 PM
All good fun. Me & Andy Bishop were chuckling at our attempts back in Feb.
Go see him, I think he mastered it.
Saloony
26-10-07, 11:03 PM
Flaring is easy, also make sure you have a nice flat face on the end of pipe your flaring.
Right, got the flaring tool delivered today. And tbh it is some cheap s**te effort so i dont expect amazing results.
Had a go and it just bent the end of the pipe instead of flaring it,Hmmm.
Am i doing it right?(theres no instructions with it)
The kit looks like this:
http://i15.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/bd/a7/ed48_1_b.JPG
Im puttting the brake pipe in the metal clamp, tightening it, leaving about 1/4" sticking out the clamp, then fitting the 3/16s die, and the screw handle thingy lol
And screwing that down so it presses down on the die, pressing the pipe.
That sound right?
nathan.
27-10-07, 03:45 PM
Don't have the pipe sticking out. Have it level with the clamp.
Ive never used one of these kits before, looks difficult to use though
nathan.
27-10-07, 03:48 PM
http://www.baconsdozen.co.uk/motorhome/flaring.htm
Cool site.
I'll try that then and report back later.
Good job ive got plenty of pipe to practise on lol
nathan.
27-10-07, 03:59 PM
Also, which adapter are you using. Sould be an op1 3/16 if your using male connectors/screws.
Nova uses male unions.
Im using the 3/16 one that came in the kit, it has like a pin end on it(to go into the pipe)
Just need to do single flares too afaik. Double flares are only needed for female unions.
nathan.
27-10-07, 04:09 PM
Nova uses male unions.
Im using the 3/16 one that came in the kit, it has like a pin end on it(to go into the pipe)
Just need to do single flares too afaik. Double flares are only needed for female unions.
Thats right mate. Single flair - op 1. double flair - op 2
Cool :)
I'll go have a crack at one,Lol.
Had a few goes, and its not going well lol
The flares dont look too well, and it doesn't seem to flare them straight :(
More practise me thinks, or get a decent vice mounted flare tool.
I've got the same flaring tool, i never managed to get 'good looking' flared ends but they seemed to work ok, not had any leaks.
These are the obstructions i got with mine ...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/ricmetcalf/DSC00135.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/ricmetcalf/DSC00136.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/ricmetcalf/DSC00140.jpg
Where it says to use the same size adaptor to set the height of the tubing where it sticks out, i found it best to use the 1/4" adaptor to set the height when using 3/16" tubing.
Rich
Cheers Rich.
I managed to get two decent ones on one tube, and thats fitted to the front passenger side, so that ones sorted.
Just the longer lines to do now,Lol.
Got all of the lines on today after work.
Put a bit of fluid in the reservoir to check for leaks, and yep, most of the unions are leaking :roll: lol
I guess i should of bought a proper tool in the first place.
Not sure what to do now, cba take all the lines off again.
Didn't want to go mad with them, as ive heard it can crack the flare, with the copper being soft :(
nathan.
30-10-07, 06:42 PM
yeah tighten them a bit more.
I never had any probs when doing mine, once the end was flared i fitted it and tightened it up (not fully) then removed it to make sure it had formed properly (looked more like the origional flare once tightened), then re-fitted it and gave it a good nip up. Can't see it cracking the tubing tbh ... will just squash it more i'd say.
Rich
Will have to see tomorrow which ones are leaking.
Just checked the mc ones, and 3 out of the 4 are leaking lol
So tightened them fully(with a spanner), and they seem ok now. Will see tomorrow if they are still leaking. Cba lie underneath the car tonight to check the rear ones lol
coochiSR
30-10-07, 07:11 PM
Gayer, atleast you've got there, kinda, in the end. Any more left to do?
Nah, all the pipes are on, soundly. They were easy to fit.
Its just the flared ends that are being gay.
coochiSR
30-10-07, 07:25 PM
Goodies, gotta bleed them too?
Bleeding is not much use to me until i sort the leaks lol
coochiSR
30-10-07, 07:34 PM
Yeah, you know what i mean :p
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