RR Silver Shadow flexi-hose replacement

[varsas]

First of all hello!

I'm a new owner of a 1969 RR Silver Shadow. Sadly it's blown one of it's flexible hoses, it's one of the three running to the front height control valve. I want to replace all three of these hoses.

I can't figure out what parts to use. I've looked on flying spares and they only list parts for the rear height control system, also all the hoses they list are standard low-pressure ones. The workshop manual implies that two of the pipes are high pressure, which means they need special high pressure hoses? (The high pressure hoses flying spares sell are about 6 times more expensive than the low pressure ones).

Does anyone know where I can get the correct hoses from? Are the rear hoses the same as the front?
If not, does anyone know if standard flexi-hoses for brake applications would be OK? (I have a company newby who could make some for me)

Thanks in advance!

[V8 FOU]

Talk to Flying Spares, they are always helpful. No reason why you can't get them made by a hp hose company either.

[varsas]

V8 FOU said:

Talk to Flying Spares, they are always helpful. No reason why you can't get them made by a hp hose company either.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm just worried about the whole high pressure/low pressure thing. Do you know which ones are high and which ones are not?

While taking the hoses off, I discovered that I also need the fixed hoses to the front height control valve...

[Byteme]

varsas said:

First of all hello!

I'm a new owner of a 1969 RR Silver Shadow. Sadly it's blown one of it's flexible hoses, it's one of the three running to the front height control valve. I want to replace all three of these hoses.

I can't figure out what parts to use. I've looked on flying spares and they only list parts for the rear height control system, also all the hoses they list are standard low-pressure ones. The workshop manual implies that two of the pipes are high pressure, which means they need special high pressure hoses? (The high pressure hoses flying spares sell are about 6 times more expensive than the low pressure ones).

Does anyone know where I can get the correct hoses from? Are the rear hoses the same as the front?
If not, does anyone know if standard flexi-hoses for brake applications would be OK? (I have a company newby who could make some for me)

Thanks in advance!

Unless you have definite proof that other hoses have been replaced you need a full set. Apart from the three braided hoses they're all cheap so just go ahead and fit the entire car set.

The accumulators store a maximum pressure of 2500psi and are recharged at 2200psi. All of this can potentially be released to the brakes and height control via the conventional rubber hoses you are confusing as being "low pressure". All of the brake hoses are on the high pressure side.

The three expensive hoses are the two leading from the accumulators to supply the brake distribution valves with the third supplying the rear height control. These are ALWAYS under maximum 2200-2500psi pressure every second the car is running and therefore must be of superior construction.

All of that good stuff aside I would go with you original suggestion of using the company "newby". We love watching vodka fuelled third world car crashes on YouTube but please, don't bring that stuff onto our roads.

[varsas]

Byteme said:

varsas said:

First of all hello!

I'm a new owner of a 1969 RR Silver Shadow. Sadly it's blown one of it's flexible hoses, it's one of the three running to the front height control valve. I want to replace all three of these hoses.

I can't figure out what parts to use. I've looked on flying spares and they only list parts for the rear height control system, also all the hoses they list are standard low-pressure ones. The workshop manual implies that two of the pipes are high pressure, which means they need special high pressure hoses? (The high pressure hoses flying spares sell are about 6 times more expensive than the low pressure ones).

Does anyone know where I can get the correct hoses from? Are the rear hoses the same as the front?
If not, does anyone know if standard flexi-hoses for brake applications would be OK? (I have a company newby who could make some for me)

Thanks in advance!

Unless you have definite proof that other hoses have been replaced you need a full set. Apart from the three braided hoses they're all cheap so just go ahead and fit the entire car set.

The accumulators store a maximum pressure of 2500psi and are recharged at 2200psi. All of this can potentially be released to the brakes and height control via the conventional rubber hoses you are confusing as being "low pressure". All of the brake hoses are on the high pressure side.

The three expensive hoses are the two leading from the accumulators to supply the brake distribution valves with the third supplying the rear height control. These are ALWAYS under maximum 2200-2500psi pressure every second the car is running and therefore must be of superior construction.

All of that good stuff aside I would go with you original suggestion of using the company "newby". We love watching vodka fuelled third world car crashes on YouTube but please, don't bring that stuff onto our roads.

Thanks for your help.

I'm trying to do things properly, that's why I'm asking when unsure. As for 'confusing them as being low pressure' the workshop manual makes a distinction between 'high' and 'low' pressure, it's now clear that's not the same distinction flying spares makes. I had assumed that was the case, but wanted to be sure. The car was purchased from a RR specialist, and had a recent MOT, so I was not expecting to find issues like this.

I hope the last line of your reply was meant in jest. If it was then it's in appallingly bad taste, otherwise I do feel quite sorry for you.

Edited by varsas on Monday 6th October 06:49

[ecurie]

The 3 hoses all have the same official partn° UR14327.
When quoting this, Flying Spares should be able to provide you with the correct hoses or propose a good alternative

[varsas]

ecurie said:

The 3 hoses all have the same official partn° UR14327.
When quoting this, Flying Spares should be able to provide you with the correct hoses or propose a good alternative

Great, thanks!

[Byteme]

varsas said:

Thanks for your help.

I'm trying to do things properly, that's why I'm asking when unsure. As for 'confusing them as being low pressure' the workshop manual makes a distinction between 'high' and 'low' pressure, it's now clear that's not the same distinction flying spares makes. I had assumed that was the case, but wanted to be sure. The car was purchased from a RR specialist, and had a recent MOT, so I was not expecting to find issues like this.

I hope the last line of your reply was meant in jest. If it was then it's in appallingly bad taste, otherwise I do feel quite sorry for you.

Edited by varsas on Monday 6th October 06:49

As indeed I hope was yours regarding regarding the newby making up brake hoses.

[varsas]

Byteme said:

varsas said:

Thanks for your help.

I'm trying to do things properly, that's why I'm asking when unsure. As for 'confusing them as being low pressure' the workshop manual makes a distinction between 'high' and 'low' pressure, it's now clear that's not the same distinction flying spares makes. I had assumed that was the case, but wanted to be sure. The car was purchased from a RR specialist, and had a recent MOT, so I was not expecting to find issues like this.

I hope the last line of your reply was meant in jest. If it was then it's in appallingly bad taste, otherwise I do feel quite sorry for you.

Edited by varsas on Monday 6th October 06:49

As indeed I hope was yours regarding regarding the newby making up brake hoses.

That was a mis-type of 'nearby' (I could take the pipes/hoses in and have them copied, but wasn't sure of what I needed to ask for). Sorry for the confusion.

[Byteme]

I would ignore the fact that the car has had an MOT. The MOT test has never taken into account the way these sytems system operate. It's perfectly possible for a 33+ year old car to pass the brake test but still be dangerously defective on the road. Alternatively, as these systems always leaked fluid, a tester could have failed each and every car at the first test.

I would suggest that you do a thorough check of the whole car and if you find anything obvious go back to the specialist you bought it from who in all probability knew the fault was there.

These hoses are expensive but in order to have them made you would need the supplier to pressure test them well above 2500psi to ensure you have a safety margin that you could rely on. Rolls-Royce recommended both of the braided accumulator hoses be changed every four years.

[varsas]

Byteme said:

I would ignore the fact that the car has had an MOT. The MOT test has never taken into account the way these sytems system operate. It's perfectly possible for a 33+ year old car to pass the brake test but still be dangerously defective on the road. Alternatively, as these systems always leaked fluid, a tester could have failed each and every car at the first test.

I would suggest that you do a thorough check of the whole car and if you find anything obvious go back to the specialist you bought it from who in all probability knew the fault was there.

These hoses are expensive but in order to have them made you would need the supplier to pressure test them well above 2500psi to ensure you have a safety margin that you could rely on. Rolls-Royce recommended both of the braided accumulator hoses be changed every four years.

OK, thanks. Yes, was planning on spending some time looking at the rest of the system. The fixed lines you can see in the engine bay look good/new, but I expect the rest of the more hidden away ones to be just as bad as the ones I found at the front...

[varsas]

Byteme said:

varsas said:

OK, thanks. Yes, was planning on spending some time looking at the rest of the system. The fixed lines you can see in the engine bay look good/new, but I expect the rest of the more hidden away ones to be just as bad as the ones I found at the front...

The metal lines were quite durable as they were multi-plated. This, in combination with the under-body wax and the usual oil leaks, was generally enough to mean that nearly fifty years later some of these pipe still look almost new.

Front height control was dropped by the factory as it actually achieved very little. In my experience many cars that incorporated it quickly had the system blanked off as soon as a problem developed. Given the many other problems your car may have, this is probably an area best overlooked for now and only revisited when you have a have a concours car and need 100% originality.

Best when buying parts to give Roberts Hall a wide berth.

I have heard a lot of cars had it blanked off, some say this actually improved the car as the handling was better. I'll stick with Flaying Spares for now!