Swapping hydraulic lines over

[Teejay]

On my second Pro Connect Disc, the brake hoses are the wrong way round for me. The brakes squeal horribly and don't work terribly well, so they need an overhaul (thorough clean with isopropyl alcohol, new pads and a bleed) anyway, so I might as well swop the hoses over first.

I appreciate the olives compress when the connecting bolt is done up, so they may leak second time round - but is the same true for the connector pins? The reason I ask is the instructions tell us to hold the hose with a TL-BH61 in a vice or vice grips whilst hammering in the new connector pin. Only I aint got a TL-BH61 and they seem difficult to obtain just now at a reasonable price.

The old connector pins are there anyway, they look like a hollow pin to beef up the end of the hose, so why go to all the trauma of changing it? Will the new olive fit over it though? Does anyone know? If it won't and the connector pin has to be changed, is the TL-BH61 really necessary, or can a homemade replacement be bodged - any ideas - or can you get away without using one at all? How do you get the old connector pin out? My guess is cut the hose below where the old one is, yes?

Any ideas from you knowledgeable and clever people out there would be much appreciated

 

[amigafan2003]

The pins can be reused.

I also re-use olives all the time. If it leaks then replace it, if it doesn't then jobs a good 'un.

I reckon I only have to use new olives 1 out of every 5 fitments. They normally become unusable if if they are done up too tight.

 

[JuicyBike]

You should be fine just undoing each hose and swapping over.
There should be no need to change the olive or the insert, unless they have been over-tightened.

If you do have to change either, then to re-use the old insert simply cut the hose away from it, using a stanley knife or craft knife.

The insert is necessary to support the hose as the olive is compressed. Without the insert the compression would distort the flexible hose and so a leak would be almost inevitable.

Really these bits should be so cheap that re-use is never considered. Any tiny scratch on the surface of the hose, the olive or the outer face of the insert could lead to a failure, so you're much safer replacing with new.

However they are often sold at a rip-off markup, and so it becomes more a matter of principle to re-use than donate such a large amount to the supplier. Just make sure the re-used bits are undamaged and free from any dirt or dust.

 

[amigafan2003]

However they are often sold at a rip-off markup, and so it becomes more a matter of principle to re-use than donate such a large amount to the supplier. Just make sure the re-used bits are undamaged and free from any dirt or dust.

Nail - on - head.

When I did a friends bike and re-used the olive he said "why do the instructions say to always fit a new olive then?"

I answered "because they cost 5p to make but they sell them for £4.99!".

 

[Teejay]

Cheers chaps! Thanks for that, better news than I feared. I'll give it a go and just swap 'em over as they are then