Brake (and fuel line routing)

[Norman AndersonParticipant]

Some advice please from the Traction experts.

Replacing the brake hoses on my Slough Light 15 (what a headache the front right has been, there must be a trick to it).

The long line from front to rear for both barke line and fuel line – these were routed inside the floor reinforcement corrugations. Can this be right? If so, it doesn’t make sense. They could corrode in there without showing any evidence as they will be hidden, may also rattle in there.

Is it not better to route them along the floor with suitable fastners?

Thanks, Norman

[Paul BarnardParticipant]

Hi Norman

Yes, you are correct, they do corrode as I recently discovered on my own car.

The trick is to replace them with copper or Kunifer. (available on eBay and Amazon or from your local Wilco’s.) That way you can still keep them inside the floor stiffeners and they won’t rust and they will be protected from damage. Remember how low our cars are. Mine had a rubber ‘bung’ pushed in at either end, this had stopped any rattling but also stopped moisture from draining out – hence the rust.

 

Cheers

Paul

[Norman AndersonParticipant]

Thanks Paul, will run it down there with kunifer.

I’m not planning to use the vehicle in snow and slush, so they should be fine.

Now then, back to trying to route that front right copper brake hose so it looks reasonably neat and doesn’t kink. What a nightmare!

[Richard LarterParticipant]

Hi Norman

My Light 15 is largely original and the brake pipe is routed through the floor stiffener with a rubber bung at each end and to further disguise any corrosion the pipes are wrapped in a tight wire spring! Not sure how they have survived nearly 70 years. Kunifer is more corrosion resistant but copper is easier to form around tight bends.

Cheers Richard

[Larry LewisParticipant]

Stainless steel brake lines are available in a roll so you can make your own. After having the long line in the stiffener rust out in my now-sold Light 15, I figure it’s worth the extra expense. That car came from South Africa so I still wonder why it rusted along it’s length the way it did. It was a bit scary getting home that day! But with a new line in place, I shot undercoating from an aerosol can in at both ends. I estimated that it would stop the rattling.

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