Stainless Steel Brake Pipes

[Richard_E]

Does anybody out there in Jaguarland know anything about stainless steel brake pipes? Where can I get them? Are they any good? Does anybody have any ideas, opinions, thoughts, or first-hand experience?

Thanks for any help or info.
Richard.

[J44EAG]

Not common.

Fitting stainless throughout might seem a good idea but the pipe is likely to be, hard, tough and un-yeilding for fitting purposes. Special care would have to be taken to insulate the pipe from the mild steel body. Mixed metal corrosion could become epidemic in areas where metal to metal clip contact occurs. In addition you need a malleable and ductile pipe material for repair type fitting where space is often limited within the engine bay and around the rear sub-frame. The hard, pre-bent mild steel pipes were made up at the factory as installation sets which was great from an manufacturers point of view. Quick and easy to install with no engine or drive train components in the way.

Most people use Cunifer cupro nickle replacement pipes. It is easy to bend, form and induce pipe end flairs with the appropriate tool set. Stainless steel pipe is likely to split and crack under similar flair activity stress. Cunifer is far more friendly and has probably the best future resistance to future corrosion problems compared to other pipe materials. Frankly, stainless is not a route I would go too. Cunifer is nice to work and has no nasty issues. Stainless is likely to be extremely hard work by comparison. Common Cunifer pipe is available in standard sizes in both metric and Imperial. I changed a couple of mild steel pipes on my old V8 S-type and was glad I replaced with Cunifer. Pipe fitting in a confined space full of obstructions is not fun. Cunifer flexibility helped greatly. Perhaps the biggest issues were that of obtaining secure fastenings and accessing their locations. With the engine out, the job would have been easy. As it was not, the job was a bit of a pain even with soft non work hardened Cunifer.

Mike

Mike

[Richard_E]

Mike, thanks for the comprehensive response.

I've had my old V8 from new in 2002 and I've replaced the brake pipes once because they were rusty. Now it looks as though I'll have to replace them again for the same reason. I was wondering if there was any way to avoid having to do it a third time in the future. My local Jaguar dealer have told me that the factory no longer supplies brake pipes for S Types, so I was wondering what alternatives there are.

[J44EAG]

I made my pipes up from Cunifer which is available in various common sizes and lengths. It is essential to vernier measure what size pipe you have on your car (probably/possibly metric) before you order. Pipe is easily sourced via eBay and costs are not outrageous. The same goes for the flairing kit. Again mine came from eBay for reasonable money. You might also find materials and parts at motor factors or Halfords type outlets. Remember to buy some fresh brake fluid as well!

If you have not done this type of work before, go to Youtube where you will find some excellent instructional videos on how to form single or double type pipe flairs. I found those vids most helpful and allowed me to be confident when it came to dealing with a couple of pipes.

Full, new and OE grade sourced brake pipe sets are often difficult to source from a car manufacturer when the car becomes obsolete. The fact that OE pipes are steel and are likely to rust out again within a few years makes fitment a bit of a waste of time. With Cunifer alternatives, the matter is completely different as Cunifer may be regarded as fit and forget. a shame the makers never fitted non ferrous pipes in the first place. May be they never wanted their products to live for ever!

Mike

[PPV]

Totally agree with Mike. Stainless gives all sorts of problems especially if any part vibrates. Cunifer is easy to work and there are lots of kits out there. I replaced mine years ago and still looks good as new.
Regards.

[Richard_E]

Thanks for your advice, chaps.

I'm not in a position to make up my own brake pipes; I don't have the skills or the facilities, but mainly because I'm disabled - I've only got one hand.

I still need to get a new set of brake pipes to replace the rusty ones. I tried SNGBarrat and Britishparts.co.uk but they don't have them. So, does anybody know where I might them?

Thanks for any help.
Richard.

[PPV]

Hi, you should be able to get a set made up by the likes of Automec in Cunifer so better than stainless: https://www.automec.co.uk/
Regards,

[richardt@richardsel.plus.com]

Hi, you should be able to get a set made up by the likes of Automec in Cunifer so better than stainless: https://www.automec.co.uk/
Regards,

I got a complete set from them for a Mk IX -- they fitted fine -- but prices for a complete set have now risen
If you have the old pipe out with fittings then most independent autoparts shops will make you up a copy replacement in copper. Mine does them with the olde imperial fittings too -- ABM Motor Factors, Plumstead

[PPV]

The only problem with copper is that it work hardens so any vibration area and it will suffers cracks/failure in the long term. Not so much of a problem if the car is not used much. That is why cunifer is a better option. Its stays malleable.
Regards,

[richardt@richardsel.plus.com]

Quite right. I should've said Cunifer which is what ABM did the replacements that I needed for a Rover P5B and a latter Citroen CX for -- ABM have been there that long! Automec's complete Mk IX kit were in Cunifer too

[J44EAG]

Cu-pro-nickle may turn slightly green with surface oxidisation but that is about it. It is wonderful stuff.

There was a guy who built a full sized sailing yacht from cu-pro-nickle a few years ago. Whilst being ideal to shrug of the effects of sea water corrosion, it had one end user issue. Namely, that it was impossible to get paint, epoxy, Sicaflex type PU adhesives or any other substance to adhere to it. The fellow tried to bond cork Tread Master type anti-slip decking material to the boat but the Tread Master just curled up like the crusts on a Southern Rail cheese and pickle sandwich! The Sicaflex just couldn`t get a chemical or mechanical bond sufficient to be effective. As I remember from my Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Syllabus, it has something to do with the base material having an extra molecule on the top...that`s a bit like the issue one gets trying to glue anything to poly-urethane. We used to get that issue when trying to get a seal on a plastic fuel tank.

Mike