ADVICE: Replacing rear brake lines

[Nathanb]

Hi All,

I'm going to be replacing my rear drum brakes. I've already purchased new drums, cylinders, shoes etc. and have now decided that I may as well replace the braken lines at the same time.

My plan was to replace all of the brake lines from the T union joint at the rear, back to the drums themselves.

I've been having a shop around and there seems to be a choice of either purchasing ready made hard lines like these from Brickwerks
https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/t3-parts/b ... haped.html

Or purchasing a roll of brake pipe, the flaring tool and then making them up myself.
https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/t3-parts/b ... -7-5m.html

Not having done this myself before, I wanted to find out if others had experience of doing this and if so what would you suggest?
Is it a relatively easy job and if so would you recommend making up the lines myself or go the ready made route?

Any tips would be much appreciated and also any recommendations on what type of brake lines and / or flaring tool kit I should purchase.

Thanks
Nathan

[what2do]

Ask yourself how good your DIY skills are, shaping your own lines isn't difficult but it depends how fussy you are with the 'finish', the long straight runs may not be absolutely perfect compared to a laser line but does that bother you? If not, save your money and have a go.

[multisi]

If its just the rear pipes , it would be easier and cheaper to buy the brickwerks ready made pipes.

[RogerT]

I agree with multisi, they are quite a complex shape, and forming your own would probably not get such a good result. The overriding problem you would likely encounter would be getting the end of the pipe square to the fitting, thus making the task of fitting the next section - the flexibility. Having said that, i did get a straight length (admittedly the right length and flared wth the correct fittngs) for the length over the rear trailing arms, and bending them to fit was ok, but i wouldn't choose to do it again.

[Nathanb]

Thanks for the advice.

As it's just for the rear, I'll stick with the ready made Brickwerks lines and save me some stress and money.

[DavidPallister]

worth checking the front-to-back pipe too, from the brake compensator back.

when I 1st bought my van it passed its 1st MOT with no brake issues at all, about 4 months later I decided to go through servicing the brake system, typically everything was seized up, including everything into and out of the rear T piece, when I came to remove the front-to-back pipe it just crumbled apart at the front fitting on the compensator!