75ZT Community

The car needs to be MOTed very shortly and I know there's rust where the pipes are in the clips.

I have had 2 quotes for them to be professionally replaced £100 & £120, the £120 definitely using Kunifer piping and fully replaced from front to back. The other was suggesting leaving some of the old in place and just splicing new pipe in.

I could buy the tools for around £20 and the piping for around £10 for a 25m roll. So do I do it myself?

Has anyone else had a go at this and how easy is it to do on your drive?

Also where is best to get the pipe from as would prefer to do this this weekend, as I'm free? Wouldn't arrive in time from eBay.

The hardest part is getting the left hand one up and over the tank without dropping the tank. Possible, but tricky.

You also need to budget for some new clips as they will break as you remove the pipes if they have gone brittle, and you will need end fittings too. At the front under the drivers footwell, there's two different sizes in the coupling, I assume to prevent accidental cross connection.

I had one real difficulty: one of the joints in the drivers footwell coupling didn't want to budge, and I ended up having to remove the pipe to the modulator so I could take the whole coupling off the car to loosen it.

You will need access under the whole car, too. I put the front on ramps, the rear on axle stands.

Finally add in the cost of the new brake fluid, and time in bleeding the system.

It's not impossible, but not the easiest thing in the world either. You can usually get the pipe and fittings from a motor factor, no idea how the price will compare.

I was working on the underside anyway, and did a lot of other jobs. If I needed the car all the time, and was limited to a single weekend when I might have to work in the rain, I would almost certainly have paid the £120 and had it done as it probably works out at £70 or less labour. Make sure they replace any clips they damage, though, if you decide to go that way.

Duncan

Thanks a lot. I know I am capable of doing the job, it is just as you say, how well I could do it on a rainy weekend on the road outside my house?

The tools will set me back £20 for the flaring tool, cutter and bender from a local motor factors. Haven't found a local one that sells the Kunifer pipe, but am sure I could. Then I need to find out what ends are required...

Does seem like on this occasion I should pay the man to do it for me.

Chris

For that sort of money it's a no brainer IMO.
Well I'm to lazy now for crawling under cars.

Replacing brake pipes from front to back is far easier off of a hoist and therefore much qiucker than crawling about under the car with it just off of the ground.

In USA there is a business that has started up where you rent a bay for $x per hour. Includes all tools and a 4 post ramp.

Be good if I could just get to one of those over here....

MrB wrote:In USA there is a business that has started up where you rent a bay for $x per hour. Includes all tools and a 4 post ramp.

Be good if I could just get to one of those over here....

Look no further.
spanner-it-t2964.html

MrB wrote:In USA there is a business that has started up where you rent a bay for $x per hour. Includes all tools and a 4 post ramp.

Be good if I could just get to one of those over here....

BP started this in the 70s but it was only short-lived

Mick wrote:

MrB wrote:In USA there is a business that has started up where you rent a bay for $x per hour. Includes all tools and a 4 post ramp.

Be good if I could just get to one of those over here....

Look no further.
spanner-it-t2964.html

Now that is tempting....

However, £20 per hour for a 4 post lift means it would probably not work out any cheaper on this particular job than having it done professionally.

But for those who are handy, and especially anyone looking at a clutch replacement, could be a real money saver.