Front brake pipes - MOT failed - 480GT

SteveR · Post by **SteveR** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:12 am

Front pipes excessive corrosion, front brakes out of balance.
Car has been stored so not too surprised on the out of balance.
I have read the threads on brake pipes and I have a flaring tool deep in the garage somewhere along with some kunifer piping - bought when in my youf I was going to build a kit car.
Has anyone worked on the front brake pipes?
Are the connector nuts standard or some special items?
I will probably replace the hoses - any advice in where to buy?
The parts diag shows the pipe going straight back to the master cylinder via some pretty inaccessible places - I guess pipes are put in during manufacture before all the other gubbins like engines.

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:59 am

Standard (10mm?) connectons i believe. Should be an ok job..only becomes tougher on tracs models due to extra pipes in the way. I wouldn't have thought hat would include the GT but it could.

stug723 · Post by **stug723** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:34 am

Hope it's an easier job than the rear pipes I had to replace for my MOT.

At one point I thought I was going to have to remove the petrol tank.

In the end I just dropped it down a little and used a bit of force to squeeze the pipes down the side.

False economy probably but I just cleaned up the existing unions an reused. Passed the test ok.

Good luck

stug

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:38 am

@ Stug,

I also replaced the rears! fooking hell what a shit job that was. I used plenty of oil to help drop the bolts holding the petrol tank.

worth it in the end as the rear had almost fallen apart!

chris1roll · Post by **chris1roll** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:04 am

I've never needed to drop the petrol tank, what are you guys doing??

@ SteveR - if you take the old unions into a motor factors to make doubly sure, they will match them up for you. As JT says I'm pretty sure they are standard 10mm ones, anyhoo, they are literally only pence each so not worth reusing the old ones.

SteveR · Post by **SteveR** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:02 pm

Many thanks for replies. I dont often chicken out of jobs (ie rebuild of turbo system) but I've had a look and I need to get the car up high to get and have decided to take it to local volvo man who has done this type of job before.

SteveR · Post by **SteveR** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:29 am

Job cost Ã‚Â£120 which I thought was OK as teh car has ABS which makes the job less easy. Price alos includes sorting out imbalance. Yeh back on road

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:36 am

chris1roll wrote:I've never needed to drop the petrol tank, what are you guys doing??

@ SteveR - if you take the old unions into a motor factors to make doubly sure, they will match them up for you. As JT says I'm pretty sure they are standard 10mm ones, anyhoo, they are literally only pence each so not worth reusing the old ones.

You must have small hands mate. Where it run up and then around the fuel tank was a bitch!

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:09 pm

martinholmesuk wrote:
chris1roll wrote:I've never needed to drop the petrol tank, what are you guys doing??

@ SteveR - if you take the old unions into a motor factors to make doubly sure, they will match them up for you. As JT says I'm pretty sure they are standard 10mm ones, anyhoo, they are literally only pence each so not worth reusing the old ones.
You must have small hands mate. Where it run up and then around the fuel tank was a bitch!

Can you not re-route them so they dont have to go under the tank? Abandon the old pipes.

stug723 · Post by **stug723** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:30 pm

Could be an option, as long as they are properly secured to the underside.

Can't remember what it looked like under there as I have blanked it from my memory. It was such a pain.

Jobs done now and I ain't goin' back there in a hurry.

pol · Post by **pol** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 12:01 pm

For info, the unions are 11mm, metric, male mostly.
Used a standard size copper pipe.

I've just replaced the front to rear section which curves around the fuel tank.

We had a good flaring tool designed to be used on a bench and a rubbish hand flaring tool. We decided to flare the end that fits to the mater cylinder, then run the pipe underneath and make the end whilst in situation. This proved difficult using the flaring tool designed for the bench. Make sure you have a decent tool for this or pre measure and make the ends.

pol