Whoops just bend a hard line.

[browntown]

So I felt productive today and decided I would replace my clutch slave cylinder and the rubber line that goes to it. Have had the parts sitting around for a while, and the clutch pedal has been resting on the floorboard since I bought the stupid car; if I ever wanted to move the car out of the garage without pushing it, this job needs getting done.

So I looked at Pelican's article here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...utch_Slave.htm

Looks easy enough. Well getting the top nut off the slave is a task in itself combining deep sockets, extensions, and ratchets with flexible heads. Got that done, looks shot, super. Now for the rubber line. Well I get my flange wrench (line wrench, whatever they're called) and twist the 14mm nut on the end of the rubber line ( Item number 20) that attaches to the hard line. Well the drop light I was using did not illuminate the fact that clip 13 was broken, so as I twisted said nut, it was twisting hard line 10 into a curly-Q. Although I'm pretty sure I didn't bust it, I think I'll source a new number 10,11, and 13. Take this as a precautionary tale.

[AdamF 88iS]

I doubt 13 was broken, and even if it was, it still doesn't prevent the hard line from spinning. You always need to hold both ends on those.

10 and 11 come together when you buy a new one.

FYI they don't come pre-bent if you buy brand new, you'll have to either get a used one or pick up a pipe bender and match the old one by hand.

[browntown]

thanks for the info I thought the mounting ear would hold the individual lines stationary from the other side, now I know the hard way. I have a bender, and will stop by the stealership tomorrow. I'll try to get pics this weekend.

[1991 318is]

Flex lines.

As a general rule, when the ends of flex hoses are crimped to the rubber line with no provision for turning, there is a flare nut on the end of the hard line. The brake system is made the same way. That's why it is not necessary to have swivel ends on flex lines. I mention this from experience as I have probably made as much additional work for myself as anyone. Standing in line at a parts counter to buy a part that you tore up replacing another one is "an opportunity for growth."

[Beej '86 325es]

Part 13 is basically just a stand-off. If I remember correctly, it's just meant to space the end of the fitting off of the bracket coming off of the firewall.

[browntown]

thanks for all the input, got all the parts at the dealership today and finished yanking everything off, so I can bend up the pipe and install tomorrow. One thing I found was that the #11 fitting closest to #3 in the above drawing is a reall pain in the a$$ to remove. The fitting is under the brake booster so no engine bay access, and on your back the small angle of access between the steering linkage and the fender/control arm/sway bar, tubes of unknown origin made things rough. The flare wrench I have (the fitting is 11mm btw) isnt offset or anything. The amount of travel of the wrench was not enough to rotate the fitting to the next "point" of the nut so I could get the wrench back on. After some cursing and a killer back-ache, I resorted to switching between a crescent wrench and the flare-wrench (line-wrench) for every 1/4 turn of the fitting. Got the bugger off, but am planning for tomorrow. I don't have access to the wonderful invention known as the "ratcheting line wrench":
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT

Any ideas? I dont want to strip my brand new pipe after all this trouble.

[browntown]

ok new idea, saw this in the harbor-freight catalog, not sure how these crow foot things work, but I have several 3/8" drive ratchets.

[browntown]

its all done. The fitting #11 is damn near impossible to get to from beneath the car. I finally just pulled the brake master cylinder and got at it from above. Took the opportunity to replace the o-ring and the nuts to the booster while I was at it. What a pain in the arse.