Brake hoses: common defects and their signs

1. Mechanical damages.
   • The car randomly changes its trajectory at braking.
   • Working travel of the brake pedal increased.
   • The braking fluid level is constantly lowering. Sometimes you can see stains on the ground near the wheel.
2. Clogging.
   • The vehicle diverges from the intended trajectory at brake pedal pressing.
   • The car braking path was prolonged.
3. Deformation.
   • Resistance of the brake pedal lowers.
   • The Brake Fluid Level Low warning light is on.

How to replace brake hoses?

It is recommended to replace these components every 100,000 operation kilometres, or more often. But in case of defects signs it should be performed earlier. Don’t try to repair brake hoses because driving with worn out components is not safe for the car. In order to replace brake hoses by yourself you should do the following:

1. Unscrew wheel fastening bolts, lift the needed car side with the help of a jack and demount the wheel.
2. Find the braking hose and remove its nipple from the mounting bracket on the body.
3. Drain brake fluid into the prepared tank.
4. Remove the other hose nipple and demount it.
5. Install a new component and assemble everything in reverse order.

After installation check the brake fluid level and refill it if necessary. It is recommended to install new sealing elements when replacing brake hoses. The exact procedure depends on the car model and whether works are performed on the front or rear axle. Thus, to get full list of recommendations you should turn to the car technical documentation.

Always replace the brake hoses as a set on each car axle.
Throughly examine the brake hoses each time when changing the brake pads (every 25 000 - 30 000 km).
Average lifetime: 5 years or 100 000 km.

Types:

1. By material:
   • rubber;
   • fluorine-containing polymer.
2. By axle location:
   • front-axle brake hoses;
   • rear-axle brake hoses.
3. By mounting side:
   • left side;
   • right side.
4. By fitting type:
   • with an external thread;
   • with an inner thread;
   • with a ring-shaped end.