Braided Hoses, How hard to fit?

[andy white]

Hi everyone, I have orderd a set of braided steel hoses from Hel's website today., I would like to fit them myself rather than pay a dealer to do it. Has anyone done this task at home and how hard did you find it? Cheers in advance

 

[the celt]

Hi Andy,
I fitted my goodridge hoses last week to my r1100gs with abs easy enought job, but I did use a vacium pump to bleed brakes, tried to do it with out but was taking to long. Rem to fit new banjo bolts they should come with the hoses.
regards
jose

 

[Lord Snooty]

Andy,

I fitted braided hoses to my non-ABS 1150, pretty straightforward job, like the Celt I used a vacuum pump to suck out the old fluid and it helps to have a mate to assist you with the bleeding. If you haven't already done so make sure you have the bleed nipple for the front calipers which might sound daft but BMW don't actually fit a bleed nipple you have to buy the b*gger!

 

[andy white]

I have been and checked my calipers for the nipples, it has one on the rear and on the left front, but the right front has got a cylindrical bolt with 2 ridges near the top, it is about 1 inch long with a allen bolt in the top, what is this? and can i bleed my brakes with this or do i need to buy another nipple? please help

 

[Lord Snooty]

Andy, that's the one you have to replace with a proper bleed nipple. Get one from your local dealer, they don't cost much - don't ask me why BMW don't just fit it at the factory...doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Animal]

Andy, that's the one you have to replace with a proper bleed nipple. Get one from your local dealer, they don't cost much - don't ask me why BMW don't just fit it at the factory...doesn't make sense to me.

It's becuase they use a single line, so only need one... but then you probabaly knew that anyway

 

[Roge]

1 Line or 2

When fitting after market braided hoses has anyone fitted dual hoses from the master cylinder or is normal practice just to fit braided lines in place of the standard hoses?

 

[andy white]

Vacum Pump

Where can I get one of these vacum pumps to assist with the bleeding? Are they expensive?

 

[Rob Farmer]

Andy,

I got mine from Hein Gerike approx £34. Dead handy for checking your Vacuum gauges as well.

 

[boxer]

FYI.

Having heard stories of air in the ABS unit being a total pig to remove I decided to give my GS to a dealer and have him fit HEL lines.

First time it's been in a dealer since it's first service 39 000m ago.

Anyway, it took 4hrs and cost £186 inc oil @ £8.50.

Russ

 

[andy white]

Cheers guy's I think I will go with the £34 for Hein Gericke and DIY, £186 I can't afford

 

[Pthagonal]

braided hoses

i just got the adventure steel braided hoses.. about 100 euros for everything,

u just need to get the little meatl piece for the front assembly which is different..

half the price of the set from the states ..


regards

pthag

 

[boxer]

Andy.

£186 I can't afford

Neither can I.

I should also make it clear that £186 doesn't include the new hoses.

To cap it all I'd say the brakes show no improvement now over when 5yr old rubber ones were fitted.

Levers got more travel and it just don't seem to bite on the disc like it used to.

Russ.

 

[the celt]

Boxer,
four hours does sound a bit overboard, it took me no more than one and half hours and thats with time to roll a smoke, make a cup of tea, kick the dog and scratch me arse, If anybody in the London area is fitting hoses and needs a lend of vacuum bleeder send me a pm or email.
regards
jose

 

[boxer]

Jose.

Was there a noticable improvement once the new hoses were fitted?

The 4 hrs labour would be easier to swallow if I could detect an improvement in braking - but I can't. In fact, I could convince myself without to much trouble it's worse.

Is your pump one of the £36.99p jobbies for Hein G?

Russ

 

[the celt]

Hi Russ,
there was a noticable improvment in the brakes but then I also fitted new pads at the same time, but where I really noticed the difference was with the abs it seems to react a lot quicker, as in on and off, the feel also is better but then my old hoses where 7yrs old and 53K. As for the pump it is a Hein G job, I did find it works better with a smaller pipe fitted to the nipple when bleeding. If you are finding no improvement or lost of braking I'd go back to the dealer who fitted and ask just to recheck, if he tries to charge again, then name and shame him, but it could be there was no problem with your org hoses but this does not explane the lost of feel.
hope this helps
regards
jose