brake line to long

[lock]

Hi,

 

 

 

I have a hydraulic brake line that is too long, how do I cut this and re-bleed the brake?

[chuck]

Not sure what your lines are made of but usually a pair of side cutters will do the job. Again depending on the specific type you will need a new ferrel (collar) that crimps and seals. To bleed will again be specific to your brake type so check the manual or google it but the principle is the same - squeeze level, open nipple, close nipple, release lever and repeat until all air is out, keeping the reservoir topped up with fluid (could be mineral oil or dot 3 depending on your brakes)

 

Now if you know what you are doing and you are very careful it is possible to shorten the line and re-attach without the need the bleed. I've done it many times.

 

[Brakkies Sport Fotos]

lock, I got xt cables that is too long for my liking.

 

 

 

I took my bike to the shop for them to shortened it and they told me, that yes they can do it, but you need new olives (not sure what that is)

 

 

 

but your brakes will never feel the same. You will notice a difference is the brakes.

 

 

 

So, they do not really recommend changing the factory set.

[AndreZA]

lock' date=' I got xt cables that is too long for my liking.

 

 

 

I took my bike to the shop for them to shortened it and they told me, that yes they can do it, but you need new olives (not sure what that is)

 

 

 

but your brakes will never feel the same. You will notice a difference is the brakes.

 

 

 

So, they do not really recommend changing the factory set.[/quote']

 

 

 

The olives or barbs as they are known get crimped when you tighten the bolt of the hose so they need to be replaced. Any good bike shop or just a person that knows what they do can make the brakes perfect again.

[Johan Bornman]

The brake lines are made up of a homogenous inner, a woven rayon centre and a vinyl outer.

 

The rayon fibres are incredibly fine and the average sidecutter will not cut it. Simply cut it with a sharp knife, such as carpet knife with a new blade. Cut on a piece of wood and cut with confidence. Don't hack, otherwise it becomes a mess.

 

The particular ferrule used for the job is called an "olive" and like chuck says, it is crimped on to the hose by the tightening of the flare nut.  The flare nut is easily squashed or deformed by a standard open spanner and ideally you want to use a flare nut spanner. Most of us just grit our teeth and and hope, using a normal open box spanner.

 

Once you've taken the hose off, the reassembly will be obvious. The only consumable there is the olive and you'll have to buy a new one. It is a use-once-only item.

 

As for bleeding, there has been plenty of threads here on how to bleed your Shimano brakes using an ordinary syringe (two actually) and a piece of fish tank pipe.

 

All-in-all you'll need.

 

1) New Olive/s

2) Two syringes fitted with a short piece of fish tank pipe that fits tightly onto the syringe nipple.

3) 7mm ring spanner

4) 8mm flare nut spanner.

5) About 20ml of mineral oil for the brakes.

 

There is a good chance that you will forget to putt the rubber hood onto the hose before you've tightened the flare nut. Once the olive is crimped, you'll have to cut the hose again to get the rubber flare nut hose back on.

 

 

 

 

[lock]

Hi guys,

 

 

 

Thanks for the info.

 

 

 

So popeye do you just ride with the cables that is too long? Mine is seriously long!

 

 

 

 

[Brakkies Sport Fotos]

Jip, my lyk soos 'n kraai nes.

 

 

 

Its a eye sore, but hell, I dunno how to do these things and if the shop do not reccomend, than it stay as is.

[Johan Bornman]

Jip' date=' my lyk soos 'n kraai nes.

Its a eye sore, but hell, I dunno how to do these things and if the shop do not reccomend, than it stay as is.[/quote']

 

Popeye, you shouldn't be so timid. If a bike shop says to you that a job cannot be done, find a new bike shop or do it yourself. This is a standard little operation, about as routine as brushing your teeth.

 

There is nothing to go wrong and the brakes will feel the same afterwards  provided of course they were properly bled.

 

There is no need to patronise a crappy bike shop or ride with a kraaines.

[Wernervdmerwe]

but your brakes will never feel the same. You will notice a difference is the brakes.

So' date=' they do not really recommend changing the factory set.[/quote']

 

I wonder how they explain the fact that the front hose is shorter than the back...

Shorter hose will always be better as there is less loss due to the 'give' of the hose. You can test that by pulling front and back brakes and feel how much more positive the front feels. If you do not feel much of a difference, you probably have braided hoses, which is a good thing.

[stewie911]

I'll be doing it this weekend maybe. Got the olives and thanks to johan now I've got a guide.

[Trapper]

So how did it go??

[stewie911]

This is how it went:

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=80149&KW=customs

[SwissVan]

Jip' date=' my lyk soos 'n kraai nes.

Its a eye sore, but hell, I dunno how to do these things and if the shop do not reccomend, than it stay as is.[/quote']

 

 

I bet mine's longer than yours....

Ok mine will be shortened in the near future for sure...

 

 

[Thug]

Hey SwissVan, that's what happens when you put a rear brake caliper onto the front fork. 

 

I just replaced the hoses on my Hope Mono-mini's with braided cables that I got from CRC.