I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on:
So after a lockdown of restoring my MK2 Roadster, which has included complete brake overhaul, ball joint dust covers and replacing rear sills (and a good job it looks too if I do say so myself), it was finally Mot time.
Unfortunately I overlooked the condition of one brake pipe and it failed one 1 item.
Front to rear brake pipe excessive corrosion.
Has anybody tackled this job? Is it the sort of thing I can manufacture and fit or is the brake pipe available pre formed anywhere?
It’s a very simple job if you have a pipe flaring tool and the know how, if you haven’t leave it to the people who do.
Please don’t mess with safety critical items unless you know how.
If you lived near the Northwest i could loan you my flaring tool, enough pipe, and flare nuts and show you how to make the pipes.
Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh as it wasn’t meant to.
Edit; mx5parts do a brake pipe set (for a mk1, without abs) if this would fit a mk2, who knows but at £82!!!..yee Gods.
Safetymatch thanks for the response. I have the know how, 30+ years in fact. As for the flaring tool, the nice man from Amazon will be delivering it on Monday. I was just wondering if the brake pipe was available anywhere pre made and if anyone has already done the job.
I’ve been under the car this afternoon and it looks pretty straight forward.
I suspected as much after looking at your profile.
All you really need to do now is buy a length of brake pipe, remove the original pipe. cut the nuts off and check what flares are on the original pipes (double or single flares) then practice making flares on the old pipe, which you will master within 30min, wire brush the tube nuts and fit the pipe.
Job done and a damn site cheaper than £82.
If you have bought a new cheap flaring tool, do not use it on your old brake line unless it is anything other than soft copper.
I bought a cheap tool when restoring my NA, it broke after first use. I then bought an old well used wooden boxed tool from Ebay, with various sizes of flare. It must be 50 years old but works a treat on any kind of brake line. It was only around the same price as a cheap new one from memory.
As I was doing the whole car ( and others since ) it was worth the investment. The brake line tube and fittings are really cheap from suppliers such as Beal.UK.
However if its just the odd one you need to replace, most local factors will supply the bits you need and fab it up for a few quid.
Good luck
Richard
I’ve just picked up 25m of pipe for £7 & a flaring kit for £17 both with a discount from Halfords. Hopefully it will do the job or it goes back
All I need now is for the rain to stop.
This raises the old argument about copper vs copper/nickel
I’ve bought and used Saville kunifer pipe and it’s easy enough to work with.
Used a sykes flaremaster 2 flaring tool which was nice for on car use.
Evening all, after a day rolling around on the drive the new front to rear brake pipe is fitted.
It’s actually quite a simple task (I guess that’s why we all love MX5s so much), and what satisfaction there is in bending a length of brake pipe which then fits exactly where it should do first time. Took me back to my apprenticeship days.
Thanks for all the advice and comments all.
