Help Please - Brake Pipes

Post by **Dean** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:48 pm

Evening everyone, I’m after some advice! Ok my Moggie hasn't moved for 20 years and to get it on the road I am renewing most of the braking system. What I have found on taking everything apart is that the brake fluid has evaporated and left some lumpy oxidisation. Now, I am renewing just about every component apart from the copper pipes but, I am concerned there could potentially be some contamination from some oxidisation inside the pipes when I refill the system with brake fluid.

Is there anything I can buy to flush the pipes through clean (while they are fitted to the car obviously) prior to assembly of the new components? Or would it be best to just rip them out and buy new?

Post by **paulk** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:52 pm

As new pipes are only about £20 I'd change the lot.

Ours was only layed up in 1991 but we decided to change them all and the flexi's.

Post by **Dean** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:08 pm

My concern with renewing is the general quality of new bits I'm reading about. Of the new front cylinders I bought, one didn't have very good threads and it chewed the thread on the brass union on assembly! I had to re-tap the cylinder!!

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:27 pm

I don't think you've any choice over the pipes, really. Replace 'em, if necessary making them yourself

Post by **Dean** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:39 am

Ok cheers guys, seems like replacement is the way to go.

Thanks Dean.

Post by **8009STEVE** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:56 am

Pipe flaring tool about £8.00
25 ft copper pipe about £6.00
Make your own.

Post by **superchargedfool** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:03 am

the guys are correct.

if you have any doubts when it comes to brakes you should always do the lot.

pipes are easy and cheap as well.

Post by **polo2k** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:28 pm

AGREED!

by the way, when you retapped the cylinder, what thread did you use as they will be BSP wont they? i.e. not any standard bolt thread. did you use a helicoil? im only asking because if metal has been removed then there might not be as much of a mating surface making the thread more likly to leak/shear out.

Post by **Dean** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:03 pm

polo2k can't remember the size off the top of my head (it's late

). What had happened is the clearance at the front had been drilled after tapping so there was a burr at the front end of the thread and it was the burr that stripped the thread on my brass part. I just had to clear the burr, so I didn't re-tap it completely. Sorry for the confusion.

Post by **Packedup** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:08 am

8009STEVE wrote:Pipe flaring tool about £8.00
25 ft copper pipe about £6.00
Make your own.

You might be able to get 25 foot for 6 quid, but not around here! I thought about making the pipes up for the pickup, but it was going to cost around the same to buy the right unions and enough pipe as a full set ready made came to. Ready mades are the right length and someone else has already put them together, so for what little cost saving there might be (at the local prices) I didn't have to think long and hard about paying £30 for a set off the shelf.

Post by **Dean** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:17 pm

Packedup wrote:
8009STEVE wrote:Pipe flaring tool about £8.00
25 ft copper pipe about £6.00
Make your own.
You might be able to get 25 foot for 6 quid, but not around here! I thought about making the pipes up for the pickup, but it was going to cost around the same to buy the right unions and enough pipe as a full set ready made came to. Ready mades are the right length and someone else has already put them together, so for what little cost saving there might be (at the local prices) I didn't have to think long and hard about paying £30 for a set off the shelf.

Yes but after spending the whole day trying to fit the "already cut to size" £20 ones, my worse nightmare........ most of them have been cut a tad too short!! I think as I now have the unions, the length of copper and tool is the way to go. I'm not a happy bunny, after making three big orders for parts, the last one in excess of £300.... I'm not impressed with minor parts quality.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:08 pm

Thread size for front cylinders and master cylinder etc is 3/8 UNF - NOT BSP!!! Rear axle connections are 3/8 BSF, and yes it's always worth running a tap up the threads before fitting new connections.

Post by **alex_holden** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:10 pm

The brake pipe set I bought from ESM fitted nicely.

Post by **bpr81a** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:17 pm

Yes, pre made pipes are cheap enough, but try buying one on a Sunday! Or add in the price of a thirty mile round trip when you need one now. (local place won't make them up anymore - something to do with insurance...) That's why I bought the flaring tool.

Post by **bpr81a** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:18 pm

Oh - and it was a good excuse to buy another tool. Can't have too many tools........

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:21 pm

Take it to events - and make up pipes for others on the spot!

Post by **Dean** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:48 pm

http://www.nfauto.co.uk/brake_flaring_tool.htm

The copper nickel option seems a good idea?

Post by **rayofleamington** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:08 pm

I'm not impressed with minor parts quality.

I know some suppliers make the pipes / pipe sets in house (maybe all do) so it's down to human error if they are too short

Post by **Packedup** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:33 am

Dean wrote:I'm not a happy bunny, after making three big orders for parts, the last one in excess of £300.... I'm not impressed with minor parts quality.

I bought some new brass screws for the gearbox cover on teh pickup, and went to fit it today. The screws have a different thread to the captives welded into the floors, from the same supplier...

Post by **Dean** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:44 am

Packedup... I've bought a full set of those too! Not the nuts though just the screws, here's hoping.