brake pipe ???

[MrAugust]

hi guys form across the pond,
can any one tell me the size of the brake pipe please the main one form the tank to the rear brakes... mine has a slight hole in it now... and want to replace it but with out chopping out im struggling with the size.... and any one supply dot 5 fluid as its a fortune over in England.....

 

[Crazyguyla]

Do you mean from the master cylinder to the rear axle junction block? That one is 5/16 in (8 mm).

 

[MrAugust]

yes its the pipe that runs down the chassis... it has corroded behind the air tanks.(against chassis)

 

[Jake0147]

I believe you have the answer.
Quick tip- If you're tinkering on a deuce and a half, I can assume you have a set of fractional wrenches with an open end, yes? Brake piping is sized by it's outside diameter. Rub any rusty buildup off from the pipe, or follow it to a clean(ish) area, and your wrench set makes a great go/no go gauge set to quickly make that determination as to what size you will need. Quarter inch will not slide over it, 5/16 just will, and 3/8 is way too big.
Manufacturers have "blurred" some distinctions to get metric and fractional sizes out if the same piece of pipe, but fractional pipe is in 1/16 increments. Very easy to spot even if they do adjust it a few thousandths so it can be sold as metric as well.

 

[Crazyguyla]

I would suggest replacing the whole pipe instead of trying to splice in some pipe. I redid all the brake plumbing on my deuce, not a job for the faint of heart. 8mm (outside diameter) is the size you need for this pipe. The piping on the axles is 7mm (1/4 in). I have a VW beetle that i've had to replace the brake piping on, so i'm familiar with the sizes the convert from SAE to metric.

Good luck with the repair and remember all ends need to be double flared for safety (single flares can crack and leak). While you’re under there tooling around, check the remainder of your piping for rust & leaks and the rubber piping for cracks, stiffness, deterioration.

 

[MrAugust]

well i was thinking fo the whole bit ... but due the the problem of getting dot 5 fluid it may be just a patch in with compression joints.... these are to well above the English standard for brakes... as to give u an idea... 500 ml of dot 5 will cost you 24 pounds... then shipping... so its like gold dust.... and cannot be wasted one bit....

 

[RAYZER]

dot 5 is exspensive here too, i've read on here that if you flush the entir system that you can use dot 4 fluid instead. check it out

 

[MrAugust]

hi any links for the threads..... we can get all others pretty cheep.... but the 5 wow its a bit heavy on the cash ........

 

[Crazyguyla]

Don't use compression fittings on brake pipes, they can leak and rupture under pressure (extremely dangerous for a single circut system). Flared fittings are the way to go for replacing sections. DOT 3/4 is what was originally used, military switched to DOT 5 due to silicone not absorbing moisture.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/32713-m35a2-dot-3-brake-fluid.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/45663-switching-dot-5-dot-4-brake-fluid.html

 

[kastein]

Agreed, doing brake lines right is only marginally more expensive than doing them cheap.

Brake fluid's up to you. I just want you to do the lines in such a way that the fluid you choose will remain inside them

 

[Crazyguyla]

Here's my experiance when brakes fail. Luckily no one was hurt and the truck that was hit was my own truck.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/11680-runs-maybe-not.html

I would suggest replacing the complete pipe and have the piece of mind that no other part of the pipe my fail.

 

[MrAugust]

thanks guys... iv got a flare kit and all the stuff i need.... its a temp repair for the truck to go out for a Vietnam vehicles weekend.. id hate to miss it....

 

[MrAugust]

right on guys thanks...

next bit im changing the pipe 2morrow.

ware do i need to bleed up. furthest wheel to start? then opposite wheel? then next axil furthest wheel.. do i need to the the front brakes as its only the rear im doing? also is there any other bleed points i need to do. simple instructions will help a lot thanks...

 

[Crazyguyla]

A power bleeder would be helpful but not nessaccerey if you have a helper. Sequence I've always done is this:
1. bleed the slave cylinder(follow the line from the master cyl) then the fartest rear wheel until the back is done, then the front axle. Keep an eye on the fluid level in the master cyl after every other wheel.

 

[MrAugust]

cheers.... nice one....

 

[MrAugust]

i ended up changing the whole pipe... and managed to get enough fluid for the job... but question is... do i need the engine running ? do i need the air packs up to pressure. im ready to go and bleed the beasts up so il let you know how it goes.

 

[MrAugust]

i ended up changing the whole pipe... and managed to get enough fluid for the job... but question is... do i need the engine running ? do i need the air packs up to pressure. im ready to go and bleed the beasts up so il let you know how it goes.

 

[4x4 Forever]

Engine does not have to be running. Just bleed the slave cylinder first (hydraulic side of the air pack) and then work your way forward from the right rear.

Have you tried ebay for the dot 5? I got a USgallon for 42 clams or about 30quid. All listed on ebay...

Good luck!

 

[4x4 Forever]

was loking at your avatar, where do you live? Ive seen US cars and trucks on a limited basis over there but mostly in Scotland. Nice set of vehicles you have!

 

[MrAugust]

we live in a place near a town called Holmfirth its a famous place for a tv program "last of the summer wine"

i live on the moorlands in a remote area of the Pennines. between Huddersfield and Barnsley in south Yorkshire/west Yorkshire border.

we also have a PT Cruiser. and a hummer h2 (a friends)

i visit shows regular too with the fleet. the dodge is a Dakota, the cop car is a ford crown Victoria in NYPD colours...

il try and post some pix of what we get up to in england soon. or add me on face book Rickardo cleggs (Barnsley England uk)

as for the dot 5 its 25 uk pounds over here for 1 ltr.