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!

[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?

[thestime]

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

[urmilshah]

What is the elongation % for this brake tubes?

[franklinarguedas]

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

[georgetech]

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

[franklinarguedas]

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!

[jameswaugh]

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

[keithrimmer]

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

[purpleguitar]

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

[dudewasteyourtime]

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

[johnnyversaci]

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?

[qzorn]

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

[colintx]

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.

[liambrown]

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

[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.

[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.