Brake pipe unions - advice please
 

I need to get the rear brake hoses off so I can clean up the mounting bracket and fit new hoses. What's the best method of undoing these unions?

The pipes are copper but everything else is steel and it looks like rust will cause problems. I'm not sure if I should give it a liberal dosing of Plusgas or whether that will risk contamination.

I've only got open ended spanners - do I need a special brake spanner?

Advice please.


Pics shows the LH union

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...dca6af11a8.jpg

Here's one of the new hoses (Delphi)

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...dcbc59c6ad.jpg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yato-YT-014...s%2C165&sr=8-4

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-3196...1671835&sr=8-3

Given that they are in unserviceable condition, use any method which works, including penetrating oil (PlusGas or equivalent).
No.

Simon

In my humble opinion brake pipe spanners are an excellent idea, but admittedly not always needed, especially with copper.

Well, I've tried undoing the RH one with an ordinary 11mm open ended spanner and this is what happened.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...df73fc3526.jpg

You can see the hexagon is starting to round off - so I stopped before it got completely wrecked. I don't want to have to change these pipes - I don't have the equipment, the pipework skill or the time (there's too much other stuff to do - e.g. refit the subframe, suspension, hubs, brakes, exhaust, etc, etc). I can't even reach most of the pipe run - the car isn't high enough off the ground.

I'll get a proper brake spanner and see if that shifts it.

If I understand the term correctly, brake pipe spanners are enclosed tools designed to fit bleed nipples. What you have there is a standard hexagon nut with a pipe through the middle of it. If an open ended spanner doesn't work, it will be necessary to destroy the fitting and buy a new one, but that will mean creating a new flare on the pipe. The equipment can be bought (I recommend the Sykes Pickavant Flaremaster 2) and no special skill is required with the right tools.

I'm afraid Simon that you will have to be patient and allow the time necessary to deal with what is, after all, a common problem on anything exposed to rainwater which is unprotected.

Simon

I meant the type of spanner that goes over the pipe then 'around' the nut - like the one used in this video (to get a good view of it, pause then repeatedly stop-start from 3m 27s to 3m 33s - ish :}). My ordinary open-ended spanners don't wrap around like that one does - all they do is round off the hexagon.

On a severely corroded nut I think you need to use Vise Grips/Mole wrench and lots of penetrating fluid. The fitting will be scrap afterwards however.

Simon

Simon is missing the point here ;)

https://www.craigmoreonline.co.uk/me...IPIOSV1CXR.jpg

This is a flare nut spanner, designed especially to tackle the sort of job you are trying to do ;)

Attempting to remove a brake pipe union, especially one which will have been assembled dry by whoever fitted the new front to rear pipework with an open ended spanner is asking for trouble, as you've already found out ;)

You can create your own spanner, by chopping a 3/16" clearance slot into the broach of an 11mm ring spanner with an angle grinder if you wish, however these are cheaply and readily available at most places, even Halfords if you are desperate enough ;)

For example........LINK

Brian :D