It seems that daily I am encountering amnesia over parts, must be my age! Anyway today's issue is the path that rear brake pipes take over beam. I got some pipes from ebay, dont know which goes which side. Knowing how they should fit to the beam will really help me sort which is which Any photos welcome, could not use my old brake pipes as a guide as they were done by a T%&t and did not fit well at all
There are apparently 2 different versions of the beam, this caused me much confusion as I have the one that no one seems to have pictures of. Managed to sort it eventually and this is correct routing, not sure why they have a huge loop in them but that's how they're meant to be. If you holding clips are in a different place then you have the other type of beam which has less confusing routing
My original ones are twisty turny like yours and they pass by several clips. The replacement ones are fair more direct and only pass one clip. So which is right, are the non-twisty ones going to foul anything?
I did! Several hours in the shed with the beam on the table. Flared and connected one end then use a combination of a bending tool, sockets and screwdrivers to get the shape right. Not really sure what the point of the huge loop in the back is but that's how they were from the factory! Those new coated ones look nice, where are they from? But from memory they're actually for the other type (earlier?) beam. Thats what are the pictures and diagrams online show too. There are supposed to be extra clips near the bushes and then more on the side of the beam to hold them, but you could probably make it work.
I believe the reason the pipes hoop like that on the beam itself is in case you have a spring/shock collapse and the beam hits the shell, if its run direct it'll get squished between body and best case cut fluid to that caliper, worst cut line and loose all fluid from that circuit. In the distant past I saw someone who had lowered their mk2 too much face this exact issue another reason could be VW had a pre-made lengths of pipe suitable for many models pre-bending, and the extra hoops take up the slack?
The car must have been basically on the floor at that surely That does make sense, would be interesting if someone could find someone who worked on MK2 to ask all these questions to
I reckon it will be okay. My car is not lowered and I am putting new shocks/springs anyway. Chanes of pinching low as I will make sure the pipe is bent downwards. I wonder if I can Tap a little screw into the beam which would allow additional clips to be screwed in? Or is that beam as hard as nails? My pipes came copper but I have them a coat of high build and then gloss black rattle can. happy with the result.
Yeah they look really good!. Might end up taking mine off later this year and doing that to be honest. You have a go but its 2 or 3 mm steel, its pretty meaty. Not sure if there's a potential of fatigue cracks if its on the flexible part? And yeah they'll not pinch, as I say the other type of beam routes them like that from the factory
I cant remember the exact sequence of events which led up to his unfortunate incident, but I filed it away under 'I for Interesting'
There should be a noticeable difference in the length. Longer one going to the right hand side. Is that copper? Why the f*@k do some places still use it when CuproNickel is so much superior in every way.
Here we go again....this topic has already done the rounds recently, I think Pigbladder was extolling the virtues of CuNi and he's not wrong but some people (me for one) have chosen the Cu route which I've already explained. Summary version, that GTI of mine is nothing more than a 'garage queen' and always will be and will never have it's brake lines (regardless of what they're made of) put to any kind of severe test - I'm over all that at this stage and age.