Rusting Brake Line - W210 1998 of course!

Dosco

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...needed to have two rear brake hoses changed, one changed okay but unable to replace the other as the connector to the steel pipe is solid with rust.

When the garage inspected the whole of the steel line he said it was in a truly bad state and will need changing and the rub is it is one complete pipe from the rear to the brake unit under the bonnet and to replace is a dog of a job, which he will do with copper pipe.

He is estimating a good half days work could be more, thank goodness he does not charge MB rates and the total estimate is working out at around £250 +VAT and any clips etc that break off as they do the work so I guess my budget has to be around £300.

How does that sound guru's of knowledge.
 

roadhog

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Ouch! Sounds like the sort of price which would find me underneath the car with a few meters of pipe doing the job myself. :)

Wasn't there a thread some time back where an indie got the brake and self leveling pipes mixed up? :shock:
 

100%Bitch

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Ouch! Sounds like the sort of price which would find me underneath the car with a few meters of pipe doing the job myself. :)

There we go again, trying to save a couple of bob. ;)
 

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a roll of brake pipe (25metres) costs about a fiver. the brake pipe nuts are pennies and the pipe flaring tool can be bought for about 15 quid. factor in a small tube cutter to cut the pipe nice and straight, and id be able to do the job for about £35-40 including brake fluid! so it sounds like your indie charges about £50 per hour.
the old pipe can be cut at the ends and an ordinary socket used to undo the nuts if they look too badly rusted for a proper brake pipe spanner

if your car is a saloon, its unlikely to have self levelling suspension.
 

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Does sound a little expensive
 
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Dosco

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Thanks for the comments and as far as a DIY repair might have considered it had my circumstances been slightly different.

The local garage is not my usual port of call ie Indie but nevertheless a well respected garage of the old style. I have spoken to him this morning asking if he could be a bit tighter with the price and it would appear the price included VAT (my assumption to add vat) he said that if it takes less time then the bill would of course be less, but in estimating the cost and given, for him, any unknowns he wanted to present the worst case etc.

As an aside he serviced the present Mrs A's Polo (He specialises in VW motors) for over 18 years and has never once ripped her off indeed doing many minor items FOC. He has just serviced the replacement for the Polo a Pug206 for £143 all in when the main Pug garage wanted £295

Again thanks for the responses.

Roger
 
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Dosco

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...as an aside I phoned an MB dealer today and asked what would be the cost of replacing the said brake line - anyone care to guess the response????
 

kth286

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...as an aside I phoned an MB dealer today and asked what would be the cost of replacing the said brake line - anyone care to guess the response????

The complete OS pipe already made to the correct length with end fittings and ready to be formed to shape and bolted up, from mercedes, is 28 pounds and

nearside pipe is 42 pounds.

The joining pieces between the front end pipes and the above new rear pipes are 3 pounds each (2 required).

So, total parts costs from mercedes equals 76 pounds.

According to the manual the above pipes go direct to the flexible hose connections, so seems very straightforward job, unles there is some messing about with subframe, but does not look like it (unlike the 124 where there is a junction above the rear subframe, so is very awkward).

The above pipes will be twin walled proper steel brake lines unlike copper which work hardens and ages badly and can easily crack.
 
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Dosco

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The complete OS pipe already made to the correct length with end fittings and ready to be formed to shape and bolted up, from mercedes, is 28 pounds and

nearside pipe is 42 pounds.

The joining pieces between the front end pipes and the above new rear pipes are 3 pounds each (2 required).

So, total parts costs from mercedes equals 76 pounds.

According to the manual the above pipes go direct to the flexible hose connections, so seems very straightforward job, unles there is some messing about with subframe, but does not look like it (unlike the 124 where there is a junction above the rear subframe, so is very awkward).

The above pipes will be twin walled proper steel brake lines unlike copper which work hardens and ages badly and can easily crack.

Hi my Chassis number is WDB2100612A619211 can you let me have the part numbers please.

Thanks

Roger
 

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Wasn't there a thread some time back where an indie got the brake and self leveling pipes mixed up? :shock:

ISTR it was Herbiemercman, and his garage fleeced him for the thick end of £800 or thereabouts for the privilege of screwing his pipework up royally.
 

kth286

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Hi my Chassis number is WDB2100612A619211 can you let me have the part numbers please.

Thanks

Roger

You need to give that number to the dealer parts person (or Inchcape) and they will make sure they have the very latest part number - I only looked on the russian site.

You have option code 808 which may complicate matters - what is that option (AEJ 97/1) ?


part numbers I had were as follows:

OS line 123 420 8828

NS line 123 420 8328

adapter fitting 121 429 0134 (2 required)
 
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Dosco

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You need to give that number to the dealer parts person (or Inchcape) and they will make sure they have the very latest part number - I only looked on the russian site.

You have option code 808 which may complicate matters - what is that option (AEJ 97/1) ?


part numbers I had were as follows:

OS line 123 420 8828

NS line 123 420 8328

adapter fitting 121 429 0134 (2 required)


I need to check the option code but I do not think it is anything to do with the braking system.

I did phone an MB spare parts dealer and got nowhere many thanks for that.

Roger
 
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Number_Cruncher

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While copper is not structurally brilliant (although alloyed with Nickel and Iron as in Kunifer, most structural concerns are nullified), as pointed out by kth286, it also dissolves into the brake fluid, and the resulting gunk can be bad news for ABS and similar valve bodies. I would second the suggestion of obtaining the correct steel brake lines from MB.
 

turbopete

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While copper is not structurally brilliant (although alloyed with Nickel and Iron as in Kunifer, most structural concerns are nullified), as pointed out by kth286, it also dissolves into the brake fluid, and the resulting gunk can be bad news for ABS and similar valve bodies. I would second the suggestion of obtaining the correct steel brake lines from MB.

never heard of that before, but i shall bow to your superior knowledge of such things!
 

turbopete

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that is a good article! very informative indeed. i knew about water getting absorbed into the fluid, didnt know copper did too, till today!
 


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