Brake pipes on cars.

[davidphilips]

Just a mater of interest if anyone changes there own brake pipes, Fitted new brake pipes last year and made the horrible mistake of buying a roll of brake pipe from an auction site E some thing under £10 for 25 feet, anyway took car to MOT and it failed because of rusty brake pipes.

Pipes i fitted actually 11 months ago looked and was described as Copper Nickel Brake Pipe Hose but dont believe it, not worth fitting even if it where free pay a bit more and fit quality pipe once and forget about it.

Bit upsetting to have to do same job less than a year latter and having only driven the car less than 3,000 miles and having to book a retest and pay another fee.

 

[cougie uk]

Yeah. I'm not cutting corners on the brakes. You'd pay more for brake cable!

 

[Drago]

Cunifer is the usual stuff, although cupro-nickel is also used. Cunifer takes a long time to corrode and doesn't work harden and split with vibration, so tends to be the norm from t'factory.

Anything like that I slather on the Bilt Hamber when I'm done.

 

[BoldonLad]

It is a long time ago now, (25 years at a guess) but, I did once change a couple of brake pipes on son's Peugeot 205. At 4 years old, it failed MOT for rusty brake pipes. I bought the pipes ready made from Peugeot dealer. Wouldn't buy "cheap" for brakes or tyres.

 

[Electric_Andy]

It's a bit hit or miss depending on who's doing the MOT. My uncle had advisories for brake pipes for over 10 years. He'd just polish up the visible rusty bits and cover with grease. Surface rust doesn't necessarily mean it's going to rust through, but I always book it into a garage them to fit their approved ones. £25 for my Fiesta, well worth it for peace of mind and they'd do a better job than I could

 

[Jody]

I'll do my own brake pipes but usually get a local factor to make up against the old pattern

 

[rogerzilla]

Factory pipes are usually steel because it's cheap, strong and they have the kit to make the bends in it.

 

[davidphilips]

Thanks for the replies and advice guys, the worst bit is no garage room lots of rain and remembering the one brake pipe that goes above the petrol tank, took me ages to get the pipe fitted along with some rather unpleasant language and thoughts i would do a Basel Faulty with a tree branch.

 

[tyred]

I don't have the tools but on the 205 over the years, I removed them and took them to a friend who is a mechanic and got him to make them and I refitted them. I didn't do all at once, just as they needed doing.

There is a knack in getting the rear pipes unhooked from above the petrol tank on a 205. It involves lots of swearing, kicking things around the garage and fighting the urge to go and buy a newer car.

 

[Chromatic]

It's a bit hit or miss depending on who's doing the MOT. My uncle had advisories for brake pipes for over 10 years. He'd just polish up the visible rusty bits and cover with grease. Surface rust doesn't necessarily mean it's going to rust through, but I always book it into a garage them to fit their approved ones. £25 for my Fiesta, well worth it for peace of mind and they'd do a better job than I could

A good few years ago I was once advised of slight corrosion on a brake pipe when I had my then car tested, I never did anything about it at the time and it was never mentioned again at any of the subsequent MOT tests on the same car at the same garage.

 

[midlife]

I don't really think about brake pipes like I did in the 80's - 90's, I just assumed they were rust proof stainless steel nowadays....

 

[Drago]

I think modern cars are well set. My Volvos have all had a thick plasticky covering and don't suffer.

Thinking back I recall I've done them twice, once in my mk2 Astra decades ago, and once on a friends Nova.

The issue with advisories is that there are no set rules, the tester can comment about what he or she wants provided it's safety related, even if it's not a testable item. I omce had an advisory for a dull rear window on a cabriolet! They are told that they should not use advisories to make comments about manufacturer plastic panels preventing inspection of certain items, but a surprising number do on a CYA basis.

 

[davidphilips]

It's a bit hit or miss depending on who's doing the MOT. My uncle had advisories for brake pipes for over 10 years. He'd just polish up the visible rusty bits and cover with grease. Surface rust doesn't necessarily mean it's going to rust through, but I always book it into a garage them to fit their approved ones. £25 for my Fiesta, well worth it for peace of mind and they'd do a better job than I could

You are so right Andy, Actually after reading your post went out cleaned both so called corroded/pitted brake pipes wiped them down with oil look ok but they are still the pipes that tester said where corroded/pitted, Here in N/Ireland there is about 4 months waiting list for MOTs and you can only book a test 3 months before a vehicle is due a test? but retests are so easy well car had failed test at 12 noon and got a retest at 18.45 and passed same day same brake pipes?
Have known guys booking tests and driving 70 miles to a test center because theres been an appointment and another 70 home.
Will replace the pipes first time the weather looks like it will stay dry but no hurry now.
Only my view but cheap pipes on an auction site are not worth fitting even if free and as you said Andy it seems to depend on who is doing the MOT?
Maybe just unlucky in the morning or else very lucky that evening?

 

[Pale Rider]

Years ago at the garage I worked in we had a bulk roll of brake pipe which we also called Bundy tubing.

We had several little jigs to do the bends and another to flare the ends for the olives, which we also kept in stock.

Us mechanics also had brake nut spanners - a ring spanner with a gap in the ring to enable you to get the spanner over the pipe to reach the locking nut.

Does any of this still apply, or is it all hopelessly out of date?

 

[Drago]

I still have a brake pipe spanner. 11 or 12mm, or thereabouts, if my age and Guinness addled brain remembers correctly.