Worn Brake Fluid Line Cloth

[blinkwatt]

Hi, I redid a lot of the brake work on my 70' Beetle, except the brake fluid reservoir line, I though I might be able to reuse them... I have a dual circuit fluid reservoir. The cloth line that attaches to the brake master cylinder is leaking badly. Does anyone know the size? I'm going to just R & R both cloth lines, the attached steel lines and the cloth lines connecting the brake fluid reservoir. The cloth is old and looks like the rubber beneath it is cracking. Does anyone know the size of the line to order? Also can the cloth line be ran all the way from the reservoir to the BMC? I don't see the point of the steel line between them and I see in some pics around the web some peeps have cloth line all the way through.

Is it the same style cloth line that is used for the fuel line? Honestly it doesn't have to be same as OEM, as long as it looks clean and works. If there is another hose set up with a clamp I'm fine with that as well.

[Tim Donahoe]

Brake hose is different than brake line. Do NOT use fuel line for this application.

You can buy this brake line (hose) at most VW vendors on line. Just search “brake hose” when you get to their online sites.

I’d reuse the hard lines in the middle, unless it’s rusted out. VW apparently had a reason for doing so.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[slalombuggy]

They did it because steel line is cheaper than that rubber hose.

I've had fuel hose in my buggy for 10 years. The grommets in the master are shot, but the hose is fine.

brad

[bomberbob]

They ran the metal hard line through that body section by the fuel tank. They put some sort of sealant in there. Possibly it was easier to put the hard line in there and seal around it, and have it all stay firm. I suppose you could run the blue flexible brake line all the way up. Seal it up somehow so it doesn't move around and end up chaffing through.
_________________
1968 Beetle (storage)
1990 Jetta GLI megasquirted, burning E85 (currently in heavy maintenance)
2004 Jetta turbo GLI
Marion, Iowa

[gt1953]

This is a good replacement
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113611801A
Try to get what you have as a replacement.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[volksworld]

avoid anything with a hose clamp...outlets on the master and resevoir are pretty soft plastic and can crush easily...for years i just used type III fuel line on them with no problems at all(also only using ATE or castrol fluid)...but the quality of braided hose available lately has not been good to the point that i wont use it for fuel line either ...so just get the right stuff

[Cusser]

Yes, must use the correct hose.

I replaced the brake hoses on my own 1970 a few years ago; hoses are used not just at the bottom connection but also about half-way down. You can see one of the original upper hoses in this photo (gas tank removed), right side of photo just pass the steering column collapsible part.

_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[bluebus86]

The original brake fluid hose is blue color. I have heard there is brake fluid hose now that is black. But fuel hose can also be found in black.

You want brake fluid compatible hose.

Now I dont know this as fact, but I suspect the fluoropolymer lined new fangled fuel hose maybe ok with brake fluid BUT I prefer to stick with hose designed for brake fluid.

If the hose is not compatible and breaks down, rubber bits could contaminate the brake system and that would be a big mess.

For me, Id opt for the blue brake fluid hose. Id choose blue over black brake hose, as the black hose could be confused with fuel hose. Having it blue is a good reminder to not mix the types of hoses up.

any way, Good Luck

Bug On! Stopping Shirley! And just exactly who is Shirley and why should she be stopped?
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[blinkwatt]

Are the cloth fuel lines shared anywhere else in the car? Should I look into ordering more than needed? Or would it be money wasted?

Thank you

[volksworld]

no just a small piece of blue stuff for the brakes...all the fuel line on your car is a smaller diameter...and the vacuum lines even smaller...if you can source genuine Continental brand fuel line from the same place as the blue brake hose you might as well order it while you're at it...not exactly stuff you can find at auto zone....the link gt1953 showed is not for what you need...it shows the skinnier line for a pre-66...but WW should be a good source for what you actually need...part # 211 611 801 at $4.50 per foot

[blinkwatt]

Thank you to the members that chimed in and the member that shipped me a piece of cloth line. I R & R the cloth brake lines today and they were badly cracked.

Back on Track.

[kd69bug]

So the blue brake line pieces simply slide over the metal sections with
no clamps, and there are three locations of blue between the reservoir and master cylinder, for a total of six blue pieces... correct?

Do the blue pieces just pull off at the connections to the master cylinder?
I don't want to break something...

Sure would be easier for one continuous line from reservoir to master cylinder, and reduced possible leak locations. But I want to do it right, and I sure do want the Bug to stop when I push that pedal!

Thanks

[Tim Donahoe]

I believe the “blue” brake line has been replaced with “black” (not to be confused with black fuel line).

And, yes, the old line just pulls off, and the new line presses on—with the help of some brake fluid for lubrication. No clamps necessary, since there is no pressure on the feeder lines.

The plastic nipples on the master cylinder may pop out. If so, just push them back in.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[60ragtop]

In some case the hose just does not pull off and needs to be sliced with a cutter. I have twisted the plastic nipple till it broke off just to see which would give first
Wet with brake fluid to install, it is a tight fit.
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986

[kd69bug]

Thanks Tim and Rick. For the price of the parts, I went ahead and ordered new plugs and nipples for the master cylinder also. I figured while I'm at it why not.
Wolfsburg West sells the blue hose by the foot, not cheap but the correct stuff.
Appreciate the help.