Fiesta mk6 tdci rear brake line replacement

[spottedtango]

Hello there, I'm asking on behalf of my friend who has a fiesta mk6. Basically one of the rear brake lines on his has burst due to an incompetent mechanic. The car was fine when it went in for its mot and during its mot it supposedly burst which I find quite hard to believe. 

anyway I wanted to know if something like this would do the rear section of brake pipe as its not the main brake line but just the rear section.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302006183114

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I meant to says it's 03 mk6 1.4 tdci.fiesta

[dezwez]

^{if its the right part for that model yes it will fit}

[spottedtango]

Okay thanks but the reason for the uncertainty is because the ones on it look metal where the ones on eBay look rubber but I'm guessing that doesn't matter too much.

[dezwez]

that hose goes to the brake calliper then to the solid metal pipe that goes back to

the master cylinder  I take it that this hoses has burst if so that's the one you would need

[spottedtango]

Yep you're right, except it's the hose from the rear brake drum to the solid metal pipe as you stated. 

[dezwez]

yes that's right didn't no it was a brake drum

[stef123]

Has it burst one of the metal brake lines? Or a flexi hose? 

[spottedtango]

Sorry for late reply. It's the flexi hose. Here's a pic of supposedly where its burst, it looks like its been cut/damaged to me

 

 

http://tinypic.com/r/1eanm8/9 

 

link incase the imbedded pic doesn't work.

Is there anything I need to know about changing the flexi hose on the fiesta or is it fairly straight forward? 

[isetta]

the metal brake pipe looks like it has some rust pitting on there - more than just surface rust. also the tube nut (the nut that holds the metal pipe to the end of the flexible hose) could well be rusted to the pipe (it needs to turn whilst the pipe inside it stays still). the rust  means that when you try to undo the nut it might twist the pipe and breaks it. 

obviously you can't get a ring spanner on there. open ended spanners often slip round these nuts and chew the edges. tube nut spanners are what is really needed.

an example http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Duty-6-Piece-6-24mm-Flare-Nut-Spanner-Set-/252469851726?hash=item3ac860364e:m:mZM04GiCEhs_Q3irANor5Cg

like a hex ring spanner with a bit cut out to get over the pipe.

and then you need to bleed the brakes after replacing the hose. 

to be honest from the confusing post about whether it was the flexi hose or the metal pipe I am wondering - are you sure you can do this . I am not meaning to insult you 

 

[spottedtango]

Thanks for the response. I've replaced quite a few brake lines on motorcycles before, flexi lines on cars not so much hence why the miss-understanding about the flexis and metal pipes. I understand about bleeding all the usual stuff etc. I was just asking if there's anything model specific I need to know about the fiesta before I start this as you know certain models of car can have their quirks.

I'm gonna try and clean the area up with an old toothbrush and plenty wd40 before i start loosening any nuts. It is an older car (2003) so I understand some rust will be normal. I'll see how i get on as I have plenty of tools. I may invest an flare nut spanner set if I find that the nut is starting to round of.

[isetta]

I feel more reassured that you can do it now after your last message. I don't like to be the voice of doom and gloom but it looks very very likely to me that a normal open ended spanner will slip round that tube nut and then even if you get it undone with mole grips or something, you also need to be able to do it up again afterwards.I have had my tube nut spanners for over 30 years. I don't know how easy it would be to get one before you start, but if you could get one easily at a local tool shop it might be money well spent before the damage is done. A single spanner with 10mm at one end and 11mm at the other is very useful.

[spottedtango]

I took your advice and I managed to get a tube nut spanner 10/11 mm I found the 11 mm end fitted nicely around the nut. 

The problem was that as you predicted the nut was seized onto the tube and metal tube had a split which i didn't see until i had cleaned the area up with wd40. Also the nut had rounded off even with the tube spanner.

 

Good news is I got the old mangled nut loose and I managed to get the flex fitted at the caliper and mounting bracket so now I need to order the metal section of brake hose that goes from the flexi to the upper brake hose connection just above the strut. Which I've managed to track one down luckily enough.

[isetta]

in the days when cars suffered much more from rusty brake pipes failing MOT (as they were not coated so well in the past) people would buy a roll of copper brake pipe and a pipe flaring tool to form the ends after a new tube nut was slid onto it. I have done loads and still have a roll of pipe and tools.

I assume garages still do this when they need to replace a rusty when that fails the MOT.  You might find that if you have an independent type garage down the road run by some old bloke who remembers the good old days, and show him the pipe (after you have removed it totally from the car), he might make you one while you wait for not too much money. The copper ones are good as they don't rust and they are relatively easy to bend to the correct shape.  It is an mot requirement that a replacement brake pipe has to be held secure with the same route and fixing clips as the original. it is easy to break plastic brake pipe holding clips, but they are there for a reason and a brake pipe can move / rattle if you don't use them so if all the clips break you do really need to sort that out

[stef123]

It's not an mot requirement that the new brake pipe must follow the same route and use the same clips, far from it. 

[isetta]

"It's not an mot requirement that the new brake pipe must follow the same route and use the same clips, far from it.  ".

OK,  I overstated that.

page2 of section 3.6 of the manual deals with it - like making sure no fouling of brake pipes (and the best way to do that is follow the original route but I agree it does not actually say that) and making sure the pipe is adequately clipped . it says: "Check that rigid brake pipes are securely held and not free to vibrate."

I have seen many where all of the plastic clips have broken when removing old pipe and no securing of the new one along its route, also where new pipes have been badly routed so they are too close to things like an axle or suspension arm moving up and down when the suspension moves

In case some people don't know, the whole manual is available for all to see:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/585905/mot-inspection-manual-classes-3-4-5-and-7.pdf

 

[stef123]

I have a brake pipe cable tied along the top of the rear subframe, its been there for a few years now and it staying there lol. its adequately suported and not in the way of any moving parts etc. I wasn't dropping the tank to do anything else.  

[Mark2022]

Currently just replacing break pipe on my mk6 2 door 1.3 petrol drivers side rear had cracked in middle burst on mot ( been hanging and rubbing over time by looks of things … neway all replaced my question is is there a bleed nipple on the drum brakes ? As  I can’t see anything thanks s

[isetta]

Drum brakes have bleed nipples. It will be next to where the brake pipe is on the back of the brake plate. Unless someone has broken it off in the past.