(T) Brake Hose, and new Rear Caliper woes...

Hi all,

During the normal mundane processes of replacing the discs and pads that went well on the other 3 wheels, I had major problems with the rear driver side. The result was that the handbrake cable braket became damaged (the nut sheared) probably due to the number of times it was hit with a mallet, and stuck in a vice. That beast simply refused to return home... So with new caliper in hand (£137), I get to fitting it. 10 minute job one might think? Problem is the hydralic brake hose doesn't tighten to the same orientation. It is nearly 180 degrees out, which means with the hose straight its facing the wrong way! What do I do? New hose, how where??? Can I adjust the rubber hose where it mounts the rigid pipe on the wheel support? Those little copper pipes look fragile and I don't want to touch them...

There's not many of us that will have changed the whole caliper but I expect some techs will be along later. I can only guess as what I would be questionning.

Are the calipers handed and have you been supplied with the correct one?

Is there a new modified design flexi hose intended for use with the new calipers? eg on the Bravos which I did recently, the brake hose just goes straight into the back of the caliper ie no angles involved. The angle is then made with the flexi pipe. Does that make sense?

I sympathise with your frustration as what would normally seem a comparatively easy job on any other car.

To clarify does the flexi brake hose go directly into the caliper or is there a union for the hose pipe to connect onto?

Any chance of some piccies?

Hi the best way to describe it is if the flexible hose is disconnected from both ends. If you screw it in to the caliper on the old one the white markings on on the top, and on the new one they are on the bottom. The two capliers are exactly identical, other than the number of turns you can screw in the hose. The end result is that the hose doesn't sit nicely at all.


I've managed to get it fitted now, and it looks OK. I'm not exactly happy with it. I'll try and get a picture shortly, but the wheel is back on...

This is as best as I could get it on. Managed to get most of the kink out by turning the union on the copper pipe. i was scared to death that it would crumble collapse, or simply snap!

Was like this on old caliper ( this is the other side):



New caliper on driver side:

Looks about as twisted as this one on a Fiat Bravo

What can you do? It's the way they make 'em

sigh... I guess so.

All you needed to do was fit the flxi hose to caliper first and tighten up fully. then fit the other side of the flexi into the bracket so that it was not twisted. Then refit the clip to the flexi, and tighten the brake pipe into the flexi pipe.

Well that's the thing. I couldn't work out if the union in the rigid pipe is supposed to move. I applied a fair ammount of pressure and it didn't really want to move. I did manage to move it a bit, but it certainly wasn't wanting to turn enough to use that end as the screwing in end. I don't know if it's like your average copper central heating pipe, where there is an internal compression fitting? A web search on brake pipe fittings didn't bring anything. The fiat "workshop manual" is a laugh, and no haynes manual tells you about them. :/ it's like a black art.