Questions about changing brake lines

Brakepads, discs, handbrake. The brakes are crucial for your Volvo 480. Use this category to learn all you need to know!

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hellgrea
480 Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 6:51 pm

Questions about changing brake lines

Post by hellgrea » Sun Feb 12, 2017 8:17 am

Hi everybody

I bought a Turbo from 1990 with ABS some months ago and during the yearly inspection this week the brake lines was determined "not qualified" due to rusted pipes.
It is still allowed to drive on the road but as this is a safety issue I like to fix it rather soon!

The questions:

Do any of you have experience of changing the brake lines?
Is a change not to be trusted for a novice person?
I have tried to find the dimension for the pipe and I think it is 3/16", is that correct?
Is copper pipe the way to go or should I invest in stainless steel (does the brake fluid, DOT 4, corrode stainless)?
If the pipes are rusted and in bad condition, might there be more parts that are not visible that need to be changed or inspected at the same time as I do this?

And finally some extras!

The parking brake, it is not doing so much breaking :-)
It can handle 8% of the cars weight according to the inspection.
What can be the fault and where do I fix it?
It is not the biggest issue of course but as I am about to crawl under the car I think its a good time to look at that too!

Kind regards
Anderz

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Questions about changing brake lines

Post by glasgowjim » Sun Feb 12, 2017 10:41 am

Anderz

I have owned a number of 480 cars and I have changed some brake lines myself and had to get a garage to do others it all depends on how rusted they are. the connection with the various ends was the determining factor.

I svenska

Jag har ägt ett antal 480 bilar och jag har ändrat några bromsledningar själv och var tvungen att få ett garage att göra andra allt beror på hur rostiga de är. förbindelsen med de olika ändarna var den avgörande faktorn.


I engelska

The most probable cause of the poor handbrake is rusted handbrake cables. Water penetrates the inner cable and over time causes the cable to rust. This is an easy fix. Please be aware that the little holding plate at the front end of the brake cable needs to be kept and put back on the car as it is not available now.

Den mest sannolika orsaken till dålig handbromsen är rostig handbromsvajrarna. Vatten tränger in i innervajern och över tid gör att kabeln rosta. Detta är en enkel fix. Var medveten om att den lilla kylmagasinet vid den främre änden av bromsvajern måste hållas och sätta tillbaka på bilen eftersom det inte är tillgänglig nu.

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1485
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Questions about changing brake lines

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:58 am

copper/ kunifer is the best solution as easier to make the end fittings, the steel lines are REALLY difficult to flare, even with a good quality flaring tool (I inherited a cheap version AND a 'Syke Picakavent', and the cheap one was easie rto work with under the car. note that the copper/kunifer lines are softer to bend as well and over the years the wall thickness has DECREASED, I've got the remains of three differnt rolls and as copper prices increase so wall thickness has dropped . . . . :( so maybe shop around to find thicker wall stuff, it's all 3/16" outer diameter

I have replaced ALL of mine, best to make a join just under the footwell as otherwise the pipes are very unwieldy!

also then you can do the back half with teh rear wheels on 'ramps' and do he front section with the front on ramps, unless you can get the whole car up to allow access to whole section?

I assume that they run along RIGHT side of the car is SWEDEN as well?

don't worry about taking the fuel tank off as you can run the pipes along the edge of the tank and secure at front (next to fuel filter) & rear (next to filler) of tank.

The front pipes are more difficult as tey disappear in behind a heat shield !


for rear brakes, complete pain, also take the sliders out clean and grease with silicone grease, clean up the area where teh pads touch teh caliper holder with coppa-slip or similar

Alan
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

hellgrea
480 Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 6:51 pm

Re: Questions about changing brake lines

Post by hellgrea » Mon Feb 13, 2017 6:56 am

Thank you so much both of you.

I do understand the English part GJ :-)

After some research I realise that there might be different fittings for the pipes in the connections.
Is there some standard number for them (eg. AA0200)?
The partsbook dont give out any numbers for that what I see...

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1485
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Questions about changing brake lines

Post by Alan 480 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:55 pm

for piping , use internet

eg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/31171259 ... 070&crdt=0

you will also need some METRIC fittings to go onto the hoses/ABS unit.

so you need MALE & FEMALE types, and if you decide to do teh rears in TWO sections a 'joint'

eg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-pkt-10mm-S ... 2572411645


and if you decide to do teh rears in TWO sections a 'joint' for under teh floor
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metric-Brake- ... SwuYVWn~2K

but I'm sure you can get locally?

at the prices a few spare don't harm

is there a particular location you are interested in? (I have two litre but braking will be the same so I could have a look tonight)
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

hellgrea
480 Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 6:51 pm

Re: Questions about changing brake lines

Post by hellgrea » Mon Feb 13, 2017 1:30 pm

Thank you Alan

That will probably be the last information I needed.
I hope to document this and post a tutorial later.

I can buy all these parts localy for just some "crowns", swedish currancy :-)

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