Brake spanners

[Taffyrhys]

I'm going to attempt to do my rear centre sphere on my S2 xantia estate as its been a sinker for a while now. So before I buy a set of brake spanners I was wondering what is the best type and should i go for the Bi-hex or the single hex. Cheers for the help.

[Hell Razor5543]

I would suggest (for doing the sphere) a combi spanner. I found that, provided you do it right, you can undo the sphere from both its' mount and pipe union at the same time. However space is VERY limited to get the spanner onto the union, and to turn it.

[Xaccers]

If we're talking about the rear accumulator AKA anti-sink sphere then you just need a 9mm flare spanner.
Set the car on high, put axle stands under the rear jacking points, set the car on low so the back rises up giving you plenty of space to safely work under it.
Slide under, hook the flare spanner on the pipe nut, unscrew the sphere and the box around the pipe stops the spanner turning so you screw the sphere out and off the nut at the same time.
When fitting the new sphere, start the nut slightly inside the sphere, then hook the spanner on and screw the sphere home so most of the work is done screwing the nut home. Just nip it up at the end.

[Old-Guy]

For hydraulic connections you will eventually need a set of decent gland (or flare) nut spanners like these - the significant feature of flare-nut spanners is that they drive on 4 complete faces instead of just the two of an open ender. You can't get a bi-hex ring on a gland nut. The A/S sphere nut is 9mm, eventually you will also need 8, 10, 12, 14. 9mm isn't the most common of sizes. It's worth buying a set that covers all these sizes if funds will run to it.

For calliper bleed screws, the best tool to loosen and tighten them is a nice deep HEX socket (1/4" drive). I use a good open-ender to open and close the screw while actually bleeding.

Apply plenty of penetrating oil (not WD40) to all the joints well in advance - LHM is mineral based so the usual warnings about contamination of hydraulic systems don't apply.

[Edit] pipped to the post. Xac's demon tip works a treat. Three comments,

• it's easy to cross-thread the gland nut - you should start the thread with your fingers.
  get and fit a new rubber seal to the end of the pipe
  if you're changing the rear 'wheel' spheres, save an old sealing washer and fit to the A/S sphere - not for sealing, it just makes the sphere easier to get off next time!

[Taffyrhys]

Thanks for all the information but should i go for a Single Hex or Bi Hex 9mm spanner?????

An item for my birthday in 2 weeks time maybe, beats DVD's or slippers

Cheers

[Mandrake]

On any rusty nut always use a single hex not a bi hex... a bi hex spanner has much smaller contact areas and is far more prone to stripping the hex off a rusty nut.

It's not hard to find a 9mm flare nut spanner either, surprisingly halfords has a decent one for £5.29:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165469" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's all I used for the 9mm nut on the pipe into the anti-sink sphere...

Strangely they don't do an 8mm flare nut spanner which is a more common size, and used by most of the other hydraulic fittings, I had to get that size flare nut spanner elsewhere...

[Taffyrhys]

I will put it on my birthday list cheers for the help

[Old-Guy]

No such thing as a bi-hex flare nut spanner (except home-made conversions of a ring spanner). Have a look at the Halfords link that Mandrake posted and you'll see what I mean. You can't get a ring spanner onto a flare (gland) nut unless you undo the other end of the pipe.

[Mandrake]

Well actually you CAN get flare nut spanners with a bi-hex on them, like this 8mm one which is a hex at one end and a bi-hex at the swivel end:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003 ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You wouldn't want to USE the bi-hex end on a rusty hydraulic pipe flare nut of course...

PS, I like the way the listing says "Ideal for suspension units on Citroen, Peugeot vehicles"... really ? Peugeot has suspension units that use flare nuts ?

[RichardW]

In need of an 8mm spanner one weekend, I could only get one from Halfords, and then only one with no space for the pipe in it - I had to saw a lump out with a hack saw to make it fit.... Still no use on rusty unions on Xantias mind!

[Mandrake]

I have the above linked laser 4029 flare nut spanner for the 8mm hydraulic flare nuts - seems to work fine, I only use the single hex end... The only thing is the price has doubled since I bought mine! Either that or it was previously on special...

[Old-Guy]

I stand corrected. That nice (expensive) Laser brand spanner seems to be flat drive too. But like you, Simon, I would use the bi-hex end on a rusty nut, at least until it was moving reasonably easily. I bought a complete set covering every size on a Xantia (and some others) for about £20 from Sealeys.