Author Topic: Ready made brake pipes?  (Read 3544 times)

Offline Andy

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Ready made brake pipes?
« on: February 14, 2012, 06:45:53 pm »
I'm mid-way through stripping the Polo down to a bare shell for paint, and the new copper brake lines I made up 4 years ago already look shite. The remaining original VAG lines on the car are utterly mint though, even if they are 20 years old.

Anyone know if you can buy hardcore coated steel lines like the VAG ones already cut to length with fittings on them? I have a vague recollection of someone posting a link to somewhere that did - but it might've been on the old PSD forums.

Basically I can't be arsed re-doing copper lines every 5 years or so, especially when they go so manky so quickly. I could get some kunifer lines and DIY, but from what I've read they're a bugger to flare with hand tools, as are steel lines.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2012, 06:51:20 pm by Andy »

Offline Andy

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2012, 06:57:36 pm »

Offline dub-disaster

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2012, 07:00:41 pm »
For the record I redid mine in kunifer and used the tool from car builder solutions cost £30ish quid worked a treat no problems at all !

Offline PeteG40

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2012, 07:01:35 pm »
kunifer flares ok - i've had them on my g40 for years and as they are harder to bend they tend to be neater, less wiggly bends.

As for automec.. they'll supply a kit for many cars, but they are rolled up so you have to bend yourselves and tend to be copper from what ive seen (mate had a herald kit)

Or VAG sell the brake pipe if you want to go oem - spaniel did.


(ps no comment about the 'look' of brake pipes which are on the underside of your car noone sees - you girl)

Offline AlexG40

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2012, 07:23:14 pm »
Kunifer is just harder to work than copper, but not too hard. Just use a decent flaring kit, non of your nonsense.

Offline Andy

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2012, 07:36:17 pm »
How well does Kunifer last? I used eBay's cheapest copper lines last time, which probably didn't help longevity.

I'll ask Spaniel how he got on with flaring the OE pipe - it seems to be the "Poly-Armour" type: http://www.agscompany.com/faq/10, which I assume could be a sod to flare with a steel core. Or maybe my two flaring kits are just shite!

Offline PeteG40

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2012, 07:46:16 pm »
kunifer should last longer than copper regarding corrosion and shouldnt work harden as much either from what i been told.

Offline cheys03

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Re: Ready made brake pipes?
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2012, 08:18:44 pm »
Another vote for kunifer here - flares easy enough using a generic Chinese £15 tool and still looks ok 2yrs on. I prefer the look of the steel though, but kunifer is fine for me.
Incidentally with some heat, flaring steel was pretty easy too.