Brake pipe basics for British and European vehicles

A bit of information about brake pipes - materials and fittings
If you have a pre 2005 Land Rover problem and do not know how to fix it, drop me a line! Maybe I can help!
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[@franklinarguedas4832]

Thank you for your reply, I think that in most cases, we only use 3/16 and 1/4 inch flaring dies. The problem for me will be the weight of the tool, it will cost a fortune to bring it to Sydney, Australia. Why don't you come over to Australia for a holiday and bring one for me? Kidding!

[@theTarotchild-d6w]

Clear and concise good tips!

[@qzorn4440]

very nice tubing and how to video... the real deal.. thanks...:)

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@scotisland]

Very useful.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Glad it was helpful!

[@xxwookey]

Useful overview. I've got your leftmost flaring tool and it's worked pretty well for me, but I agree a nice quick manly direct-press jobby is much better (off the car). What's wrong with a male/female tube nut in-line connection (one single flare, one double flare). Manufacturers use them (e.g. mondeos) (admittedly with steel rather than cunifer pipe) so it can't be that bad. Plenty of cunifer kits come with 10 male, 10 female nuts and clearly intend for you to use this method. There is less weight on the pipe which could be an advantage (fatigue?). You are meshing two flares together which might be an issue, but it's not obvious to me why it shouldn't work reasonably safely.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

You said it - you mesh 2 flares together - better with a steel connector

[@the1stime]

I’m currently replacing rear brake pipes on a 2002 P38. As you probably know, there’s a long run going wheel to wheel that’s difficult to access. Any tips for snapping the new brake pipe into the clips in that area? TIA

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Not sure which pipe you mean but on older trucks I tend to use metal P clips with rubber inserts that screw to the chassis/body

[@the1stime]

Yeah the P38 has a 1” channel between the cross frame beam and the floor. No access unless you cut out the floor. The best solution I can come up with is to sleeve a larger rubber hose over the length of pipe to protect it from abrasions and rust

[@BritannicaRestorations]

That will work

[@jameswaugh115]

I used that one that you said not to use & it leaks

[@projectdalekmark]

I've got a particularly difficult breakline repair under the rear right wheelarch. How sould I cut the initial pipe off. Should I pull it out from under the wheel arch with fome string or something?

[@liambrown1216]

Great Vid, thanks for the advice. How much will a garage charge (approximately) to replace brake lines?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Not sure

[@markw3922]

That is a (how long is a piece of string) question, cut a short finger piece or a piece as long as your arm or the whole reel & some ! the charge will be all dependant on accessibility of the pipe vehicle type how many components need removing to strip out the old pipe, how many fittings required. formula will be labour time per hr x hourly rate £30-£100 per hr + pipe + fittings + brake fluid + sundries that may be used i.e. brake cleaner, rags. a short easily replaced in your face piece is likely going to £60. vs drop a fuel tank both front to back pipe runs of the vehicle with new clips likely be £300. pipe should be securely clipped to the vehicle to negate vibration & rubbing causing brake failure, don't be tempted to just push a pipe over a tank & leave it to fail around secure the whole pipe properly this can take some extra time but its the correct way & that costs a little more so don't just go with the cheapest option when it comes to brake repairs

[@liambrown1216]

@@markw3922 thanks Mark, really appreciate the reply.

[@dudewasteyourtime1]

Thanks really helpful video. I bought a car recently and in MOT check online it advices to replace brake pipes. Where can i get this cunifer pipes? Any good sites which sell geniune. Thanks

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Most auto parts shop sell this now - there is no brand name but sometimes asking for nickel pipe helps

[@purpleguitar14]

I’m in quebec! Do you know where I can get a good flaring tool? I bought one of those cheap ones and broke the first time i used it’n

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Has to be a turret type - the cheap ones are not worth opening the box see here for examples www.amazon.ca/s?k=turret+brake+flaring+tool&ref=nb_sb_noss

[@colintx800]

When it comes to connecting a male and female end of a brake line, do you flare both ends as a double flare or do you connect a double flare to a bubble flare ? I've done everything on cars but never done brake lines before.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

You should use a metal connector not two pipes together

[@colintx800]

@@BritannicaRestorations Sorry I should have been more clear :) When I connect a male and female connector together, should the flare inside both male and female connectors both have double flares ? or would a male connector have a bubble flare and female connector have a double flare ?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

If you have a correct joint then they can be male or female either end You can see some pictures here www.fedhillusa.com/?page=metricthread Are you trying to join two pipes together?

[@urmilshah4226]

What is the elongation % for this brake tubes?

[@franklinarguedas4832]

Sir, where can I, in Australia, get a flaring tool like the ex-army one you have? Amazon does not sell that kind of tools

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Check out Sykes-Pickavant in the UK www.sykes-pickavant.com/ Mine is the old model, but the newer one has a turret - to tell you the truth I only used the 3/16 and 1/4 pipe size

[@johnnyversaci7091]

I have a fitting on mine looks like that single female union u showed? Never have seen these before I'm in US are they safe?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yes but it depends on the brake type you are using - Land Rovers have a mix of male and female flares - you must replace like with like - for example, on the ends of the flexible hose steel threaded part, you need a female fitting to make a seal, but in the calliper casting you need a male bubble to make a good seal - the opposite way round will leak and could cause accidents! Check first!

[@johnnyversaci7091]

@@BritannicaRestorations right right, this fitting has not leaked or anything with the male side being a bubble flare just have never seen this single female union before

[@ethelmini]

I know you didn't say it, but just to be clear.... You can't put an imperial fastener into a metric threaded component or vice versa. The common sizes are M10x1 & 3/8UNF. 3/8 of an inch is about 9.75mm so they will screw in. They normally feel loose, but if you're fighting a little bit to get the pipe aligned it's easy not to notice. Metric also fits in imperial, but binds after a few turns - potentially error prevention, but not great if you wreck the threads. Have some spare unions to test fit if you're unsure. Of course you can have different thread types on opposite ends of the same pipe. It's not uncommon, even from the factory. I guess it was rationalising the spare parts supply. The vehicle type could have used the same rear wheel cylinders for decades so they stuck with one thread pattern, even if master cylinders changed (e.g. from single to dual) and used metric threads to be more compatible with modern trends & tools. Also, you definitely cannot join 2 flared ends together without a proper joiner! ...one of those coils looks like (seamless) copper, which is available and can be used, but spend a bit more & use Kunifer, it resists fatigue better.

[@georgetech380]

Hi can i ask you please ,i have honda jazz 54 plate ,small corrosion on my rear brake pipe 2 questions if i may before i cut the pipe how do i know if is metric or imperial (as far i am aware imperial has stop about 1980) after that everybody in Europe using metric but i am not sure second question to connect the 2 pipes you said better use the female connector if that is the case i presume i need to make bubble flare with male Nuts ? regards

[@BritannicaRestorations]

It will be metric Yes you can connect pipes if using a female connector with male pipe fittings both sides

[@georgetech380]

Thanks for your answer, do you think the cheap eBay flare tool will do to flare the original pipe on the vehicle? I am only going to use it once .

[@miggystoon7892]

@@georgetech380 hi George, did you buy flaring kit? And did it work?

[@georgetech380]

@@miggystoon7892 Hi no I haven't ,after another inspection wasn't that bad and I didn't do anything ,I still have the car but I am if I keep it will have to repair it , Finally I did find out is metric . Thanks

[@miggystoon7892]

@@georgetech380 ok, I am just looking into whether I could do the job or not. I'm not a mechanic bit like to try DIY

[@keithrimmer3]

Hi Mike can you turn your sound up a bit i am a bit mutton jeff

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

Mutt and Jeff