hydraluic line replacement

Nat · Post by **Nat** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 2:21 pm

Hi

I've taken off the rear subframe for a little rust treatment on my BX 4x4.

As its all off (and some of the pipes cracked in the process) I've decided to replace all the lines going to the rear of the car (I'll do the ones to the front when it facing the other way in the garage)

My problem is that the nuts that hold the lines in place are very rusty and seem to have shrunk over the last 20 years, by shrunk I mean they don't seem to be a very snug fit on any metric size spanner and being french I'm assuming they should be metric.

what do people use to undo these nuts without destroying them? I don't want to leave half of them in the brakes etc...

thanks

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 2:55 pm

Good quality mole grips!

On items like the rear suspension cylinders and rear calipers which are made of aluminium it may be impossible to get the unions out without destroying them.

Nat · Post by **Nat** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 2:59 pm

by "destroy" do you mean that I can't re-use them? in which case fine as I'm replacing all the pipes, or do you mean shear?

I just don'e want to be in a situation where I have stuff stuck in the calipers/spheres...

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 3:30 pm

Yes, "shear" is what I meant

I have in the past managed to drill out the old unions left in, tricky but can be done, especially when you don't have any spare parts lying around.

I have 2 rear cylinders in the garage at the moment, one of which has had such treatment. These will be offered for sale shortly once the cars have gone.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:25 pm

ken newbold wrote:These will be offered for sale shortly once the cars have gone.

Oh dear, surely you're not intending to give up BX's again, Ken?

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 5:19 pm

Yes, as soon as my new wheels arrive. Mind you, getting info out of ebay sellers is like pulling teeth at the moment, so it might not happen just yet.
But now virtually all the spares have gone, I think it's time for the cars to go too. One of them has got a buyer already, the other one will be offered on here first.

Nat · Post by **Nat** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:10 pm

ok, so new question. when you undo they nuts holding the pipes in, how do you then get the pipes out?

I've tried pulling straight but all I've managed to do is stretch the pipe to th point it snapped.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 11:09 pm

Twist, bend, wiggle, pull, any means fair or foul I would say.

If the pipe end has broken in, you'll need to drill it out. Start with smaller drill and when you get close to the actual size of the pipe, you'll probably find it will unscrew with a bit of help from screwdriver or similar.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:50 am

first thing i try if the an 8mm flair nut spanner fails, i cut the pipe off leaveing a short stump then use a hex socket and ratchet, as this will usualy grip a slightly rusted away pipe nut,

if this fails a quality set of VISE grips are the next opption,

regards malcolm