Finally got my brake pipes to stop catching

[California Dreamin]

Wayhay! fitting expensive performance over braided front brake hoses shouldn't be so much hassel.

6 months on....4 seperate attempts to stop these hoses catching the tyres and finally I've done it!




Removed them and put genuine Volkswagen hoses on in their place

Guess what, suprise suprise, they now don't come anywhere close! I'm a happy bunny...slightly annoyed and feeling a little let down but at least now the bus is safe.
The fact that I was told 'you're the ONLY customer to have EVER had a problem with these hoses' doesn't really make me feel any better! being told that 'you must be fitting them incorrectly' when there are just two unions, following every suggestion made but still they caught the tyres.

This just got so ridiculous and after hours and hours spent in the garage and lots of emails sent between the vendour and myself trying to sort this out I was left with no other practical solution.
And FYI
The brakes feel every bit as good with standard hoses fitted (I should have saved money and brought the genuine parts in the first place)
Anyone want some nice 6 month old performance hoses....lol
PS...for anyone thinking....he must have a non standard setup, bigger wheels etc...no..all standard.

Martin

[72BUG]

Glad you finally got it sorted Mart.

Shame you didn't have any joy with the supplier.

[billy739]

interesting tom see if late/ early have been mixed up as im sure the early ones are longer

[faggie]

wherabouts did they catch as i have the goodrich stainless ones on my van with 8 1/2 inch wheels and no clearance issues the mounting points on the 2 vans are different maybe you have been supplied the wrong part the replacement genuine parts where they the same length as the stainless hoses

[California Dreamin]

Understand I'm posting out of frustration and this just might be of help to someone with similar issues.
Certainly No blame game and I'm being entirly open minded about this.
Technically the pipes are exactly the same length as the GENUINE VW flexi's (game over me thinks) but the difference is in the way the two pipes behave when flexed, this appears to be the key difference.
The thin over braided performance pipes tend to bend and stay in a particular position (you can bend them by hand and they partly stay in the shape you put them)
The new ORIGINAL VW pipes have large sections of over buffer and are completely 'elastic' in that whatever you do to them they return to their original position..as you would expect.

Now you do have me thinking?????? the plastic coating that these pipes have over the stainless steel braiding might be effecting the way the pipe flex's...or not...depending on how you look at it..thats a thought.
But
These are definately a 'late' set and as I said, exactly the same length as VW's own but that fact doesn't make them behave the same way as the originals.
FYI..I have the option (but standard) Carat 6j 14 rims with every day 185 R14 C's
They were catching both ways (so no Toe Out On Turns issues) where the track rods are unevenly adjusted (I used to run the 4 wheel alignment bay at a main VW dealership) so I do know a little about this.

As the vendor is saying he has no problems with the ones he has fitted himself and no complaints from customers he has supplied, I think it must be the type of aftershave I wear cus I shore can't think of anything else that could be causing this.

Martin

[Ian Hulley]

As the vendor is saying he has no problems with the ones he has fitted himself and no complaints from customers he has supplied, I think it must be the type of aftershave I wear cus I shore can't think of anything else that could be causing this.

Martin

The standard GSF ones are exactly the same Martin (as we discussed before) so it's definately not just you. They fitted fine if the sleeves were in the right place and a very slight twist put in the hose as it was fitted.

Ian

[California Dreamin]

Hi Ian.....Like I said, I tried everything and not just once...I had the pipes straight, twisted slightly, twisted alot...honestly, if I thought for one second that I could have made them clear...
You know me Ian, there is know way I would have spent ANOTHER £37.00 on pipes unless I wasn't absolutely desperate.
I had several of my colleages look over this as well (all with 20 years plus experience in the motor trade) the final decision to remove them was not taken likely and was not done until every possible avenue of action was taken.

As you may know, I have use of a fully equipt modern workshop with four wheel alignment/two poster ramps etc...my van has been on/off the two poster that many times trying to sort this out.
But when it comes down to it......£37.00 for two genuine VW hoses and it's fixed....I just had enough of it!

Martin

[lloydy]

Glad it's sorted, now if you had a syncro you wouldn't have this problem

[California Dreamin]

Yes indeedy.......for the benefit of others, syncro's use the same pipes but their route (orientation) is completely different. They also have an extra fastener on the suspension upright which keeps everything in check.

Thanks Lloydy

Martin

[faggie]

whos make were the replacement hoses, where they of ebay , as i fitted genuine goodrich stainless hoses what fitted correctly first time

[California Dreamin]

No cheap ebay items...and not Goodrich.
I don't think it would be very professional of me to mention their name and it is certainly not my intention to put down the good name of this company.
I've had a problem with these brake hoses and just wanted to make people aware of the remote possibility that theirs might be the same.
Are any of you hearing rotational chaffing noises on full lock...obviously after having fitted braided hoses (just bare this in mind when manouvering tightly around car parks etc)

Martin

[big red bus]

Have to add that I have goodridge braided hoses, fitted first time no problem.

[California Dreamin]

If you don't mind me asking...are the Goodrich ones plastic coated (over the steel braiding) just curious.

Martin

[faggie]

i have 2 sets one set is bare stainless hose they have been on for years, the other set has been on around a year they are clear plastic coated there both on early vans

[big red bus]

yep hard plastic coated top to bottom.