Thread: Brake Line Cut n Re-route

Heat wrap the dump pipe.

There should be enough slack in the lines to move the clutch line out of the way?

To me the brake like looks far enough away.

If you do want to lengthen, don't bother fitting unions. Take the section of brake line to a brake shop and get them to make a new (longer) one. They are not expensive.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Heat wrap the dump pipe.

There should be enough slack in the lines to move the clutch line out of the way?

To me the brake like looks far enough away.

If you do want to lengthen, don't bother fitting unions. Take the section of brake line to a brake shop and get them to make a new (longer) one. They are not expensive.

Oh right the thicker one is the clutch line -- doh brain fail!

Ok so I have to sort out the front left brake line and clutch line.

The problem is not so much the dump pipe (which I am going to wrap ), I need to get the lines off the top of the footwell because a new heat/aircon box unit needs to sit there.

Originally the lines would have run more towards the outer edge of the footwell which would leave enough room for a unit to sit ontop of the footwell but to avoid it coming straight down onto the dump pipe they have been bent/pulled/beaten more towards the center. I need them to go the other way, off the edge of the footwell and down the side - leaving the top of the footwell clear.

I'm not sure how giving the pipe to a brake shop and asking them to make it longer will solve anything. Maybe I can get a pipe bending tool and re-route what I have - given that there is a fair bit of slack? I just thought they looked pretty beaten up already.

I agree with the above, you will add unnecessary expense by using braided flexible lines. Having not done it for years, I was pleasantly surprised by how cheap it was to get brake lines made up for my trailer. You could use a piece of fencing wire as a template, get it all where you want it and all the bends in the right places, get a new pipe made up to length and do all the bends neatly before installing. A brake specialist will be able to cut and flare new lines for you.

I have redone all the brake lines on my truck - it is a mix of Stage One body on a Rangie chassis so had to do custom lines using rangie brake proportioning valve.

I used old lines to work out what fittings I wanted and bent them to the shapes I wanted then went and had a shop make up the new lines and copy the fittings on the old lines. Or as POD said use a length of wire to make a template.

A tool to bend the pipes is useful if want tight bends - otherwise by hand fine.

New solid lines are way cheaper than braided hose. Should be able to get same done for Clutch line.

Unless you get an expensive flaring tool not worth trying to do yourself as cheap tools do not make good seals. And getting them made prob costs same of less than the cost of the tool. Also hard to find someone to sell you the pipe in Aust.

My shop actually lend me the bending tool when I went home to fit the lines so did not even need to buy the tool. But they are my mechanics so know me.

All the best
Skiboy

Originally Posted by manic

...

I'm not sure how giving the pipe to a brake shop and asking them to make it longer will solve anything. Maybe I can get a pipe bending tool and re-route what I have - given that there is a fair bit of slack? I just thought they looked pretty beaten up already.

The brake shop will supply a straight length of pipe with flared ends and appropriate fittings. You bend it yourself (by hand is fine - e.g. around a 1" soft timber dowel) to route it however you want.

ok so I'll start with the clutch, drain the fluid, remove the dump pipe, disconnect the lower clutch pipe where it meets the rubber hose union, bend the rubber hose behind the lower mount under the footwell and attach it, then see if I can bend the current pipe around to meet it. I can then take the pipe off and hand it a brake shop to match with for a new replacement.

I'll see how I go with that and then for the brake line I may try the chicken wire idea to make a mock up for brake shop to copy, if the pipe I get back from brake shop is not perfect I can adjust by hand with a dowel.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

In the UK you can use copper which I know is easy to bend about but what about the options here - I presume “Kunifer” copper nickel alloy? Is that stuff still easy enough to bend by hand?

Originally Posted by manic

ok so I'll start with the clutch, drain the fluid, remove the dump pipe, disconnect the lower clutch pipe where it meets the rubber hose union, bend the rubber hose behind the lower mount under the footwell and attach it, then see if I can bend the current pipe around to meet it. I can then take the pipe off and hand it a brake shop to match with for a new replacement.

I'll see how I go with that and then for the brake line I may try the chicken wire idea to make a mock up for brake shop to copy, if the pipe I get back from brake shop is not perfect I can adjust by hand with a dowel.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

In the UK you can use copper which I know is easy to bend about but what about the options here - I presume “Kunifer” copper nickel alloy? Is that stuff still easy enough to bend by hand?

Copper is illegal, and for good reason. Cunifer is a Copper/Nickel/Iron alloy that is 60-88% copper.

I don't see any point in using cunifer unless the vehicle was going to spend its life on the beach. I have never had any problems bending steel lines by hand.

Approved 'Copper' brake line sold in the UK is fit for purpose - in the UK. I guess work hardening requires poorly secured lines and/or corrugated roads - The harsh road conditions in Australia justify this law I'm sure. But at the same time you can run steel lines which can also fatigue and fail - from rust! As well as numerous corrugated roads Australia has plenty of beach driving, so why not make steel lines illegal while they are at it?

If I put on new brake lines I want to fit and forget - stainless I hear is hard work. Cunifer sounds most appealing.

I just removed the dump pipe and had a go at bending the steel lines by hand. Not bad results. I think with a couple more bends, some pipe clips to secure them in place and a fabricated bracket to secure the clutch hose I may get them securely fastened out of harms way without the need for any new pipe. Fingers crossed.