chinkostu wrote:Yea, the 206 hose had a sort of multipoint shape that's supposed to hold it in the bracket, but the rust had got it so it was basically round.
No wonder the hose needed replacing!
While you're waiting for your gland-nut spanner set (essential on a Xantia) to arrive, why not make yourself a brake-hose clamp like that shown in the Wiki. Then when you come to do the job, you can clamp off the old hose somewhere around the middle, cut off close to the calliper and then you can get a deep hex (not bi-hex) socket on the pipe stub.
Thanks for your continued support. I was away a couple of days this week, but what a great idea! I've made myself one now. As for the old hose, actually as mentioned before I've had the calipers off, so I had already undone the hose at the caliper end (on the driver side which is where the hose had not been touched/replaced before) and to my surprise it was easy as can be. Kind of like the whole thing was new. This is why I'm hoping undoing the flare nut would not be extremely hard either. I'm still waiting for my flare nut spanners though!
Back for my update; got the flare nut spanners, soaked the hell out of the nut (was continually doing so while waiting for the spanners) and gave it a whirl. But no such luck. I haven't messed up the nut totally, but I've worn the edges down to the point, I would mess it up if I carry on!
So I'm thinking I should grind off the flared tip and "start over" with the hose, which for an amateur like me begs these questions:
1) where does this section of the rigid pipe end and what would I need to dismantle in the engine room to get to it / get the whole section out? Now, I'm assuming I can't flare the pipe while it’s sitting in there, as it looks like there’s very little room for that kind of operation.
2) Also, the above prerequisites obviously that the pipe has enough length to work with after cutting the old flared tip. I kinda assumed so, since it has a bend some 10-15 cm into the engine room, which I thought I could straighten out . Is that a correct assumption or will I need to buy a new pipe or have one made?
3) What kind of flare does this pipe have? Single, double or bubble?
4) Cutting the flared tip does present the risk of getting small metal pieces into the pipe. Any idea how to deal with that?
Not cheap but an excellent tool for more than just this job.. I'd not be without mine...
Hi Jim,
Ok, so I guess if I'm gonna cut the tip off in the end, it definitely is worth trying your the approach with the pliers. Though this being Croatia. chances are I can't find these Bahco ones here and if I wanna avoid waiting for Amazon to ship them to me, I'm thiking maybe I could give it a trry with quality mole grips. What do you think? Also after undoing the nut, if it is damaged around the edges, what are the chances of screwing it back in, so it'd be snug and without leaks?
Hi Gabe, Molegrips may work if they are small enough to get in there... They do need to grip the union nut very firmly with no danger of slippage and this dictates they must be high quality ones..
Same goes with the Bahco pliers. Others may do but they must be high quality... Cheap versions in my experience just don't have the rigididy or engineering to do the job and tend to slip.
Definitely worth trying this before cutting the pipes...
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
CitroJim wrote:Hi Gabe, Molegrips may work if they are small enough to get in there... They do need to grip the union nut very firmly with no danger of slippage and this dictates they must be high quality ones..
Same goes with the Bahco pliers. Others may do but they must be high quality... Cheap versions in my experience just don't have the rigididy or engineering to do the job and tend to slip.
Definitely worth trying this before cutting the pipes...
Thanks Jim. Well, I'm sold! I'll try to find the ones from Bahco here. Did you use that exact model / size from the Amazon that you sent the link on (just trying to make sure I won't end up buying "oversized" ones that would not get in there, as you advised)?
citroDane wrote:Did you use that exact model / size from the Amazon that you sent the link on (just trying to make sure I won't end up buying "oversized" ones that would not get in there, as you advised)?
Yes, exactly those, the Bahco 8224. They are the perfect size...
They can be used to do up the union nut onto the new hose too...
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
citroDane wrote:Did you use that exact model / size from the Amazon that you sent the link on (just trying to make sure I won't end up buying "oversized" ones that would not get in there, as you advised)?
Yes, exactly those, the Bahco 8224. They are the perfect size...
They can be used to do up the union nut onto the new hose too...
Thanks a bunch Jim. Might take a while to acquire, but I'll try and report back!
If it's that stuck just chop it off and get on with the job ... that's what i had to do. It's like the droplinks. Why waste time, it's not worth it. You need to put your efforts into ensuring that the next time you do the job it's protected and eases off without the problems you are having now.
Well I think the more straightforward way is using the pliers as suggested by CitroJim (I've always known them as pump pliers). Bit like adjustables, every toolbox should have one, for just such occassions as this.
I'd regard cutting the pipe as creating another problem, in having to maybe fit a new piece of pipe, plus creating the necessary flares. Of course, if the existing pipe proves to be very corroded near the union nut, it may twist, and citroDane may then find he's no option but to cut through the pipe. Fingers X this won't happen.
Well ... from the sound of it he's getting nowhere fast. Just offerring up my experience of a seized brake pipe union. While i 'd be 'over the moon' if he manages to release the union if i had the same problem again i'd not hesitate with a plan B so to speak.
Yes, they're a useful addition to a toolbox. Wouldnt budge my brake pipe union though. I did try. Ended up cutting it off and feeding a new piece of kunifer pipe alongwith the new flexi. Not too bad a job.
Kind of like the whole thing was new. This is why I'm hoping undoing the flare nut would not be extremely hard either. I'm still waiting for my flare nut spanners though! 
