Practically Classics Forum

I have been replacing some dodgy old brake lines on my Range Rover (i am leaving the engine problem alone as i am so annoied with working on it at the moment). The front brake lines run in a very awkward place but only the end 2" have any corrosion on them, the rest is as good as new. They are the factory origional steel brake lines. would it be safe to cut off the rotten bit, flate the end and use a brake line coupler to extend it back to the correct length with copper?

Personally I would, yes, provided I could get a decent quality flare on the steel end - you'll need a good quality tool to do this in situ.

Cheers

Should i assume that one of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-pc-PIPE-FL ... 0818520365
doesn't count as a good quality tool?

That's a fair assumption. If you reckon the engine problems have got you annoyed, just wait until you've been messing around with one of those for a while.....

Could somebody suggest a reasnoble tool to do the job with? i have seen LOTS advertised on various websites from £10 - £250. i want to do about a dozen brake pipes, hopefully that will be it for the next 10 years.

If your flaring a steel pipe buy the very best you can....they can be a right arse to clamp tight enough.

In my opinion this is the best one out there, but its no use for 'in situ' flaring.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SYKES-PICKAVA ... =RTM796044

I agree with jimmybob, that Sykes Pickavant brake flaring tool is the best, and a bargain at that price. Buy that one off ebay and a coil of kunifer brake pipe, make up a complete set of pipes and then sell the tool. you will not need to replace those pipes again. Much better than fiddling about replacing bits of rusty pipe because its only a question of time before you have to cut out and replace the pipe that is not rusty now and you will be throwing away the couplers used to join the pipes. Bite the bullet now you won't be sorry.

hmm, my local garage quoted me £120 to replace all my brake lines. i'll keep an eye out and see what that tool goes for. If it goes up much more it may work out cheaper to get it done "properly"
thanks for the advice all.

TerryG said:

Should i assume that one of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-pc-PIPE-FL ... 0818520365
doesn't count as a good quality tool?

I notice that listing says copper brass or ally, not steel! I have one of these, though not the same "make", and I wouldn't trust the flares on steel or kunifer. I admit though, I didn't buy it for brake pipes - it was for making flares on the end of lighting conduits for the tractors.

I would agree with Young Farmer - buy the quality tool, make complete new kunifer pipes and sell the tool again. Although, in theory, joints would be safe, any joint is a potential leak and is best avoided. I'd go for new metal pipes and hoses throughout for peace of mind - I suspect that they wouldn't work out much more expensive than unions and couplings either!

The problem isn't the cost so much as the access. To get at the brake pipes for the NSF i will have to remove sound deadening (that will need replaceing as it crumbles when i touch it) and feed the pipes through various narrow openings. i will also need to put some 90degree bends in the pipe. i haven't found any tools that could put in bends tightly enough to get a replacement in.
I have emailed sealey to see if this tool would be capable of flaring steel
http://www.uktools.com/sealey-pft08-veh ... 15178.html
I could probably bend the mountings for the rubber hoses and buy some +2" ones that would mean i didn't need to extend the steel at all. I would love to do it "properly" but it is going to turn a "quick and easy job" in to a complete nightmare.