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Removing brake line nuts?

If we get a break from the rain, I'll be attempting to fit a new brake compensator valve on the rear of my Escort van tomorrow.

Having given it a good inspection, it shouldnt be too bad a job, unless the unions are seized. I've been underneath it twice today, giving them a liberal coating of penetrating fluid (yes, the proper stuff, not WD40).

Before I attempt to undo them, should I also give them a good heating with a blowlamp? All of the fluid will be changed, so it isnt a problem if it starts boiling, but is this likely to cause any other non-intended consequences? And, any other tips to get a clean removal of both the unions and bleed nipples? Thanks Alan.

Reply to
A.Lee
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In article , A.Lee felt he had to say

Use a proper brake spanner which is like a ring one but with a small gap in it to allow you to slide it over the brakepipe.

Reply to
Conor

as Connor says use a proper brake spanner otherwise using a normal spanner you will round the union nuts off & be into all sorts of problems. with regards the compensator, from experience & failing them on mot's its usually the compensator rod that seizes, which can be freed off.

Reply to
reg

Split ring spanner.

Andy

Reply to
Andy

OK, thanks both - in my case, it failed as the complete valve was missing, someone had removed it, and joined up the 4 pipes, so it failed as 'sensing valve is missing and was fitted as standard'. It is clear that some MOT stations have not been so rigorous in their evaluation of the vehicle in the past. I got one from a scrappie on Friday,and fortunately, the pipes look like they will mate up right, so long as I get them off the 'new' unions without damaging the nuts. Ta Alan.

Reply to
A.Lee

lol, you cant argue with that.

Reply to
reg

And if you're replacing the pipe, cut the pipe next to the union, then you can get a socket on it.

Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

Unless everything is looking very nice and happy, I wouldn't bother and get a garage to do it. I'm in the middle of swapping them on my Golf, and it's a bleeding nightmare. Very tight access, seized fixings and a petrol tank and fuel lines a few inches away makes for a very difficult job. I'd also not trust any hoses that'd had a blowlamp used on the unions - I got the hoses off at the caliper end using gas and they tend to blow off...

Reply to
Doki

Well, I've just come back in to get dinner on, after fitting the new valve. All went remarkably well really. I went and bought a brake line spanner at 10am when the shop opened, not realising that I need 2 spanners, a 11 and 13mm. So off to another shop to get a 13mm - which is a 11 and 13mm combo, thats £5 wasted on the first one (from a different shop, that only had that 1 spanner in).

3 of the unions came out without any problem, the 4th was more problematic. I had ran out of penetrating fluid, so went to the local shop again to get some, "yes - WD40 is over there" 'No, I want proper penetrating fluid, Plusgas or similar' "WD40 is the same as Plusgas" 'No, it isnt, it is proper penetrating fluid I want' "They are the same thing"

I made my excuses and left. Anyway, stilsons on the union, and it came off quite easily - so easy in fact that I was able to use the brake spanner to put the fitting back in the new valve. Now it just needs adjusting correctly - looks easy enough, all weight out of the van then tighten/loosen the bar until a set amount is showing, then a fight with the bleed nipples to see if they want to be undone to bleed the lot and change the fluid. Thanks for the replies. Alan.

Reply to
A.Lee

As I think I posted here before, a friend of mine has an Alfa Spider

2000 which got through several MOTs in his ownership without the testers noticing that the rear brakes were completely disconnected.

Ian

Reply to
Ian

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