Removing Front Brake Lines

24th March 2012, 14:53

I'm having a hard time trying to remove the front brake lines. I've got a 11mm brake line spanner, but it doesn't want to grip the nut bit at all. Is there anything else that i can try? really need to get them off as i'm fitting 266mm brakes and need the longer lines.

24th March 2012, 15:17

Is it starting to round, crack off the bleed nipple and heat the 11mm up with a butane torch or whatever, also wd40 it aswell, once its hot try again, youd be surprised at what a little heat can do

You must undo the bleed nipple though, if you dont the heat makes the brake fluid expand inside the brake lines and the brake hose can/will burst

24th March 2012, 15:28

put loads of wd40 on without any luck. The calipers are off it's just the lines now that are holding things up

24th March 2012, 16:39

I had chew on with mine when changing the rear calipers... i bashed on a smaller spanner and give it little knocks. It freed eventually.

24th March 2012, 17:32

Worst case scenario saw them off then put a socket on them and bobs your uncle

Front pipes are about £8

Well the pas side is

24th March 2012, 19:52

i'd do anything atm to get them off

24th March 2012, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuZiZZle

Worst case scenario saw them off then put a socket on them and bobs your uncle

Front pipes are about £8

Well the pas side is

The metal pipes are a bit harder to fit than the flexis and I suspect it's the metal pipe that screws in to the flexis that he has an issue with

Any local parts place can copy the metal pipe for you probs cost around a tenner

24th March 2012, 19:56

Mole grips?

Worst case is the head of the nut shears off. You could retap it. Dont quote me though ive not used a set.

26th March 2012, 00:55

don't really want to be cutting the pipes etc if i can get away with it

26th March 2012, 09:47

is it both sides?

I've just uploaded this pic, hopefully it'll help people

1 will be your flexi
2 is the bracket
3 is the brake pipe

right, the existing flexi goes through a bracket (2) that is held to the inner arch, the metal end of the flexi that pokes through the bracket actually has grooves in it, the hole in the bracket has teeth, so the flexi will not rotate at all. This will help you loosen the brake pipe side of business, the only thing is that the bracket is soft and will bend.

I'd suggest soaking the join in WD40, re soaking, and soaking again. Get some grips on the metal end of the flexi and try and crack the brake pipe nut, I have 2 brake spanners, my cheaper one is actually a lot tighter?!?!

If you just cant do it you could as a last resort, cut through the pipe, as close to the nut as possible, then remove the bracket and get a socket over the end of the pipe to remove it, a new pipe on the passenger side is about £8 from citroen and is a doddle to fit, the drivers side is probably more as it'll be about 2.5 times the length.

Also, once you have your line and pipe disconnected you will probably need to file the little "teeth" from the inside of the bracket hole to allow the metal head of your braided line through, I'm not sure if this is the case will all braided lines but I had to on my exact lines.

26th March 2012, 11:06

yeah it's both sides

I'll give that a try today *fingerscrossed* i can get them off. Thanks for the quick guide

27th March 2012, 17:21

The problem I had with get nut 3 off was it crushed the brake line when it span. I went on Rally Design and the kit to make some new braided hoses from the abs module to the Calipers only cost £30

27th March 2012, 19:46

Braided hose kit?????

Linkage?

4th April 2012, 13:51

i was thinking the same thing then. Have you got a link Josh?