brake pipes & mot

[Alpine]

Just had my MOT, which it passed [], phew!

MOT man said that there was some rust on my brake pipes, but not bad enough to give it an advisory notice.

Just wondered if this means I'm going to need new brake pipes soon, or is it nothing to worry about?

Should I brush the rust off and spray with something like silicone, or just leave them alone?

 

[zcacogp]

The perils of steel brake pipes ... apparently all new cars are (or were) made with steel brake pipes as US law determines that it is necessary, therefore all manufacturers make cars with steel brake pipes for all territories (apart from Volvo, who only use steel for brake pipes on US cars. Clever chaps, those Swedes, eh?) Replacements are with stuff called Kunifer (I think that's how you spell it - I have been told off by Jim Heandon for spelling it wrong on here before!) And that stuff is copper-based, so won't rust. Ever.

If it's not bad enough to warrant an advisory note then I'd be rubbing them gently with some wire wool and spraying with Waxoyl, or similar. That'll keep 'em nice for years to come.


Oli.

 

[mik_ok]

I'd have a close look and make the call for yourself. You can brush off light corrosion and cover them in underseal or similar. If you are at all worried - change them.

Waaaay back in time, when I ran a knackered old Fiat Superstrada as a student, one of the times it tried to kill me (there were a few) was when a corroded rear brake pipe decided to burst open. I was braking hard for a set of traffic lights which had just turned red - luckily the car in front decided to run the red light, or I'd have used his brakes to assist my stop. Although it had a diagonally split dual circuit system I still only had half my brakes, so sailed half way through the box junction before stopping (with the assistance of the handbrake I seem to remember). It was scarey. []

 

[ExAudiSi]

I'd go with Waxoyl rather than underseal.
Underseal can lift and allow water in behind which then cannot get back out and the corrosion will proceed without you being able to see it.

 

[zcacogp]

I'm with Simon (would chose waxoyl over underseal), but there are better products still out there. (Hence my comment of "waxoyl or similar.") Without wanting to get into The Rust Conversation, I have always been a big fan of Bilt-Hamber products, and their Dynax S50 looks excellent and does very well in the various tests. (Here: http://www.bilthamber.com/dynaxs50.html)

No affiliation blah blah blah.


Oli.

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: mik_ok

I'd have a close look and make the call for yourself. You can brush off light corrosion and cover them in underseal or similar. If you are at all worried - change them.

Waaaay back in time, when I ran a knackered old Fiat Superstrada as a student, one of the times it tried to kill me (there were a few) was when a corroded rear brake pipe decided to burst open. I was braking hard for a set of traffic lights which had just turned red - luckily the car in front decided to run the red light, or I'd have used his brakes to assist my stop. Although it had a diagonally split dual circuit system I still only had half my brakes, so sailed half way through the box junction before stopping (with the assistance of the handbrake I seem to remember). It was scarey. []

That's amusing - my worst not stopping for the lights incident happened in a Fiat also, though that was a Tipo diesel and it was just a case of the brakes being rubbish. I took it in chop against my first 944T, which at the time I didn't like and just wanted out of. The Tipo lasted 9 days, 6 of which was waiting for AutoTrader to publish my ad. It was a red Tipo as well...

Edited to add I didn't hit anything; I was first at the lights and luckily stopping a car-length over the line was only embarrassing.

 

[mik_ok]

Sorry to keep this off topic - my Strada was actually the longest-held jalopy despite it's problems - we had some great road adventures together and I could afford nothing else at the time.

Other murder attempts included the gearbox seizing at 70 on the M8, a rear wishbone snapping on the forward "bone" allowing the rear wheel to steer (a surprising amount) on the rear "bone", and the jet on the secondary choke clogging during (more than one) overtaking manouvre. Not quite a murder attempt, but the floor at the front support for the passengers seat also rusted through and dropped the seat an inch or so. Passenger didn't notice til we hit a big puddle and there was effectively a 1" x 24" water scoop on the floor. The inside of the car got rather wet, but my passengers was by some margin the wetest. [8D]