Rear brake hose replacement gone seriously wrong

**faithsmummy** · 05-04-2013,05:52 PM

I'm changing the rear hoses on my 98 4.2 A8 and I can't undo the hose from the brake pipe end. When I try it's just twisting the brake pipe (yikes). I tried holding that still and undoing the hose, but the spanner is slipping. So..... I moved onto mole grips to turn the hose, but now I'm starting to tear the hose/ pipe mounting brackets off.

I've given it all a good spray of penetrating oil (doesn't look all that bad) and I've come inside to try and calm down. Hopefully, you guys can offer me some suggestions before I cause massive damage. Many thanks, Nick.

**zollaf** · 05-04-2013,06:30 PM

cut the brake pipe where it meets the hose and fit new brake pipes.

**S66MJETDI** · 05-04-2013,07:10 PM

Would I be correct in thinking you haven't got or previously used a brake pipe flaring kit? If so I can see your concern. It's time to either invest and learn or pass the job on to a professional as the original brake pipes are steel you won't be able to re-flare the end and will need to change the whole run back to the abs modulator if you tear the pipe......

**faithsmummy** · 05-04-2013,07:35 PM

I used one years ago, but I would be rusty doing it now. At the moment I would rather find a way to separate the hose from the pipe, as I really need the car by Wednesday, since we're going on holiday in our caravan. So if I can't get it sorted, then we're not going away

**zollaf** · 05-04-2013,08:00 PM

if the steel pipe is turning with the union, its corroded to it. you may be lucky yo may not. its the sort of thing a pro in a garage,like myself, will just cut and replace the pipe.

**S66MJETDI** · 05-04-2013,08:04 PM

This is just one of those jobs that the man with the haynes manual is sweetly led up the garden path with....... it looks simple but.....

**faithsmummy** · 06-04-2013,03:16 PM

Development- The bracket snapped off. Now the hose could spin I was able to undo it from the pipe. The pipe however is seriously corroded to the nut. Where do I go from here? All this talk of brake pipe materials has left me questioning if it's going to be possible to repair the pipe by say, putting in a new section. I could shorten the existing pipe (hope it's in better nick further along) and make a new end of it? Looks like I'll have to get an L bracket made up and bolt or rivet it into place to replace the one that's snapped off.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for what I need to do to repair the pipe please?

**zollaf** · 06-04-2013,03:23 PM

Originally Posted by zollaf

cut the brake pipe where it meets the hose and fit new brake pipes.

i refer back to the above
remove the whole pipe and replace it with a new cunifer pipe. most factors or garages will flare one up for you.

**faithsmummy** · 06-04-2013,04:41 PM

Wouldn't removing the whole pipe mean lowering exhausts & diff, etc, down? Also a bit confused- in your quoted section, you say to cut it where it meets the hose, but you also say to fit a new pipe. Do you mean cut it where it meets the pipe and replace just that section?

**zollaf** · 06-04-2013,05:03 PM

no, rather than faff around trying to get it out the hose and ending up breaking the bracket, just cut the pipe right where the union is. then replace the whole section of pipe that you have cut. you can flare the end of the steel pipe and join a new section in but most flaring tools won't put a good flare onto the existing steel pipe, so replacement of the whole section is the best way forwards. if this means lowering exhausts and diffs then so be it, has to be done. like i say to people , its a rich mans car with rich mans prices to fix it.