On a similar thread...

How do I connect a braided flexi pipe to my ex-Cortina calipers? Can I screw the male end of the pipe straight into the hole, or do I need something in-between?

In the same light, my rear axle has a T-piece - the 'top of the tee' goes to each rear piston. My rear flexi is currently screwed into the remaining hole, but this doesn't seem a good way to do it.

Anyone got a better way?

David

David

The Cortina had a bracket fitted that carried the outer end of the flexy with a short length of solid pipe to the caliper itself. Thats the way I have done mine, I will post a picture when I get home tonight.

Eric

My flexy's are screwed staight into the caliper,i too didnt know if this was correct.

I searched through the photo archives on all sites plus pics of my own from the shows,seems to be the way to go.

Cant help with the rear as i'm not live axle,most i have seen are T-piece on axle casing strapped down with metal tie wraps over rubber.
More copper pipe towards each wheel,then bracket welded on axle case where you go from copper to flexy.

If that helps any.

wicket - I forgot to mention that I didn't want to use the little bit of copper pipe to go from the bracket to the caliper. No fixed reason - just didn't like the look of it! (I may still go that way, though).

bob - everything's fixed down and nice and secure at the back end - my question was about the way I'd screwed the rear flexible pipe straight into the T-piece. I wasn't sure if this was a legitemate thing to do. It's secure, but I don't know if I'm doing the right thing.

David

Sorry got a bit confused,yeah i wondered this but mine are all just screwed straight in.

Checked out a few cars at MK's saturday and they are the same,as on my archive.

Attached is a picture of a W******d brake pipe.


Rescued attachment Brakes.jpg

David, check out "rear axle finished" in my photo archive.

This was done by drilling and tapping the axle when it was bare(just make sure that you wash out the axle fully), then the P clips are just bolted to the axle with a little thread lock.

Hope this helps, Dan.

Hang on, folks! You're answering the wrong question!

My only questions are:

1. how to connect the flexible pipe to the caliper itself - can I screw the pipe straight into the caliper hole.

2. can I screw the rear flexible straight into the T-piece.

...but thanks for your answers, even though they weren't the ones I was expecting.

David

Yeah it is a bit long winded,me and scutter seemed to shoot off in a different direction.

Anyhow as for questions 1 & 2, its yes and yes.

finally

David, I was hoping the picture I sent you shows the flexible pipe being screwed straight into the caliper. Although it's not a Cortina caliper the principle is the same. Also, as its a Westie, it's an SVA'd vehicle so we know it to be acceptable in terms of safety.


As for the T piece, I would imagine that as long as there is some type of washer to ensure an air tight seal, you will be ok.

I'm learning about pipe conenctions, so let me know how you finally decide to do this.

Regards

That's right Bob drag me into it before I get chance to say sorry

Must admit thought is was a funny question for David to ask as he's the one who normally puts me in the right direction.

All the best Dan.

David
A couple of pictures in the photo archive as promised.

Eric

Hi David.
I am also at this stage and have been trying to decide how for some time.What i have decided is to use flexis with a banjo and bolt onto the calliper at the front.
For the rear axle i was also going to screw the flexi straight into the tee piece , but felt that it could tend to work loose with the movement of the axle as there is no locknut.Therefore i have welded a tag to the axle and then am going to secure the flexi to that with a locknut and use a short copper pipe to the tee piece.
I am undecided on the route for the front flexi pipes at the body end and would like to secure them to the top wishbones but am not sure if this is ok to do.
Paul.

Is your proposed arrangement going to be alright on the front calipers, paulf? The Cortina caliper brake pipes seal by the taper at the bottom of the threads. If there is no machined surface for the banjo/sealing washer to mate to, it's gonna leak. Even if it doesnt at first, chances are it would when you need them most......
I've just made mine up using similar fitment to that in the Westfield picture above, and the same type fitting into a T piece for the rear axle (dedion). Works a treat......

[Edited on 11/2/03 by Stu16v]

I have seen a number of cars using this arrangement and cortina callipers including a number of westfields.I would think that as long as reasonably flat the copper washers would seal ay slight uneveness.If it does cause a problem then i could always make a spotfacing cutter and machine the top true to the bore.
Paul

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stu16v
Is your proposed arrangement going to be alright on the front calipers, paulf? The Cortina caliper brake pipes seal by the taper at the bottom of the threads. uote]

---

Mark Allanson - 11/2/03 at 11:13 PM

It is the taper of the brake pipe at the base of the tapped hole in the caliper that gives the pressure seal not a copper washer on the outer face. I cannot see that anything but a copper brake pipe attachment to the caliper would pass the SVA.

---

chrisg - 11/2/03 at 11:35 PM

SORRY GUYS, YOU CAN'T SCREW THE FLEXY STRAIGHT INTO THE CALIPER!!

All that shouting tired me out.

The bracket and the bit of pipe "centre" the input on the line of the spindle.

If you screw the pipe straight into the caliper it "bunches" when you turn the wheel one way and "stretches" when you turn it the other.

If you've got the steering rack on, try it.

I had to scource some new brackets and pipe cos' i'd binned 'em!!

Don't doo it!

Cheers

Chris

---

bob - 12/2/03 at 12:10 AM

---

David Jenkins - 12/2/03 at 09:51 AM

quote:

---

Originally posted by chrisg
SORRY GUYS, YOU CAN'T SCREW THE FLEXY STRAIGHT INTO THE CALIPER!!

---

Cooo... I've gone all deaf in one ear now!

This, and the bit about the seal being on the conical part at the bottom, is what I suspected - it's the pipe flare that makes the 'sealing washer'. I can't imagine that the surface around the caliper hole is good enough for a banjo fitting.

This whole front brake pipe thing is a PITA - I originally bought some ordinary rubber pipes to fit a Cortina, and they would have been fine if I was using the chassis brackets shown in the book. However, I plan to fix the pipe to the ali skin (reinforced!) so the pipes are too long. Can't turn full lock without the pipes rubbing on something, they flap around and look stupid.

I plan to get some nice braided flexis, but I have no idea what length to specify - hence I need to know how they'll fit so I can work everything out.

BTW - one good reason why you should fit the brake pipe bracket that ChrisG mentioned - it provides the locking tabs for the caliper bolts. I believe that some people have failed the SVA for not having the bolts locked.

Ho Hum - back to the drawing board

David

(who's now going to have to make up little bits of brake pipe so that the flexis are fitted properly)

---

David Jenkins - 12/2/03 at 09:54 AM

quote:

---

Originally posted by scutter

Must admit thought is was a funny question for David to ask as he's the one who normally puts me in the right direction.

---

This is one of those jobs that's been 'lurking' for many months - I've been putting it off 'cos I wasn't confident that I'd do it right.

David

---

scutter - 12/2/03 at 10:01 AM

FECK , Thanks Chris,

That could have caused a lot of heartache.

Chris do you know of a stockist for said bracket?

Dan.

[Edited on 12/2/03 by scutter]

---

bob - 12/2/03 at 10:14 AM

Finaly woke up,ruddy flu.

This is a cortina caliper and rear drum thing,probably best i just go away.
Sorry.

---

JohnFol - 12/2/03 at 12:37 PM

Chris, I bow to your superior knowledge, but if you look at the picture (sorry about size), this technique is used on production cars.
I know it's a W******D, but it's still a car that conforms to the same laws of physics.

---

Stu16v - 12/2/03 at 06:02 PM

Chris, the logic is good. BUT there are loads of road cars out there that do the same, Westfields and other kits do the same (they are like that on mine, and my mates) and so on. Creating a centre mounting point then means that the pipe is encouraged close to the spring/shocker if not very carefully routed-not good.


[Edited on 12/2/03 by Stu16v]

---

chrisg - 12/2/03 at 06:18 PM

Well thats what happened to me - braided flexy straight into caliper, pushed into disc,
when I turned the wheel "in" . Other way couldn't get full lock cos' the flexy was at full stretch,

if you can get away with it, go for it, but I would have to have extended the flexy to the point that if I could get full lock,
I would have been in danger of the slack wrapping round the wheel in the other direction,

each to his own but it didn't work for me.

Got my brackets from OldParts Store - I'll find the address

Mine aren't close to the shockers, Ill post a pic

Just had a thought-penny pinchers like Ford don't put much on that isn't needed,

there's usually a reason for this kind of stuff - leaving 'em off could have saved Henry maybe 50p a car.

Adds up when you're selling millions!!!

Cheers

Chris

[Edited on 12/2/03 by chrisg]

[Edited on 12/2/03 by chrisg]

---