Fitting Braided Lines

[grepin]

High all just picked up some Maltech braided lines and wanted to have a go at fitting them myself as Mechanic is on holidays and always like to have a go myself.

For a R33 GTST.

Do I need to fully bleed all the fluid and can this be done at the rese?

Is it a matter of unbolting the rubber lines and bolting up the new lines? Torqued etc.

Can it be done with the car jacked up?

Thanks

[Targa Tom]

High all just picked up some Maltech braided lines and wanted to have a go at fitting them myself as Mechanic is on holidays and always like to have a go myself.

For a R33 GTST.

Do I need to fully bleed all the fluid and can this be done at the rese?

Is it a matter of unbolting the rubber lines and bolting up the new lines? Torqued etc.

Can it be done with the car jacked up?

Thanks

Seems if you need to ask the above questions, you better get someone to give you a hand...

Your bleeding procedure is wrong... and we don't want your career expanding to a crash test dummy do we?

Better rubber lines and brakes, than trick braided and no brakes!

TT

[grepin]

Seems if you need to ask the above questions, you better get someone to give you a hand...  

Your bleeding procedure is wrong... and we don't want your career expanding to a crash test dummy do we?

Better rubber lines and brakes, than trick braided and no brakes!

TT

I have fitted brake pads and fully replaced the fluid myself and bled the system from the calipers myself. Had it on the track since. I was just wondering if I can change lines by undoing the old ones and fitting the new. Can I expext fluid to go everywhere or fully empty the system.

[blind_elk]

Yes, it's a messy job. It can be done in the driveway, with the front end supported on axle stands. If you're reasonably quick, you won't empty the master cylinder while changing the lines. Main thing to watch out for is cross-threading the fittings when re-assembling.

I would suggest starting at the caliper end. Clamp off the rubber line with vice-grips to stop the fluid going everywhere. You may actually need vice-grips to "crack" the fittings.

[croat]

I sprayed my bake calipers recently, when i did so i clamped off the old lines while the calipers were apart. I am positive you will need to bleed the fluid after the lines are swapped. Do you need fittings for the braids?

[Targa Tom]

I have fitted brake pads and fully replaced the fluid myself and bled the system from the calipers myself. Had it on the track since. I was just wondering if I can change lines by undoing the old ones and fitting the new. Can I expext fluid to go everywhere or fully empty the system.

Santa's lead deer is on to it. If you don't have line clamps, vise grips will do. (these lines shouldn't be going back anyhow) Fill your res to the top and replace cap. Clamp and remove rubber jobby from calliper... then fit new line. A quick change of the solid to flex line shouldn't lose too much fluid.

Keep hose handy and wash residue off strait away. (NB remove pads so errent fluid doesn't get in em)

"BrakeClean is the the go...

Good Luck (Be thorough)

PS Try not use vise grips on nuts. Better to buy a ringy and make it into a nut spanner. (or buy nut spanner)

TT

[lwells]

I am going to install my shiny new braided lines shortly, and completely flush the old brake fluid (I may even service the brake master cylinder if I can be bothered).

If I want to completely flush the system, am I best of dropping all oil of out the system, putting the new stuff in, then bleeding or dropping a little of the old stuff, topping up the master cylinder, dropping some more, repeating until fluid bleeding is the new stuff?

Finally, does anyone have an approximate figure for the amount of brake fluid required when doing a complete flush? (The workshop manual doesn't list an amount).

Lucien.

[Beer Baron]

do not let your master cylinder run dry when bleeding fluid EVER! keep topping it up and bleeding until you see clear fluid coming out the caliper you are bleeding at that moment.

It doesn't list an amount cause it's not really a precise thing, but a litre will do it no problems.

Regarding the above posts about using vice grips to crack the fittings, my advice is to buy a cheap set of pipe spanners. they are well worth it.

Richard

[lwells]

snip

Hi Richard,

Why do you say:

do not let your master cylinder run dry when bleeding fluid EVER!

I mean if I am going to replace the seals on the master cylinder, surely I need to empty it?

LW.

[4door_Sleeper]

Hi Greg.

Just a thought (I think you’ve got enough advise on how to change the lines here) but why not change the fluid over to silicon based at the same time?

I am assuming you are going to replace all brake lines, so why not put new seals in the master cylinder at the same time and then use silicon fluid (a better option for track work or runs up the Gorge).

You don’t want to mix the two fluids however; any rubber that’s had the old brake fluid on it cannot be used with the silicon fluid (hence replacing the master cylinder rubbers). This would probably be best performed at a workshop that car flush out all of your lines then refit and fill with silicon fluid.

[NRB]

buy a cheap set of pipe spanners. they are well worth it.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a pipe spanner exactly?

[Neil]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a pipe spanner exactly?

A pipe spanner is the same as a ring spanner but with a slot cut out of it to slide through the brake pipe so you can use as much of the spanners hex as possible.

While we are on the subject of brakes,,,I think some of you guys need to do a little research before advicing others about what to do. Brakes are what stop your 1400kg missile. Our Skylines have one of the best braking systems of just about any sub $60 grand car on this planet,,,look after it and it will look after you.

Vice grips SHOULD NEVER EVER be used and silicone ruining the seals is also incorrect,,,if the later was correct then you would have to change all caliper seals as well,,,go with what TT said,,,better still go buy the correct tools 1st,,,look after them and you will have them for years to come. A good trick when bleeding is to buy a big syringe and suck the fluid out of the BMC before you add your new stuff. Start bleeding from the farthest caliper from the BMC and work your way forward.

Neil.

[4door_Sleeper]

and silicone ruining the seals is also incorrect,,,if the later was correct then you would have to change all caliper seals as well

Neil.

My mistake/omission - you do have to change the caliper seals aswell. I have seen the results of the two fluids mixing on rubber seals, they dont let go straight away but they will let go.

[mokompri]

i wouldnt recommend silicon fluid, its not hydroscopic, which isnt necessarily a good thing... if any moisture gets in the lines (and it will), it will just 'pool' together and could cause corrosion to occur, instead of being absorbed by the brake fluid.

edit: dot 5 fluid is also slightly compressible, because it absorbs air very easily, and causes a spongy pedal, this was especially experienced during track use when it was tested, because of the high temps there fluids reach.. i dont think there are any race teams using silicone fluid

imo just get some dot 5.1 fluid and it will do the job fine, best of the bunch