DIY new brake pipes and unions

[toopy]

Having had to recently remove my front calipers to renew the discs/pads and sort a sticking caliper piston,
i removed the flexible hose and the rigid copper piece that fits directly to the caliper.

However, in doing so, a couple of the unions were quite corroded, and although they came undone, the end of the copper pipe has twisted somewhat!

So, im happy to remake it myself, once ive bought a pipe flaring kit, but what size pipe do i need
and what size unions, and are the unions available in stainless steel?

 

[Mr.F]

Pipe is brake Bundy, diameter 3/16". Preferred road use is Kunifer material rather than steel (rapid corrosion) or copper (too soft for accidental impact IMO).
End nuts are 10mm metric 1.0 thread. (in stock if having difficulty).
Buy the best flaring kit you can afford and make sure it makes double flares.

 

[pmac]

There is a simple way to do this..... and a difficult one...

Simple... Get the two little pipes made.
On line .....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291251387355?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
or at your local motor shop/garage.

The other way will involve buying a flaring kit at well over £100 + a roll of Kunifer at £15 + some ends..and spending time learning how to make 100% safe double flares.
Cheapass flaring kits are available but they generally wont do a 100% job on Kunifer.
No doubt some of the usual spendthrifts on here will be along son to tell you they did their whole car for twenty quid using a fifteen quid Ebay flaring kit......
or that there wifes uncles mate did the whole car for them with new pipe in an hour on sat morning for a couple of cans of Stella.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

.........No doubt some of the usual spendthrifts on here will be along son to tell you they did their whole car for twenty quid using a fifteen quid Ebay flaring kit......
or that there wifes uncles mate did the whole car for them with new pipe in an hour on sat morning for a couple of cans of Stella.

Pete you really haven't got a good impression of Club members have you? Just look at some of the resto's/hybrids on here.

For those front lines many folk don't even use a solid pipe, just stainless flexibles all the way. Be careful with tyre clearance on lock if doing that and you need the right fittings to be able to 'tighten' them up.

 

[toopy]

There is a simple way to do this..... and a difficult one...

Simple... Get the two little pipes made.
On line .....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291251387355?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
or at your local motor shop/garage.

Im liking that idea Pete

I was a bit dubious of the cheap flaring kits, but was willing to give it a go, no need now!

Will a suitable, all be it cheap/ebay jobbie pipe bender work ok with the Kunifer pipe if i
ordered straight pipe with unions from above to bend/position myself?
The pipes i currently have were replaced when the car was restored, but they are untidy
and could do with being bent slightly differently for a better fit, especially at the caliper end

 

[pmac]

Pete you really haven't got a good impression of Club members have you? Just look at some of the resto's/hybrids on here.

For those front lines many folk don't even use a solid pipe, just stainless flexibles all the way. Be careful with tyre clearance on lock if doing that and you need the right fittings to be able to 'tighten' them up.

Rob I would be interested in your definition of "many folk"...
Using flexi all the way is fine but will cost a lot more than two 5" solid pipes.
You will need banjo type fittings for the calipers.And as you have already pointed out unless you support the lines correctly the might pose a clearance issue.
Why complicate a simple cheap replacement????

Just look at some of the resto's/hybrids on here.

What have" some of the restos/hybrids" got to do with replacing two tiny brake pipes on a stockish 260Z 2+2???

]Pete you really haven't got a good impression of Club members have you?

Impressions are formed based on past experience.

Note what I said "the usual spendthrifts".... that not the same as "Club members in general"

 

[toopy]

For those front lines many folk don't even use a solid pipe, just stainless flexibles all the way. Be careful with tyre clearance on lock if doing that and you need the right fittings to be able to 'tighten' them up.

That would be much better from a maintenance point of view, allowing the caliper to simply
be tied up out of the way, much like a modern car

Will leave as is for now, something to consider at a later date though definitely.