Hose connection at rear caliper

[TroonSprint]

I'm making up my flexible hoses using Goodridge stuff. I can't find any pictures or descriptions of how the flexible hose joins the rear caliper on the Elan. Does it just screw in from the top with a male conical fitting, or is a banjo fitting used? It looks to me as though the male fitting would be easier to seal as there isn't a lot of flat surface around the port for the banjo sealing washer. But then the straight-in male fitting might put the hose too close to the upright strut. Advise me please.
Mike

[jono]

is this any help?

[TroonSprint]

That's an interesting way of doing it, but I'm sure it is not the way it is normally done. As far as I can tell from the manual and from Buckland's book the flexible goes direct to the caliper. I have been looking at the Spyder site tonight and one of their photos shows the flexible connecting to the caliper from behind with a banjo. Is that standard?
Mike

[billwill]

You can use either a banjo or screw it straight in.

The banjo is easier because it means you don't have to undo the chassis end to screw in or undo the caliper end.

See my messages starting at:

lotus-suspension-f42/tightening-flexible-brake-pipes-t28382.html

[jono]

I like the method I have shown as it ensures the hose stays out of the way of the strut as it compresses and re bounds.

I was recently alarmed to find one of the front hoses had been chafing on the spring damper unit.

Personally I would rather be safe than purist!

Jon

[elj221c]

Banjo for me and no danger of chafing.

[rgh0]

My 68 S4 as always run as shown from the bracket on the chassis direct to the caliper with a Banjo bolt. However you will also see the bracket on the strut. This bracket on the strut and has never been used on my car as far as I can tell and I don't know if it was used in other Elans?

cheers
Rohan

[fatboyoz]

Mike,
My 68 S4 has the same set-up as Rohan.
Cheers,
Colin.

I'm making up my flexible hoses using Goodridge stuff. I can't find any pictures or descriptions of how the flexible hose joins the rear caliper on the Elan. Does it just screw in from the top with a male conical fitting, or is a banjo fitting used? It looks to me as though the male fitting would be easier to seal as there isn't a lot of flat surface around the port for the banjo sealing washer. But then the straight-in male fitting might put the hose too close to the upright strut. Advise me please.
Mike

[Elan45]

The extra metal tube ending was the way the connection was made on the +2 models. As far as I know, all 2 seat Elans terminated in a banjo bolt.

Roger

[davidj]

Morning,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I am at this stage of my elan rebuild. My car, including the rear calipers, was disassembled when I bought it, so I have no idea how they should connect. They are quite badly corroded, so using a banjo would not be practical or safe without remachining the mating face. Also, to further confuse matters, they had copper break pipes attached, which suggests they would connect to brackets on the struts, similar to the +2. However, no brackets on my struts.

The Elan manual does not show any banjo either, and looks to suggest the pipe screws directly into the caliper.

So, what is the correct method of connecting the hose? Maybe, because I have copper pipes connected, I have a pair of +2 calipers, or a previous owner had rigged up something similar to Jono. A direct hose connection would be better for me, if safe, because of the corroded face on the calipers.

As always, thanks in advance for any help.

David

[oldelanman]

Parts list shows banjos on all 2 seater Elans. Item 12 .... 4 off per vehicle

http://www.lotuselan.net/wiki/JA_-_Brakes_-_Bundy_Pipes

You can probably get a s/s braided hose with a suitable right angled end fitting to go direct into the caliper to get over your problem.

[Bigbaldybloke]

Mine is pretty similar to the first photo, it?s an early plus 2

[661]

The flexible pipe can be either connected by banjo ( as you point out the mating surfaces need to be reasonable for the copper washer), or by direct insertion.
I won't make comment on which is original, there are enough pictures out there, but I chose the latter route but with a separate angle connector to the pipe to avoid twisting the pipe when tightening. All supplied by Earls.