WH STATESMAN STEEL BRAKE/FUEL LINES REPLACEMENT ISSUES

[Nicholas1979]

I bought a stato 2001 wh that was just pretty much a body that had been painted, got it pretty cheap. I also have a donar car which is a vt calais ls1. So far I have put the motor in and I also needed to put in all the brake lines, however these being statesman I had to take them off another statesman and fit them into mine. The problem i have is that they are all a bit twisted and up against each other along with the fuel lines under the car. I have tried using the original rubber spaces etc from the other car to stop them from resting hard up against each other but because they are a bit bent from getting them from one car to the other i cant get them straight. Will this be an issue and cause leaks in the lines down the track? I want to do this properly and not dodgy, i'm just not happy so far with what ive done. I have bought some thin rubber with some zip ties and am trying to wedge it in and seperate the lines in parts, looks pretty **** though.

 

[EYY]

If they're that bad that you can't easily straighten them, buy new lines and try again.

You can get them out without damaging them too much if you're really careful and take your time. Not a fun job though.

Brake hardlines are usually work hardened from when they were first produced so don't take well to any subsequent bending. If you bend them too much, they'll fracture.

Keep the original rubber locators and make sure you fit the lines in the right order/position. You don't want them to make contact with one another or the body.

 

[Nicholas1979]

If they're that bad that you can't easily straighten them, buy new lines and try again.

You can get them out without damaging them too much if you're really careful and take your time. Not a fun job though.

Brake hardlines are usually work hardened from when they were first produced so don't take well to any subsequent bending. If you bend them too much, they'll fracture.

Keep the original rubber locators and make sure you fit the lines in the right order/position. You don't want them to make contact with one another or the body.

Okay thanks for your help, looks like I might have to take them out which is going to be even harder this time round now that the engine is in. Would rather have the car safe especially if i'm going to have my kids in it.

 

[EYY]

Your pics have just come up. Yep I'd redo that for sure. They'll rub through each other in no time at all. I did it with the fuel lines on my VY when I Ls converted it. Probably the worst part of the entire conversion tbh.

 

[Nicholas1979]

Do people ever use other options instead of steel lines? Someone told me that I could use braided lines throughout the whole car but I was a bit sceptical......

 

[_R_J_K_]

Braided lines and hoses are fine for short distances like caliper to body, but nobody does the entire length of the car because with braided line that long there'll be some deal of expansion. Hose/braided also needs to be ADR approved (and this isn't one of those stupid ADR rules either), otherwise you won't be covered if your insurance company finds out (kinda obvious if it runs the length of the car), and the car won't be road worthy.

Most brake shops can make something up for you if you bring them a wire template.