Ooops, no brakes...

[Mystic Rado 0]

Driving up from the Peak to Kendal yesterday for a work meeting, noticed the brake pedal felt a bit soft and brakes a tad weak, took things easy, then coming down into Kendal, the brake warning light came on and things got progressively worse. Limped into destination car park with basically no brakes at all, pedal to the floor. Fluid low. Not good. :(

 

Took it, very carefully, round to local garage - friend's recommendation - and he checked it over and pronounced it 'a death trap'. One of the solid brake lines had corroded to the point where it had broken letting fluid leak out and he reckoned the rest of the steel piping was in a sorry state too. What's really worrying is that the car was MOT'd last July and I can't believe there was no advisory on the brake pipes if they're that poor.

 

How does the dual circuit on the brakes work then? I thought the idea was that only one side of the system would fail as the other side was isolated from it, or have I got that wrong?

 

Anyway... left the 'rado up in Kendal to be sorted out and got the train home, but thought I'd mention it as there's been so much corrosive salt on the roads over the last few months and the solid lines on the 'rado are made from good old rust-happy steel. Great idea that one...

 

There was a silver lining, got a lift to the station in a Triumph TR4, which made me grin despite it all.

 

And silver lining two, I'll probably cycle up on the road to collect the C once it's done.

 

Feeling very lucky that things didn't go horribly wrong.

[dukest 0]

of all the places to run out of brakes that wouldn't be the place i'd choose! but glad you got away with it and hope getting all your lines replaced isn't too painful on the wallet, mine was a bit of a shock!

[Supercharged 2]

Blimey - lucky escape!

 

There is a german firm (can't remember the name) that does OEM style coated steel hoses all made up to the correct lengths like VW used to do and much better than the Automec ones.

 

Best thing to do is change the lot, hoses and brake compensator as it will keep the labour cost down.

[Yandards 0]

Blimey - lucky escape!

 

There is a german firm (can't remember the name) that does OEM style coated steel hoses all made up to the correct lengths like VW used to do and much better than the Automec ones.

 

Best thing to do is change the lot, hoses and brake compensator as it will keep the labour cost down.

 

Lot of use that is.. :D

 

Best you get remembering then!

[Mystic Rado 0]

Cheers guys, It could have been quite nasty - I'm trying not to think too hard about what might have happened under slightly different circumstances. I was quoted about 150 quid to sort the whole thing out with new piping, but knowing the way Corrados like to maximise garage time and destruction, I'm gritting my teeth and expecting the worst... :?

[Supercharged 2]

Yeah - £150 is reasonable as an all in price...

 

I would try and get them to buy a Cohline kit though, as mentioned above - will last far longer than copper and Kunifer as is very similar to the original green coated steel.

 

Slightly more expensive but will save on labour time, I reckon this could be fitted in around 1-2 hours on an ABS car with a ramp and decent bending tool.

 

http://www.cohline.de/index.php?lang=en

[Mystic Rado 0]

What does the Cohline kit use and how is it better than the copper nickel stuff? I'm a tad wary of using steel again, thought one of the advantages of Cunifer and the like is that it doesn't corrode like steel?

[Supercharged 2]

What does the Cohline kit use and how is it better than the copper nickel stuff? I'm a tad wary of using steel again, thought one of the advantages of Cunifer and the like is that it doesn't corrode like steel?

 

Your original steel lines have lasted 15 years - there is no way you'll get that out of copper...

 

Copper is easy to work with, cheap and good for repairs but after 3-5 years can get quite manky and union nuts often get seized and take the line with them as they are so soft.

 

Kunifer is a decent compromise but nothing beats the original coated steel - can still loook like new on 10 year old cars if looked after!

[Mystic Rado 0]

Cheers for that, I see what you're saying. Looks like being copper/nickel however, given the distance issues and need to get the car back on the road, but the advice is appreciated.

[Mystic Rado 0]

And yay, it's fixed. And in true Corrado style costing more than it was meant to. It's funny how after a while you just sort of expect it. 'Yeah, it was all going fine until we had to buy part number 48985883738 which turned out to cost £868.65... etc. And then the xyz snapped and we had to replace the engine as a result.

 

Anyway, it'll be nice to have him back and to be able to slow down. And as a bonus, it's an ideal excuse for a road ride from Glossop to Kendal via the Forest of Bowland :)

 

On the plus side, it's reminded me I have a set of 288mm calipers and carriers sitting under the stairs with Goodridge hoses to match, just waiting to be refurbed and fitted.