brake hoses

[Guy]

well frankly I got the fright of my life the other day when trying to stop the rivage... it nearly made it into the back of Chuffs passat

i 'think' it will pass the MOT how it is... but it would generally be very nice to sort them out with new hoses.. its a 91 so am I safe in thinking that it will have the larger brake cylinder anyway?

Chuff has taken a wise 'pass' on this job, who can blame him! 

anyway... was wondering about using the following Goodridge ones from CQ's... http://www.golfmk1.co.uk/Items.php?cat=braking&group=BRAKES has anyone got any alternatives?

and are they a real nightmare to fit? 

[SoundillusioN]

Dude, you've seen my thread, right?  Although I didn't document the actual fitting as it was a real pig and I couldn't be ar55ed...

Fronts are a piece of cake as long as the unions aren't seized to the ferrules.  Just spray them with some WD or better the day before.  The rears however, forget it, mine failed it's MOT because of one and I thought nothing of it until the day I had to do them.  Took me 2 days of swearing, smashed knuckles and my car in pieces.  Ideally you need the rear of the car as high as you can safely get it and the rear axle/beam dropped out and then a decent bleeding.  Can't stress how useful and easy bleed kit is. 

My last MK1 had standard brakes.  Corrado G60 callipers with mk2 16v master cylinder, servo, discs and pads makes a big difference which is what I have now.

[Guy]

Dude, you've seen my thread, right?  Although I didn't document the actual fitting as it was a real pig and I couldn't be ar55ed...

Fronts are a piece of cake as long as the unions aren't seized to the ferrules.  Just spray them with some WD or better the day before.  The rears however, forget it, mine failed it's MOT because of one and I thought nothing of it until the day I had to do them.  Took me 2 days of swearing, smashed knuckles and my car in pieces.  Ideally you need the rear of the car as high as you can safely get it and the rear axle/beam dropped out and then a decent bleeding.  Can't stress how useful and easy bleed kit is. 

My last MK1 had standard brakes.  Corrado G60 callipers with mk2 16v master cylinder, servo, discs and pads makes a big difference which is what I have now.

yeah... i've seen your thread... filled me with horror..  so you'd pay someone else to do them next time then?

[JC]

  - and for my next trick, I shall disappear >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....

[SoundillusioN]

Well I couldn't legally drive it anywhere to get it done this time and there was a bit of a pride thing going on between me and the car, so far I haven't got anyone else to do anything and didn't want this to beat me. 

Next time (which should be some years away now) I think i'll replace the lot as I have kind of fecked the unions as far as getting them off again and being able to reuse them.

My advise would be, if the car passes the MOT, get a quote, if it's reasonable and you can afford it, do it... Are they in a bad state then?... What's the condition of the rest of the braking system like? Have you thought about easier upgrades for now, better discs and pads?

- and for my next trick, I shall disappear >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....

And if you really are a friend to Chuff, don't give him the ball ache.  however, if you feel the hoses need changing, as I said before the front's are a piece of cake so you can at least get him... I mean do them yourself.  Also the fronts do most of the work so it's worth concentrating here first anyway.

[JC]

so be fair mr F,

1, they havent been used in over 13 months

2, despite you doing 3 laps of the private test track  you still wouldnt have braked in anger 

3, your fluid is a horrible colour.

so, I will check ya front pads out

 then lets just get it MOT'd and if all is good

 then i will get it into Chris's for a full fluid change

[Guy]

Well I couldn't legally drive it anywhere to get it done this time and there was a bit of a pride thing going on between me and the car, so far I haven't got anyone else to do anything and didn't want this to beat me. 

Next time (which should be some years away now) I think i'll replace the lot as I have kind of fecked the unions as far as getting them off again and being able to reuse them.

My advise would be, if the car passes the MOT, get a quote, if it's reasonable and you can afford it, do it... Are they in a bad state then?... What's the condition of the rest of the braking system like? Have you thought about easier upgrades for now, better discs and pads?

- and for my next trick, I shall disappear >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....

And if you really are a friend to Chuff, don't give him the ball ache.  however, if you feel the hoses need changing, as I said before the front's are a piece of cake so you can at least get him... I mean do them yourself.  Also the fronts do most of the work so it's worth concentrating here first anyway.

I never considered getting Chuff to do any of this brake malarky... he has done more than enough for me.. it wouldn't be fair. it was either have a crack myself or pay a friendly mechanic to do it for me!

so be fair mr F,

1, they havent been used in over 13 months

2, despite you doing 3 laps of the private test track  you still wouldnt have braked in anger 

3, your fluid is a horrible colour.

so, I will check ya front pads out

 then lets just get it MOT'd and if all is good

 then i will get it into Chris's for a full fluid change

mate.. i think point 2 highlighted is the bit that is worrying me... yes they 'work' but I have Natasha and Darcy to consider.. it only has lap belts in the back which is bad enough and not having 'emergency' braking ability is my concern.. yes they work but I think I would like to be confident that they can work when 'required'.

point 1 is very valid and I realise that.. which is why I am concerned that the brake hoses might be bulging under pressure and that there might be condensation/water in the braking system... I can't imagine that it has been flushed for many a year hence point 3.

i could always speak to my chappie this end to see how much he'd charge for changing the hoses/fluid, he has a mk1 caddy so knows the score 

it was the shock of putting the pedal down and something, slowly, happening... eventually.. which has got me thinking :/

[SoundillusioN]

Get the condition of the hoses checked. I assume the brakes are all OEM standard spec.  You definitely need to loose the current fluid and if it's been off the road for that long,bin the discs and pads and get something a little more hardcore.

[JC]

looks like i am driving it for the MOT then 

[SoundillusioN]

looks like i am driving it for the MOT then 

Cut a hole in the floor for extra braking confidence, just wear some tough shoes.