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Workshop Area - Upgrading Brake Hoses

Ensure you have all the tools you are likely to need :
  • New Stainless Steel Brake Lines
  • 1 Litre of Quality Brake Fluid (Dot 4 or Dot 5.1)
  • Small Hammer
  • Large Flat Screwdriver
  • 8mm Spanner
  • 10mm Spanner (Special Brake line Spanner if Possible)
  • 13mm Spanner (Special Brake line Spanner if Possible)
  • 14mm Spanner
  • 17mm Spanner
  • Long Nosed Mole Grips
  • Standard Jack or Trolley Jack
  • Brake Bleeding Kit
  • Clean Rags
  • Small piece of Tubing 5-6mm I/D
  • Large piece of Old Cardboard (Old Bucket)

This guide is based on the rear brake lines but the front is the same principle :
Safely Jack up the car and remove the wheel.
Familiarize yourself with the existing brake line set-up.

Make up the pipe line as illustrated below (not always supplied made up or made up correctly)

Place the cardboard or bucket under the area you are working
Loosen off the 10mm nut at the end of the solid pipeline, remove the spring clip that hold the flexible pipe in place, then pull the flexible hose free

At this point you will have fluid running out of the line (this is normal)

Place the small piece of tubing over the line and use the mole grip to pinch the pipe thus stopping the flow of fluid.

Using the 14mm spanner release the Banjo fitting and bolt from the brake caliper (make sure the existing washers have also been removed)

Pop the spring clip from the middle support bracket and pull the old pipe line free of the car

Make sure you have the rear set of line, check by comparing the lengths with the set removed at the rear.

Making sure the centre sections are completely tight, thread fit thro to the middle support bracket from the back ensuring the 17mm nut sits correctly in the middle bracket (flats on bracket will stop the 17mm nut turning) then attach the new spring clip.

Next the Banjo Fitting, fit the copper washer to either side of the Banjo fitting and fit to the caliper using the 14mm Banjo Bolt, do up tight
Making sure the pipe line is not twisted at all, if OK tighten the 13mm nut next to the Banjo.

Now at the brake line end (fixed pipe) push the pipe up into the bracket ensuring the 17mm nut sits correctly in the middle bracket (flats on bracket will stop the 17mm nut turning)
loosely tigon down the existing 10mm nut, fit the new spring clip and then tight the 10mm nut up completely

Bleeding the brake line you have been working on.

Empty and clean the reservoir the best you can. and fill up to Max with your new chosen fluid.
Remove the bleed nipple cap and undo the 8mm nut.
Bleed until the reservoir is at min (no lower) this will ensure the line has only new fluid in it.
We used a compressed air bleeding kit as shown, but there are loads of methods available.

What are the different types of brake fluid?

The three main types of brake fluid now available are DOT3, DOT4 and DOT5. DOT3 and DOT4 are glycol-based fluids, and DOT5 is silicon-based. The main difference is that DOT3 and DOT4 absorb water, while DOT5 doesn't.
One of the important characteristics of brake fluid is its boiling point. Hydraulic systems rely on an incompressible fluid to transmit force. Liquids are generally incompressible while gases are compressible. If the brake fluid boils (becomes a gas), it will lose most of its ability to transmit force. This may partially or completely disable the brakes. To make matters worse, the only time you are likely to boil your brake fluid is during a period of prolonged braking, such a drive down a mountain -- certainly not the best time for brake failure!

As a DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid absorbs water, its boiling point decreases. It can absorb water from the air, which is why you should avoid opening your car's brake fluid reservoir. For the same reason, you should always keep containers of brake fluid tightly sealed.

DOT5 fluid does not absorb water. This means the boiling point will remain relatively stable, but it also means that any water that does get into your brake system will tend to form pure water pockets, which could cause brake corrosion.

Two other important things about brake fluid: DOT3 and DOT4 eat paint, so don't spill it on your car. Also, none of the different types of brake fluid should be mixed. They can react badly with each other and corrode your brake system.

Web Links

BSR-Aerotek/
Camskill Motorsport
Ap Lockheed
Castrol

Disclaimer

We have taken great pride in the accuracy of the information given above, but vehicle manufacturers make alterations and design changes during the production run of a particular vehicle of which we can not know of. No liability can be accepted by the manufacturer or distributors for loss, damage or injury caused by any errors in, or omissions from, the information given above.
 
 
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© 1999-2002 Steve Hemming