Since most of our Spridgets are not daily drivers and we use them only
sporadically, I would strongly recommend that when you replace the brake
hoses, that you install braided ones rather than plain rubber ones.
Sure, they are more expensive, but they hold up much longer and don't
exhibit the internal degradation like the stock ones do over time. The
stainless steel braid protects the rubber internal hose from the
elements and from kinks. Last time I bought them for my occasional
driver '72 they cost about $85 for a set of two fronts and one rear.
Everyone I know who vintage races a Spridget (including me and my '67)
uses the braided lines on their car because a race car sits idle even
more than a street car although usually in a protected, indoor environment.
Cheap insurance against brake problems or failure.
Hose clamps are definitely not a good idea.
Bob Spruck
SafetyFast Vintage Race Team
On 2/18/2013 4:20 PM, GUY DAY wrote:
> Hi all,
> I would endorse James' message and add a plea that you do not use hose
> clamps even though there are tools designed and purpose built for the
> job. The inner lining tube of the hose is squashed flat when the hose
> is clamped and at the flattened edges of the compressed section it is
> squashed to the point where it can begin to split and / or delaminate
> from the outer bracing part of the hose. By definition, for the clamp
> to work, the hose has to be 'abused' to this degree.
>
> This can cause a 'flap' in the pipe and dependant on which way the
> flap is formed fluid can either be blocked from reaching the slave
> cylinder or it can hold pressure so the brake is locked on and will
> not release. You can create the situation where pedal pressure feels
> to be fine but the brake(s) are not working.
>
> Mostly, you will get away with using a hose clamp but that hose has
> been damaged internally, it cannot be seen from the outside and it is
> a weak point for the future.
>
> Guy R Day
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Gruber" <>
> To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 7:43 PM
> Subject: [Spridgets] Brake Hoses - Time to change them
>
>
>> I was able to confirm this morning that the issue with brakes that
>> caused me
>> to pull Bugsy off of the road in August and miss all of the rest of
>> the year
>> for Spridget Fun was caused by a failed RF Brake Hose. I finally had
>> time in
>> my schedule to perform some Maintenance on Bugsy today and replaced
>> all brake
>> hoses and Brake Master. Issue was stepping on brakes Bugsy pulled
>> sharply to
>> the left as if RF Brake was not working properly. A test this PM after
>> I replaced the RF Hose showed me that air would not pass through this
>> hose.
>> Maybe fluid but definitely there was my problem.
>>
>> For all of you new
>> Spridgeteers, trying to bring one back to life, max life on brake
>> hoses is 10
>> years and Spridget manual says 2 years and 24k miles. These hoses
>> were 12 y.o.
>> Yes I know but hoses had < 10k miles on them. Replace the hoses, it
>> could save
>> your life.
>> ------------------------
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