Tightening flexible brake pipes.

[billwill]

Hi Bill

I thought a picture (even of dubious quality!)may help.

Brake.jpg

Regards
John

Your bracket seems to have more clearance around the hex of the hose, than mine.

[PBrown60]

Here's an alternative tool. Called a Crowfoot. I have found them very useful for tight spaces.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Snap-on-Tools-1 ... 75&vxp=mtr

Paul

[bmcman.ie]

i always use the blade of a screwdriver to wedge in the side or top clearance between bracket and pipe, and tighten the hard pipe, works every time! ian.

[gjz30075]

i always use the blade of a screwdriver to wedge in the side or top clearance between bracket and pipe, and tighten the hard pipe, works every time! ian.

Yes, my way, too. I believe the 'legs' of the tab is to keep the tab from flexing and breaking off.

Greg Z

[c42]

Hi Bill

On reflection, and it takes time these days! I tightened this part of the flexible first by sliding a ring spanner along the length of the pipe to hold the flexible to tighten the nut, I then slid the ring spanner off and tightened the flexi to the bracket at the other end using normal spanners where the accessibility is far better - hope this makes sense to you.

Regards
John

[billwill]

i always use the blade of a screwdriver to wedge in the side or top clearance between bracket and pipe, and tighten the hard pipe, works every time! ian.

Tried that it didn't hold well enough, to satisfy me.

Hi Bill

On reflection, and it takes time these days! I tightened this part of the flexible first by sliding a ring spanner along the length of the pipe to hold the flexible to tighten the nut, I then slid the ring spanner off and tightened the flexi to the bracket at the other end using normal spanners where the accessibility is far better - hope this makes sense to you.

Regards
John

Makes perfect sense but alas I opted to use banjo ends at the calliper end and a 9/16 ring spanner won't pass over the banjo.


~~~~~~~~

However I have decided that trying to create the ultimate ultra-thin flange spanner is going to be a lost cause and I am going to take a totally different approach. In fact I'm going to do what it seems Lotus might have been trying to do, i.e. make the fitting such that the hex end of the flexible hose CANNOT turn, because it will be too tight a fit in the bracket.

To do this I have made my first 2 (of 4) saddle washers which will fit inside the chassis bracket and will tightly surround two flats of the hex end, so that it cannot turn. I've made these two prototypes by bending 'penny' washers that are 30 mm diameter. and about 0.75 mm thick, into a saddle shape.

I took a lot of photos while making them, but it's too late to post them tonight, so hopefully I will post the pictures tomorrow.

[billwill]

Here are the photos:

Start with 30mm 'Penny' washers, enlarge hole to suit UNF brake thread.

Mount on old brake hose and in vice ready to hammer.

Initial bends done with hammer on opposite flats of the hex end of the brake hose.

Then put it in big vice for first squeeze.

First squeeze tend to 'round' the top.

So find a rectangle of scrap steel of the correct width and then squeeze around that and invert and hammer top flat. Repeat until satisfied.

Remount on old brake hose to saw off excess metal.

Excess metal sawed off.

Clean up and round off edges with a file to finish the saddle washers.

[billwill]

The continued saga of fitting these washers to my car will be continued in my main re-fitting topic.
"Getting OGU roadworthy again"
lotus-elan-f19/getting-ogu-roadworthy-again-t26101-90.html#p188493

[billwill]

The saddle washers definitely do the trick.
In some of the brackets I used an old flexible brake pipe first to pull the washer into the U bracket, then took that out to fit the new pipe.

Saddle washer in use to hold the flexible brake pipe

In the case of the steel bundy pipes (which I retained at the front, because I could not easily unscrew the other end from the 5-way junction), had it not been for the saddle washer, I don't think I would have been able to tighten the flare nut hard enough to stop brake fluid leakage at high pressure.

The Kunifer brake pipes at the rear were new and did not need such high torque on the flare nut to achieve a good seal.

I found my new set of Flare nut spanners were not really of much use as there is not enough clearance between the pipe fittings and the chassis to get then in place.

[oldelanman]

In the case of the steel bundy pipes (which I retained at the front, because I could not easily unscrew the other end from the 5-way junction), had it not been for the saddle washer, I don't think I would have been able to tighten the flare nut hard enough to stop brake fluid leakage at high pressure.

The Kunifer brake pipes at the rear were new and did not need such high torque on the flare nut to achieve a good seal.

The recommended torque for the flare nut is only 8-10 lb/ft ..... barely more than "nipped-up". Be careful not to overtighten it or you may split the flare or crack the pipe at the base of the flare.