Renewing brake pipes

[Baz94]

Guys,
I've sprung a problem, well a leak really, I think its coming from the brake pipes above the fuel tank and the reservoir seems a little low. Without exploring this a little further, are the pipes one piece or is there a union above it, meaning removing the tank. What's the size of the brake unions and any tips would be handy and I dont mean rubbish, pg, money etc before anyone suggests
Baz

[Albannach]

The pipes are one piece. There's no need to remove the tank, but it's an awkward job to do them.

[Baz94]

The pipes are one piece. There's no need to remove the tank, but it's an awkward job to do them.

Thanks my man, would you know if they're standard 3/16" pipe and 10mm nuts?

[Albannach]

Thanks my man, would you know if they're standard 3/16" pipe and 10mm nuts?

As far as I recall, yes.

[fatfires]

Thanks my man, would you know if they're standard 3/16" pipe and 10mm nuts?

Yes but get long thread ones! - the job is easier with the tank out, the pipe is probably corroded through in the corner of the cross member forard of the rear wheel arch. If you are planning to renew only the back bit be aware the original pipe is a bugga to flare!

[GRASSMAN]

Hi Baz94,

Don't try to do them in one piece, you will only end up kinking the pipe, I did.
Split it just before the tank, there's just enough room to get the flaring tool
in, under the rear passengers seat, there's a flap in the floor pan that makes
it easier to get to the pipes and clips over the tank, use copper pipe, do NOT
try to flare the original pipe its, steel, and it will stress crack in the flare and
leak. (I know) allways refit all the pipe clips, while you're under there change all the rear pipes, it saves another job later. BTW only change one pipe at once. 3/16 dia copper pipe and long series metric nuts. Here's a tip, at the master cylinder cut the pipe and flatten it, saves fluid leaking all over the place, and saves having to bleed it later.

Hope this helps.

Gman.

[Albannach]

2 questions (not taking the pi$$, I'm genuinely interested in the thinking here).

Why long thread nuts, what's wrong with the original length?

Why make a joint in the new pipe? Surely that's introducing 3 unnecessary failure points.

[GRASSMAN]

2 questions.

Why long thread nuts, what's wrong with the original length?

Why make a joint in the new pipe? Surely that's introducing 3 unnecessary failure points.

Hi Albannach,

Long series nuts allway bottom out in the other fitting thus making sure it can't leak.

Fair comment, but, 18/20 foot of brake pipe, under a car is not an easy thing
to handle, and bend around all the corners under there never mind getting
it back into the clips. MAKE sure it does not leak.

The easy way is to remove the body from the chassis and do it from above
like Toyota do.

Gman.

[BUSHWHACKER]

A photo (tank removed) for anyone wanting to know what brake lines these blokes are talking about.

[Albannach]

Hi Albannach,

Long series nuts allway bottom out in the other fitting thus making sure it can't leak.

Fair comment, but, 18/20 foot of brake pipe, under a car is not an easy thing
to handle, and bend around all the corners under there never mind getting
it back into the clips. MAKE sure it does not leak.

The easy way is to remove the body from the chassis and do it from above
like Toyota do.

Gman.

I personally wouldn't make a joint where there wasn't one before (metal fatigue, failure points etc..), if I couldn't reach to fit the pipe, I'd take the tank out.

But as always, there's always more than one way to skin a dog.

[hiroler]

its only a few bolts to remove the tank so i would say do it with the tank removed! and for best results do it when the tanks is empty as i discovered its quite heavy when full!

[Baz94]

CHRIST!...What a job that was, had to first syphon the tank as it was 3/4's full (lovely taste that diesel), could'nt get one of the bolts out of the tank guard, so drilled it out, then I could'nt get the tank down as the filler hoses were holding it back and I could'nt get at the rusted jubilee clips holding them on, managed to use 2 screwdrivers to lever the tank forward off the front lip hence dropping enough to rip the clips off. Halfway making up the brake pipes my 3/16" die snapped so had to buy a new kit and when I finally bled the brakes all round, the pedal still kept dropping to the floor, after a few minutes scratching my head I found the nipple on the what I now knows an lsv.
All back together and hopefully years of trouble free motoring to come
Baz
p.s If you've got this to do? Good luck to ya

[Albannach]

p.s If you've got this to do? Good luck to ya

I took mine to a garage, feck all that messing about...

[jeff.fn02jwa]

i would

i would remove the tank to just to have a good look at what i was up to

[Le-Chardon]

1mm or 1.25mm?

Hi,

I appreciate that this is an old thread, but can anyone confirm whether the 10mm pipe fittings are 1mm or 1.25mm?

I'm guessing 1mm, but I'd like to be sure before I start.

Many thanks

Alan