Due to corrosion on rear brake lines my car has failed its MOT.

I am having issues finding someone that can do custom replacement of the rear brake lines in copper as the main garages I have spoken to all want to install the pre-shaped OEM pipes that require the whole rear end of the car to be dropped.

Does anyone know any garage or specialist individual that is able to do the job? I am on the Essex/London border, but flexible to travel within reason as the car failed its MOT and I really want to get it back on the road. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

I presume you mean copper - nickel pipe rather than pure copper ?
Pure copper used to be common, but is not very durable because its too soft & easy to damage & actually goes brittle with age.
Most people use copper nickel - which is easy enough to bend or add flared ends to, but stronger.
PS Sometimes called Kunifer.

I'm surprised you can't find anyone so far.
Good luck ! Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

What about Glenrands?

Yep, copper-nickel or what variant brake lines are made of. Not interested in OEM that will only corrode again.

I have tried one contact a garage gave me that used to visit customers at home and install on their driveway but he has gone silent.

I am going through local garages at the moment and so far they will only install the pre-shaped off the shelf lines. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

I did this job recently on a friends TDV8. It's not as bad a job as you'd think.

The connectors for the pipes are just behind the front wheel arch and they're easy enough to run. I dropped the fuel tank guard on the NS to give enough access without removing the whole thing.

Hopefully you'll find somebody soon.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Out of curiosity; does anyone know of a reason why braided brake lines can’t be used ?

My motorcycle is kitted out with braided Venhill lines : https://www.venhill.co.uk/hydraulic-lines-...ngths.html

P.S. I was also wondering about branded lines to replace the steering pump lines. TDV8 4.4 2012

Flexi hose (braided etc) expand under pressure.
Due to the lengths required to replace the existing metal pipes, the effect on the brake pedal at high braking forces would be noticable.
For just the necessary existing flexing sections, the effect is tolerated as relatively insignificant. Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

Pawl wrote:

Flexi hose (braided etc) expand under pressure.
Due to the lengths required to replace the existing metal pipes, the effect on the brake pedal at high braking forces would be noticable.
For just the necessary existing flexing sections, the effect is tolerated as relatively insignificant.

I think braided hose has probably improved over the years, but it's still a fundamental that anything that can flex will flex / expand under high pressure.

I think the Rally Car probably had the advantage that it had a large diameter mastercylinder & reduced servo assistance for best feel & shorter pedal travel compared to an RR & being significantly lighter would not have needed the higher pressures a fully laden RR needs for maximum braking.
That said, I'm sure the increase in pedal travel at high pressures with the rear end of the RR converted to braided would be no big issue.
It would be considerably more expensive than copper nickel pipe though

Paul Paul,
2001 Discovery 2 TD5, 211,000 miles & climbing
2006 FFRR TDV8 Vogue 145,000 miles & climbing
Member of Midland (Land) Rover Owners Club, www.mroc.co.uk

Interesting, I fitted similar hoses to our MG and I noticed a difference as the pedal felt a little firmer with more feedback over the OE flexible hoses.
I had never before considered them to replace the steel/copper lines.
As to cost yes more expensive but not silly if i remember right it was around £30 for 2.5m. They would be much easier to fit, I think, with maybe larger bend radiuses but would they require more fixings to the body work to pass an MOT?

So an interesting option, more thought/research required.
I also think that fitting these to the rear of our cars would have no effect on braking performance as the rears only contribute a small amount to the overall braking power needed, I believe around 20% ish.

David Range Rover 4.2 Supercharged 2006
Ford Focus EcoBoost 1.5 2017
MG TF 2003

Previous Cars of note
Land Rover Discovery 2
Jaguar Mk2 3.8 - Company car
MG Midget 1974 - Concours

Teflon lined stainless steel braided hoses are not like OE rubber and textile flexible hoses. An issue for the MOT would be if they are legal for road use as brake fluid is highly flammable. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Freeway on the Isle of Sheppy is not too far from you and don`t need to take the subframe off. 2017 SDV8 4.4 silicon silver AB
2012 TDV8 4.4 Stornaway Grey AB
2011 TDV8 4.4 Buckingham Blue
2012 VW V6 3.0 Tougreg

Pawl wrote:

I think braided hose has probably improved over the years, but it's still a fundamental that anything that can flex will flex / expand under high pressure.

I think the Rally Car probably had the advantage that it had a large diameter mastercylinder & reduced servo assistance for best feel & shorter pedal travel compared to an RR & being significantly lighter would not have needed the higher pressures a fully laden RR needs for maximum braking.
That said, I'm sure the increase in pedal travel at high pressures with the rear end of the RR converted to braided would be no big issue.
It would be considerably more expensive than copper nickel pipe though

Paul

There is no problem replacing the existing flexi lines with braided as it's a like for like situation but replacing the hard lines with braided / flexi lines is another matter. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Too much uninformed conjecture here. Ennoch is correct, braided of the correct specification will not expand like a clowns balloon sculptures, lol!

In my professional experience with huge industrial brakes we often run 3m runs of flexy at up to 175bar, waay more than car hydraulic pressures.

Note: “correct specification”  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?