Guys

2002 TD2 Disco 2, 147000 miles (owned by me from new). I had my MOT last monday. Car sailed through as usual. However the testing chap pointed to a brake pipe in front of the fuel tank which was rusty, although he didn't fail the MOT, he did say that attention would be needed soon...

Dissapointed it's failed as I had the car Waxoyled a few years back.

On further inspection, it appears that this brake pipe runs from the rear drivers side wheel, crosses over in front of the fuel tank (where it's corroded) then continues along the upper side of the left hand chassis member to the engine bay. It appears to be one single run with no connections between the ABS unit and the short flex hose to the caliper.

So...what's the best way to replace this? If I need to buy pipe, unions, a pipe flaring tool etc, I will probably just ask the dealer as I can't get the car in the garage (not taking on a job this size on the driveway at this time of year!). Bending the pipe around all the chassis components on it's route looks challenging - it looks a pretty complex routing job with a long pipe?

I wonder if I could buy a long length of braided hose (Goodridge or similar), with unions installed and just replace the whole length (incl the flex hose) from ABS unit to caliper? Would that pass an MOT? It would be a piece of puddin to install (rather than bending brake pipe round all the chassis components)???? A few extra £ and it would be good for 10 years!

What's the best way forwards???

remove the entire corroded length and take it to your local motor factors, they usually are able to make any length while you wait - they'll use the orginal as a bend template

dont be tempted to buy one of those cheap flaring kits, they produce very poor results (which leak)

you'll then have to refill and bleed as normal

I decided not to take the job on myself. Having done some research I decided on copper brake pipes, as they last "forever". I also decided to replace the flexible pipe at the same time (i.e. the complete run). The job is too big for me to take on on the drive at home - just too much faff (and time).

Having spoken to my local independant dealer (a good guy!) this morning, he agreed to do BOTH rear brake pipes, renewing all from the ABS unit to the rear calipers (i.e. incl the flex pipe). Using copper pipes, including fluids & warranted & VAT incl for £140!

I have booked it in...

Thanks for your help & Advice Sean

Mmts

Ouch!
my local motorfactors guy made me a brake pipe for the front of my 300 for £3.50!

I have brake pipe, but like Sean say's cheapo flaring tools produce poor results, so I took it to a man with the tools.

Battenberg - thanks for the note. I have done brake pipes before on old bangers when I was a teenager. The routing of this looks a bit tricky, and will probably take me all day by the time I've travelled to the motorfactors with my old pipe to kake a pattern for me. More mmtt (time) than mmts!

id rarther take 2 days doing it than pay 140! But u do sometimes need to bleed the abs pump with diagnostic equipment.... Hope the garage has that.

you only need to bleed the abs pump if you let air in betwean the abs pump and the master cylinder keep the pot full and you will be ok

MartinK said:

Battenberg - thanks for the note. I have done brake pipes before on old bangers when I was a teenager. The routing of this looks a bit tricky, and will probably take me all day by the time I've travelled to the motorfactors with my old pipe to kake a pattern for me. More mmtt (time) than mmts!

Click to expand...

How did you get on with this? Was thinking about doing it on my TD5

Balls... just seen when this fred was active... D'OH!!

If you want to do it yourself I recommend a Sealey ak5063 flaring tool I have done my D1 a mk3 golf and an Opel manta with this every flare was good and look at YouTube before using it.also make one of these to stop fluid loss

MOT due on my Discovery 4 soon and having used the very useful online MOT history I have seen that the rear OS - NS rear brake pipe was noted as corroded in the advisory on the last two MOT tests. Just got the car and need to keep it on the road. Not as handy on the spanners as I used to be so good to see what I could be in for on the price Thinking of asking the MOT station to replace if price right. Good to know that it's a job that a generic garage can do. Cheers !