I\'ve got a Fiat Ducato van for work. Its 6 years old and done 77k. Driving home tonight, I lost most of my brakes. It turns out one of the metal brake pipes at the rear of the van is rusted and bubbled and its got a hole in it!!
How long should pipes last?? No other vehicle I\'ve had, and I\'ve had a few bangers, has had this!
|
|
All modern cars have coated or non-rusting brake pipes. The last car I saw with a rusty brake pipe was a 1981 Astra. Either Fiat didn't fit such pipes or there was a faulty one. Either way I would replace all the brake pipes; you can't take chances with brakes. Goodness knows how much it will cost; possibly more than the van is worth!
|
|
I don't know what Fiat were using for brake pipes back then, but the Punto of similar era had a recall for rusty brake pipes didn't it?
|
|
|
Most manufacturers still fit steel brake pipes. They are often coated (with a paint or a plastic sheath) the snag is they still tend to rust - usually at the end of the line where the steel goes into a flexi-hose - the last cm or so tends to rust.
I have certainly seen 8 year-old Vauxhalls that have rusty pipes.
6 years is a little short - but it *is* a FIAT after all!
Brake pipes are cheap; I have just replaced all the pipes on a Mercedes W124. 25 feet of copper-nickle alloy brake pipe (3/16") and a handfull of 10mm male fittings cost me about £12 from my local factor (trade price). You'll need a flaring tool - should be able to get one for under £30.
|
Thanks for the advice.
The length thats rusted is the piece that runs along the side face of the rear cross member.Its fixed with black clips and is easily accessable from beneath (for anyone reading this) This bit of pipe is sheathed in plastic at each end but bare for about a metre and thats where the corrosion is. Very, very obvious to see, can\'t believe the MOT man didn\'t see this!
I\'m well fed up especially as I tow a 23\' caravan with this vehicle. I\'ll try a Fiat dealer for this section of pipe as it has all the bends inside the wheel arch. Hopefully it won\'t be tooooo dear!
Must admit though, its hasn\'t half shaken my confidence in this vehicle. Now I\'m nervous of the condition all the other pipe runs!
{Take note: Swear word deleted. Next time it happens, I\'ll delete the whole post. DD}
|
Matstro
If you take the old pipe off and take it to a local motor factors they will make you a new pipe up from CuNi alloy on the spot - you don't have to go to FIAT (who will no doubt need 2 weeks lead time to get one).
|
|
|
|
Fiat had problems with brake pipes - wasn't there a recall on simlilar age puntos?
|
|
Never had the slightest concern with my ancient Panda.
|
Ordered the peice from Fiat. Should be here in the morning. Cost = a tenner! Thanks for the advice about getting it made up, I'll bare that in mind for next time, I'd already placed the order when I read the post!
btw I see I have rapped knuckles!! Sorry, didn't realise the censorship was so stringent. I wouldn't call what I used a swear word in the true sense (besides I used a load of asterisks) but I understand where admin are coming from and it won't happen again.
|
I ordered the pipe from the Fiat dealer and it wasn't there in the morning! Further they couldn't tell me why it hadn't arrived so they ordered another one which didn't arrive this morning either. Again no reason could be given as to why no pipe!
So I gave up and paid a bit extra to the guy who fitted it tonight to make up a new section (should have done that anyway, sorry Aprilla!) Pipe made and fitted in one hour flat.
Is Fiat UK really as useless as they seem????
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 yrs on my TR7. Being slightly obsessive I always coat mine with lanolin grease - a jar I inherited 15yrs ago. I wonder if you can still obtain it? It is virtually solid at British outdoor temperatures, you need to put the jar in a pan of boiling water for 15mins to liquefy it. Then apply liberally on a dry day to any exposed petrol/brake lines - and any other potentially rusty bits. Lasts for ages. By-product of Yorkshire wool industry, I think - lovely sheep smell!
Learnt my lesson when brakes failed in pre-MoT days, [rusty old Ford] on a remote Yorkshire dales road!
|
|
|
