Crossmember brake pipe

[Hairy Bobis]

I am in the process of replacing my brake pipes on my 13/60 and I am 'flumoxed' on how to removed the brake pipe that goes across the front cross member, under the engine.

It appears from the nearside, the pipe meanders through the base of the front suspension tower and no amount of fiddling and prodding will allow me to remove this pipe.

Is there a 'trick' in removing this pipe?

I am hoping I will not have to remove the suspension tower to gain access to this pipe.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Sav.

[midgeman]

I replaced mine while the engine was out I would imagine it is near impossible otherwise but I am sure someone will have done it.

[Stu 1986]

Cut it out & when you replace it do it in sections. This is ok if you're not going for concours.

[Mark Hammond]

Isn't it held down by some metal tags welded to the chassis?  Bend the tags to release the pipe and it should wiggle free.

Mark

[Hairy Bobis]

Thanks for the replies.

I should have mentioned that I have one of those ready made pipe kits purposely made for the 13/60.  All the other pipes came off very easily.

I did think of cutting the old pipe at first but then thought how do I re insert the replacement pipe in one piece.  

I really want to avoid doing this in 2 sections if I can, I will have another look to check that I have released all the metal tags when I am next in the garage.

Somehow I think there will be further cursing and grazed knuckles to come!


Thanks.

Sav

[herald948]

Oddly enough, I don't think I've ever done this particular job. But I do wonder if removing the radiator and possibly one of the engine side valences might give you the access you need?

[Hairy Bobis]

Just back from our camping holiday last night.

I am aiming to have another look this afternoon and see has to be removed to extract this pipe.

However I will be getting some paint this morning for the bulkhead.

Isn't it amazing how one job leads to another.  I only started out by replacing a UJ on a drive shaft, which lead to a complete rear strip down, clean and paint. Then moved on to replacing the brake pipes which lead onto removing the heater ( to chenge that brake pipe) and I am now painting the bulkhead.

Will it ever end?

Hope not, I will have nothing to do!

[Paudman]

3302 wrote:

Isn't it amazing how one job leads to another.  I only started out by replacing a UJ on a drive shaft, which lead to a complete rear strip down, clean and paint.

In 2003 I tried to have a small 1 inch crack on a GT6 bonnet welded. It led to a complete rebuild both body and mechanical with the car off the road for three years. You're sometimes better off not starting...
But: the brakepipes - one goes across the front cross member but up the outside of the suspension turret, clipped to the side of the turret with small S-clips. There are tags on the chassis which hold it down but even so it should be possible to manoeuvre it clear with the side valence removed if necessary. Fiddly, but possible. Make up the new one with the old one as a template then manoeuvre it back into place; it'll be difficult to bend in situ.

[Hairy Bobis]

I cracked it yesterday!

I noticed that the end part of the pipe after the last bend was similar in size to the hole at the base of the suspension tower so I removed the drivers side valance to allow more movement at the other end of the pipe and tried to slide the pipe sideways through the gap.

It was still refusing to go through the gap until I realised that the engine earth lead at the front of the engine was stopping it.  A quick play with the spanner and it dropped out.

And it only took 15 miniutes to suss it out.

It is amazing what you can do when you come back to revisit a problem.

Many thanks for the responses.