Hi all,

 

I've been doing some work on my brakes and the last item to sort is the rear brake hoses which I was hoping would be straight forward, but its turning out to be a right pain!  

The issue is the brake union nut (onto the hard line) is spinning the steel brake hose when I'm trying to undo it. 

 

Tried all sorts to sort this, plus gas, heat, removing the plastic coating encase this was grabbing the steel line but nothing has worked.  Cant be the only person who's had the issue so was wondering how people solved this, currently thinking I'm going to have to cut the lines and remake the last sections

 

Thanks

Been there done that, it was just quicker and less faff to cut and remake.

 

Even in a vice the nuts wouldn't budge, they had become one with the pipe.

Thanks MicMac,  how close to the existing union did you cut?

 

Looks like the drivers side is a bit of faff as it quickly goes over the rear axle and around the fuel tanks (twin tanks on the 4x4).  So not really an easily accessible straight section before it gets to the passenger side suspension arm. 

 

Cheers

 

Tim 

Sorry I thought you meant the small loops of steel pipe on the calipers.

 

I have in the past cut a bad section of steel pipe out and replaced it using a butt connection, I would recommend caution as steel pipe doesn't flare that good and could leak.

 

On the Octy I went whole hog and replaced all the crusty steel lines aft of the engine compartment with DIY copper-nickel lines.

 

Most of the plastic clips broke so I cut small sections of rubber fuel line, slit them lengthwise for ease of fitment on the pipes then used cable ties around them to secure to the body where original clips were for instant vibration resistant standoffs.

Yes, I too have found they can be a faff.

 

Are you trying to undo the upper nut on the steel line just above the retaining bracket (rather than the rubber hose) and definitely anticlockwise?  It is easy to get confused with basics when you are wound up like a contortionist.

 

Clean it up with steel wire brush and some penetrating spray before hand?

 

When I did my fronts, one side was as easy as pie, minutes, the other a pain. The amount of times I had to do and undo that top connection because the steel pipe was slightly out of alignment and it constantly wanted to cross thread every time I started to do it up..... 

Its the nut that attaches to the hard steel brake line that runs the length of the car to get to the rear flex hose.  The nut is actually underneath at the rears rather than onto at the front.  

 

Undoing the nut itself wasn't an issue as I wire brushed it, plus gassed and used a little pick to remove any crust around the fitting.  The issue is that the flare has likely bonded / corroded to the inside of the flared nut and wants to spin the hard line when I'm undoing the nut.  I suspect this is worse at the rear due to increased expose to road salt.  

 

This is similar to what happens when you remove the S shaped little hard line which routes around the back of the calliper but that doesn't matter as you can replace them easily and are only £15.  The issue I have is that if I keep going too much here I'm going to snap the main hard line and will probably have to remake which would mean buying an on car flare tool and some kunifer pipe to replace a small section, something I want to avoid. 

 

I'm going to try again this weekend and try apply more heat to it and hope the corrosion breaks up it not I'll I've got one other option which is to try and spin off the flex hose from the nut rather than doing the nut, this will rely on pushing the hard line up enough to allow the flex hose to get away from the retaining tab on the body.  Then free the nut afterwards as I'll have access to the corroded flared area - I hope.. If that fails they take it to a garage or remake the ends but haven't decided which would be more cost effective. 

 

Got the idea for the flex line off first here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCn11bd3jKs

 

 

Any other tips welcome!

OK, i understand. I don't think you can do any more than that. Yes, likely corroded together.  Are both sides like it?  If you can get one side off it might give you more confidence.

 

I've actually got some new bosch flex hose to put on my rears. Not sure I'll give it a go just now. Maybe I'll wait for the summer to come again!

 

Let us know how you get on. Everything looks fine in the video so you should be done in 3 minutes!  You can try freeing the flex to caliper end and removing the retaining clip at the other end but it will leave your body brake pipe susceptible to kinking as you try to apply force to the nut. If it is too awkward you could reassemble if you haven't damaged anything. 

Thanks!

 

I will indeed let you know how I get on, hopefully this will be the last thing to do on it this year as I've already done loads;

4 x Calipers, Front Hoses, Hand brake cables and guide tubes (because I drilled through one!), Oil + Filter, Rear Diff Oil, Transfer box oil, Gear Box Oil, New Anetnna Base as well as replacing some CV joint clips that pinged off at the front somehow and packed them at the same time!

 

Fingers crossed this goes ok but if not might just take it to the garage as its getting a bit cold for working outside now. 

When you heat the part, give it a good roasting then immediately shock cool it with water.  Sometimes that can free otherwise seized components that have grown together.

 

Re S shaped hard line on caliper, a simple U bend is all that's required if you DIY.