Hardened Brake Hoses

[MoonlightVFR]

C 170B with Cleveland brakes

Lower gear leg hydraulic brake hoses are age hardened but perfectly serviceable.

I would like new hose appearance to go with the new tires just installed.

Am I required to replace "good" hoses?

Talked to Air Spruce about new hoses. Discussion went in circles.

Local pilot talked about cutting new hoses, reusing same fittings. Requires some special tool.

What should a pilot/owner do?

[bagarre]

The special tool is a mandrel to take them apart and make sure you dont cut a sliver of the rubber when putting them back together.
They are fairly pricey but you can make a mandrel by using an old straight fitting and the right sized drill bit.
Hoses are very quick to make and easy to test.

mandrels.JPG

Are hardened lines considered serviceable? If you bend them, do they crack?
You could always brighten them up with a black Sharpy pen

[nippaero]

New hoses are easy to make but you do need the correct size mandrel. Take a look at this.

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=4470821001

[bat443]

I'll be the one to post this caution. Fabrication and installation of these lines is not preventative maintenance that can be done by an owner or pilot. FAR43 Appendix A (c)(21) states "Replacing any hose connection EXCEPT (capitalized by me) hydraulic connections." The mechanic who is supervising your work and inspecting the installation should have a mandrel you can use. The individual mandrels are not to costly if you don't buy Aeroquip brand. Sorry.

Tim

[flyboy122]

As others have noted, making hoses is easy but there are a few important things to watch for, not to mention some handy tips, and it technically requires an A&P. This is a great project to with your A&P (you do, he oversees and teaches). The bigger hoses (-6 or -8 and up) can be a real challenge to get started! It's a good skill to have in case you get some where and a hose goes to pot. And yes, you can reuse the fittings, and considering the cost of some of those that can be a real savings. Especially if any are 90's or 45's.

Once you see how easy it is to build hoses, and how little it costs, you'll think differently about those hoses that are kinda old but look good.

DEM

[bagarre]

Also, a dremel tool with a cut off wheel is the best way I've fount to cleanly cut a square end on this hose.
It has a steel braid in it and a hack saw just rips the ends up. You want a clean edge.

And the A&P thing. I didn't see your last line of what a pilot should do.
A new set of lines should set you back 30 minutes of time to include your mechanic explaining the process in detail.

[GAHorn]

If you don't anticipate making lots of hoses over the years it probably makes more sense to simply order the hoses already mfr'd. The length is measure from sealing-face of the fitting to the same face on the other end fitting. Making the hoses yourself is not preventive maintenance. Installing manufactured hoses may be.

[wingnut]

We just spent several hundred dollars troubleshooting a fuel system issue on a 210. Short version- a JPI EDM-930 was installed by another shop. When they installed the FF x-ducer they shop built 2 fuel hoses. They used new hose material, proper tooling, but the 30+ year mechanic still managed to mangle the innards of both hoses. One of the two hoses was replaced shortly after the install, which was 5 years ago due to a built in "check valve sliver" causing a low fuel flow problem. Now 5 years later we find the flow divider loaded with hose material causing all manner of symptoms which changed with every engine run. Replaced the other of the 2 hoses.
I'm with George on this. You aren't saving enough to risk the consequences of a failure, days, weeks, or in the above example, years later.