On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Tim Taylor wrote:
> I was replacing the 22 year old brake hose on my 76 tr6. While working
> the hose free some trauma was inflicted on the brake pipe fitting where
> it connects to the hose on the body of the care. The pipe came completely
> disconnected from the threaded fitting. I don't no if the flared part of
> the pipe just got pressed out, or if the very end snapped off. Either way
> there is plenty of pipe left and the threaded part is still in good shape.
> I'm asking for advice on the best way to proceed...
Buy a pipe bender and new brake hose. Steel hoses cost around $5,
Stainless cost more.
You could even invest in a bunch of bulk hose to practice bending.
Problems with flaring them yourself: Triumph uses 2 kinds of flares:
Bubble flare (looks like a mushroom), which are difficult to do, and
Double flare (looks like a funnel), which are also difficult to do. I can
only do Double flares. For Bubbles, I buy brake hoses with the ends
pre-flared.
To determine what you need, you have to look at the female fitting. You
need a taper and a seat in order to seal the pressures involved in brakes.
Whatever shape is at the bottom of the fitting- you need the opposite on
your hose.
> #1 Find some way to "re-flare" the end,(is there a tool for this, or do
> you find things to jam in there until the end flares out the desired
> length) rub some teflon-tape like sealant on it, screw it onto the hose and
> it's ready to go.
Teflon tape does no good with brake pipes. The threads do NOT seal the
fluid out- the flare at the end does. I also think that the Teflon reacts
with the glycols in the brake fluid, causing something corrosive to happen
(read instant rust!) - don't mess around.
However, it IS a good idea to get a tiny bit of nevr-seez or thick grease
on brake fittings so that they won't snap off 30 years down the road.
> #2 Disconnect the pipe at the nearest junction and bring it to a brake
> shop that will either bend a new pipe, or flare the end for me.
>
> I realize that I'm probably going to have to go with option #2, but I was
> hoping there would be a way to get away with not having to remove the pipe
> from the car.
Replace it anyway. If it's fatigued in one point, it may be fatigued in
another. I've blown steel brake lines (luckily, while at a stand still)-
and for the few bucks it costs to replace it, it's a safer way to go.
Hmm, methinks I will add some brake-line-and-flares stuff to the FAQ
-Malcolm
* There is a FAQ for this list! Its temporary home is:
http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/walker/triumph/trfaq.htm
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