Do these brakes pipes need doing and what to do with them?

[sunbeam alpine]

PistonAFC said:

sunbeam alpine said:

In fairness, you could easily spend up to an hour on each one - depending on how hard it is to get the old pipes disconnected - followed by forming and connecting the pipes.

It's the sort of job I'd rather price on the high side - it's easier to knock a bit off the bill than to ask for more!

Edit: If you're replacing the flexibles as well you might save a bit of time as you don't have to worry about damage when dismantling!

Plus you need to bleed the system afterwards. Is this included in the price maybe?

Edited by sunbeam alpine on Monday 8th June 21:58

If it takes an hour , isn't it better to just run a new pipes back to front? How much extra time would it take to do full pipes compared to just 4 individual corners.

If brake hoses are needed for each corner then that will push the cost to around £200 which may make the car uneconomical to repair as car is only worth around £1000-1200 and may be I can sell it for > £1000 in its present state and save myself some hassle.

I would say that it depends on access, and also how difficult it would be to disconnect at a junction. I'd probably choose to cut the line somewhere and join it (so long as the rest of the pipe is good) rather than fiddle about.

I once spent a weekend replacing all the brake lines on my LR Disco after they failed. It was not a fun experience. If someone is offering to sort your car for £100, let him do it!

[paintman]

PistonAFC said:

The £25 per corner is for the joint with new copper pipe to the old pipe as in the pic and bleeding the system. He said her can't use steel or cupronickel (cunifer) as he needs to bend it and copper is only one he can use or is it not proper to mix metals when connecting pipes together?

I was thinking of buying some delphi brake hoses just in case they are needed and return them if not. The local dealers sell Borg and Beck brake hose pipes and I've never heard of them. I try to fit quality stuff so the job doesn't have to be done again.

I was selling Borg & Beck stuff when I worked in a motor factors. In 1976. It was an old name then!

[PistonAFC]

paintman said:

I was selling Borg & Beck stuff when I worked in a motor factors. In 1976. It was an old name then!

old brand != quality (ergo fiat, chrysler, peugeot, i could go on)

[paintman]

Problem with a lot of old names is that the companies no longer exist, the trading name was bought & the new owner of the name could be buying stuff in at the cheapest possible price & putting it in a box with a known name on it so you think you're buying the good stuff.
You MIGHT be safer just buying parts in from your vehicle's franchised dealer, only issue there is you might get a 50p part in a £50 box.

You could consider buying a new metal brake line from your car's franchised dealer. It will be the whole thing but at least it will be the genuine thing (you hope!).
That said, a customer of mine always bought his from the Ford dealer because they were the correct material (steel), the correct bends & the correct colour. You might think that a bit strange, but in the world of concours competition he took part in these things mattered.

[Burnzyb]

I’ve had success in re bending steel pipe, my s6 had a sordid history, and before doing the Scottish run I thought it’d be wise to rebuild the brakes, came to one of the rears and was greeted by this lovely mess



Just a standard cheap flaring kit, some patience and using different tools to help re bend the pipe I managed to salvage the factory steel pipe.

[Burnzyb]

I don’t know if it’s come out well in the photo but the brake pipe and bracket has been squashed against the body and creased and folded the brake line just above the Union.