Rear Braided Hoses

[dave1607]

I'm sure this has been covered many times before and I'm sure I've read about this on another thread but I can't find it, so thought I would ask again.

My rear calipers on my 300TDI Defender 90 are in a pretty bad way, so I plan to replace them at the weekend. I had a quick look under there last night and the rigid brake lines to the calipers aren't looking to good either and I'm pretty sure that they are gona get damaged when I remove the caliper.

My question is, has anyone replaced the rigid hoses with braided ones? I quite like the idea of putting Braided hoses from the T piece to the calipers, and as Hel Performance are just down the road from me and will make them while I wait, so it would be very convenient. Can anyone think of a reason why this is a bad idea, are they more likely to get cought on things than the rigid lines?

All opinions welcome, thanks

Dave

[Aragorn]

I've certainly heard of people doing it. My only concern would be the hose on the long pipe being sufficiently secured to the axle casing to ensure it doesnt get snagged and ripped off or damaged when offroading.

I had considered running a solid line out over the axle case, and welding on a tab of some description to terminate the hard line into a flexi near the caliper. That way you could use two identical flexis too.

[dave1607]

Thanks for the reply, I like the idea of welding on tabs and having a short flexi, a mate has a flairing tool etc. and a load of copper pipe so I may well wait until I have a bit more time and do exactly as you suggest.

Thanks

Dave

[Bowie69]

I've done what you describe, I blatantly copied what White90 did on here, think it may be in the tech archive.

I managed to use existing bracketry, self-tappers and rubber-lined P-clips to hold it all in place, plus a piece of bent up 10mm bar to provide support running to the calipers, and the same up to the top of the diff pumpkin.

QT (I think it was them!) used to run them down the trailing arms

If you want stainless hoses made to spec, give David @ Llama 4x4 a call, he knew all the sizes off the top of his head, and are the same price up to a metre long! I converted to banjo fittings on the calipers as well, which is a lot easier to undo for servicing

[Snagger]

The only problem is making sure the hoses are secured in a way that they don't get snagged off road - the rigidity of steel or copper pipe makes securing them and keeping them neatly tucked into protected routes easier. There is little advantage in hoses to the rear callipers, though - with the outermost pipe mountings undone, there is enough flexibility to remove a calliper for hub work without disconnecting the pipes. I'd just go for copper-nickel piping.

[dave1607]

I've done what you describe, I blatantly copied what White90 did on here, think it may be in the tech archive.

I managed to use existing bracketry, self-tappers and rubber-lined P-clips to hold it all in place, plus a piece of bent up 10mm bar to provide support running to the calipers, and the same up to the top of the diff pumpkin.

QT (I think it was them!) used to run them down the trailing arms

If you want stainless hoses made to spec, give David @ Llama 4x4 a call, he knew all the sizes off the top of his head, and are the same price up to a metre long! I converted to banjo fittings on the calipers as well, which is a lot easier to undo for servicing

Thanks for that, I found White90's post http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=54092 . Looks like a really good idea, so I might copy it

I like the 90 degree banjos so there is no loop in the hose, think I'll have to do some careful measuring. I'll have it up on a mates ramp tomorrow to replace a swivel seal and give it a service, so I think I'll have a propper look then and try to come up with a plan.

Thanks for all the input

Dave

[Adam001]

I've done it as well, parts are cheap and easy to make up yourself. I used 30 degree banjos on the calipers and swivel fittings on the centre T piece.

Pic before I painted the axle and tidied it all up

[andy2986]

Hiya,

Ive done this to my Disco on the front and rear.

On the rear I've gone from the T piece on the diff directly to the callipers. And from the front I've gone from the inner wing directly to the callipers (does away with the little solid brake pipe).

Ive had no problems with this on or off road. I used large cable ties on the rear axle, I cut them off and just move the calliper when I need to do work on the hub.

I got my brake lines made up by David at Llama 4x4.

Andy

[dave1607]

Got my new calipers and hoses fitted this weekend, I ordered the hoses from Llama 4x4, really nice guy and really helpful. The hoses are very well made and exactly the right length, I can see why so many people recommend him.

Dave

[JST]

i have fitted braided hoses from the fiddle brakes to the the rear calipers. both pipes have a split at the chassis to axle change point and then has its own sep pipe to the caliper so if ones is damaged it only a case of changing the axle end part.

no issues (touching wood) to date with them like this for last 18mths.

Hoses from Llama4x4. very good, very reasonable and quick service.

90deg banjo ends on the calipers.

[JST]

before any points out the locker hoses being loose, these pics were taken during the build process!

[mikec]

I'm just doing this too if I ever get my calipers sorted another vote,for Dave at llama too