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General Information => General => Topic started by: trent77 on September 20, 2012, 08:32:18 pm

Title: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: trent77 on September 20, 2012, 08:32:18 pm
Is there a good source for replacement brake lines? Or do I have to attack them all myself? Thanks
Trent
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: bajacalal on September 21, 2012, 12:37:55 pm
NAPA has pre-assembled lengths of brake line, including ones they refer to as "European style" meaning bubble flare with m10 x 1.0 (I think) thread. I think the longest is 6 feet but they sell a union too. It's a 7 digit part number. Your local store may not stock them though.

They are a new material and are much, much easier to bend by hand than they used to be, which was practically impossible.
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: theman53 on September 21, 2012, 12:50:29 pm
Or get the copper plated nickel line and make your own.
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: CrazyAndy on September 23, 2012, 06:54:01 am
The ones that baja mentioned aren't pre-bent.  They're easier to manipulate than older ones, but you still need to bend them.  My only worry is that if they're easy to bend they might be easy to break.  :-\
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 23, 2012, 11:11:57 am
The ones that baja mentioned aren't pre-bent.  They're easier to manipulate than older ones, but you still need to bend them.  My only worry is that if they're easy to bend they might be easy to break.  :-\

All brake lines are easy to bend, and they have being bent to fit by nearly every mechanic shop since the hydraulic brake systems. You may break some, but do some practice first near the end of the line and get comfortable with how it bends. More importantly how much you can bend it until it cracks or kinks.
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: theman53 on September 23, 2012, 11:17:18 am
Jeremy, wait until you try the copper plated nickel. You will then know the ease of bending and not kinking. Nothing better, a must have for a car you want to keep in the salt belt...but it isn't cheap.
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 23, 2012, 11:18:06 am
Funny as I was just thinking of totally redoing the brakes. Completely. I may have to check this stuff out and see if I can get it here.
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: burn_your_money on September 23, 2012, 12:54:30 pm
NAPA sells the copper lines. I've always enjoyed the green plated steel lines. They are easy enough to bend and they last a good long time.
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: CRSMP5 on September 23, 2012, 01:15:40 pm
do not call it copper... its not copper... its like 2$ a foot sold by 25ft rolls... you will need 3 rolls to redo a mk1... you can try 2,, but i think you will find your self short a left to right length for the front... do the front master to rear prop valve/axle 1st...  then the 2 shorties on rear axle.. then left front.. right front will be iffy...

how easy to bend... you can tie a knot in it... i use it on good customer cars... who like them and willing to spend extra..
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: clbanman on September 24, 2012, 09:44:01 am
do not call it copper... its not copper...

I figure soon we will see a report on some online forum or other about someone reading of "copper" brake lines and taking some of the copper tubing for supplying water to his refrigerator ice-maker and doing his brakes on the cheap.

It is a copper-nickel alloy.  http://www.copper.org/applications/automotive/brake.html (http://www.copper.org/applications/automotive/brake.html)
Title: Re: Rabbit pickup brake lines?
Post by: theman53 on September 24, 2012, 06:06:12 pm
I have always tried to refer to it as Copper plated nickel ... some call it Ni-cop   which is ok I guess. They need to do a better job with naming things as I could see that happening to someone not up to the job.