Thread: Full Brake line kit for a SWB SIII

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Steel "bundy" tube comes in straight lengths which are then cut, fittings threaded on and the ends flared. Bundy tubing is resistant to bending and the purists will bend them with a bending tool.

There is also annealed copper tubing which comes coiled and which is frequently used for brake lines. The problem with the copper is that, being soft is less resistant to the frequent pressure cycles involved in braking and is far more likely to rupture with fatigue than the plated steel bundy tubing. If copper was best for automotive brake lines, then it would be used as OEM by car manufacturers.

Diana

I have bought bundy tubing in coils; it is copper plated for some corrosion protection, but I painted it as well.

I disagree with the annealed-copper, work-hardening furphy. Steel tube is also subjected to the same forces and also work-hardens. Copper brake pipes are legal in WA and as someone else stated, are legal in Europe.

Don't forget that the early Series 1's apparently had copper brake pipes. Nowadays cars are built to a price rather than a standard - copper costs more, that is why they don't use it; for the same reason they don't supply stainless steel wheel cylinders on new cars.

I have used copper brake pipes on my cars for years and never had a problem with them,

Cheers Charlie

Have just recently completed full brake system overhaul on my 109". Bought all the lines pre-flared etc. from a rover parts supplier (not sure if i should mention who) all of the longer lines came coiled in the postbag, resulting in my having to straighten them then re-bend them to fit. The backing plate bridge line that joins the top and bottom wheel cylinder on the front were delivered straight. To get the tight radius bend required at the wheel cylinders I got a peice of 1.5" x 1/2" flat bar, drilled and tapped 3/8 unf holes 3/16" apart filled the tubes with fine sand (wife doesnt know the tea strainer is still in the shed) and bent the backing plate tubes by hand. This worked really well and was easy to do. Just pack the sand tight and bend slowly. I used 2' long bolts so I could bend against the shoulder on the bolt to avoid getting thread marks in the tube. Hope this is useful to someone .....

G'day All, Treat yourself to a 'Rigid' double flaring tool and a cheap tubing bender brake/clutch pipes are the easiest jobs you will ever do on a Land Rover cheers Dennis
PS Rigid spares can be purchased at any 'Eagles' plumbing supplies

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I would be changing the whole set of lines to the later 3/16" pipe and fittings to suit the 11" fronts.

You may find that the 11" rears lock up too quickly on your 80" so you may need a brake proportioning valve. You could consider having 11" fronts and 10" rears.

What master cylinder are you going to use? With the original master cylinder you may run out of pedal before the the brakes are fully applied. It will mean that you have to regularly adjust the shoes, more than you would on the 10" brakes. Otherwise you will have to adapt a long wheelbase master cylinder.

Diana

I'm basically installing a duel system, and have a duel master cylinder/servo/pedal box. I don't have many serviceable parts for the 10" system, so would rather stick with the 11" at the back, but if they are going to lock up too easily maybe I'l have to consider changing them - I thought that when they up-rated the early 88's from 10" to be 11" that they had up'ed both fronts and backs; am I right in thinking that they only changed the fronts to be 11" and left the backs as 10" then?

EDIT: I noticed on my earlier post that I said 80"... sorry, typo! It should have read 88" - its a SWB Series III

Originally Posted by Slunnie

The steel brake line also comes in the roll. You can just buy it by the metre, its not expensive.

I rebraked my 109 and it really isnt a difficult job, but you need to get used to doing good double flares on the ends. For larger radius bends I just did it by hand, though most of them I did as sharper bends using a mandrel bender for brake line.

All of the fittings and lines I bought from BrakePro, and they were excellent to deal with. The bender and double flare tool I bought from Blackwoods.

Hi Slunnie, mind if I ask exactly what bender and flare tool you got from Blackwoods, only they seem to have quite a range!

Originally Posted by TeZZaP

I'm basically installing a duel system, and have a duel master cylinder/servo/pedal box.

I hope you mean "dual" and not "duel". We don't want and fatalities.

Aaron.