Caddy Rear Brake Hose Substitute?

rs899 · Post by **rs899** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:54 am

I am riding on 26 year old brake hoses in the back, and I don't like it.

Short of giving in and going to a VW dealer, are there any easy options?

I figure I can make myself a mounting plate. It seems to me that 80s BMW or Volvo 242 fronts may be long enough and seem to have metric female fittings on both ends, but I can't tell the length of them from web pictures.

Does anyone have any ideas on this? I don't want to get stainless steel lines, nor do I want to take my hoses to a hydraulic shop. This shouldn't be that hard or expensive (I hope..).

Rick

rsxsr · Post by **rsxsr** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:26 pm

Rick, I would not take a chance on my brakes on any vehicle. Here is the part number 147 611 775 A it looks like both hoses are part of the same part. http://www.akadia.ru/_pages/audivw/inde ... NTQtMDE%3D

I don't have my pickup to look at any longer, but most german cars used the same thread and pitch. From memory they are 10mm x 1.0 pitch male or female. If you can remove them from the car you might find a local parts house that can try and match them up. A local hydraulic supply house could also reuse your threaded ends and convert to steel braid teflon hose.

bottleworks · Post by **bottleworks** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:27 pm

EDIT: Forget my post. Part NLA at AAP.

You can use two front brake hoses with two brake line unions to make a rear brake hose assembly.

Luckypabst · Post by **Luckypabst** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:40 pm

Vanagon front hoses.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:51 pm

Yea, don't run with poor brakes. A non running car won't kill anyone, but a non stopping car could kill someone.

The connections on the car will be metric for sure. If you have access to the parts guy's catalog, you could probably get any hose and make up your own flex hose with whatever fittings you need.

rs899 · Post by **rs899** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:43 am

I physically inspected the BMW (318i, ca 1983) front hose and it probably will work. It has the correct (two female) fittings, but is 12.5 inches long vs. about 15 on the VW. So, the bend radius will be tighter. If I can't find anything better (longer) those may do.

I'll check Vanagon fronts...

I wish I could find an online catalog that lists the specifications of the various hoses. Anybody know of one?

Rick

Luckypabst · Post by **Luckypabst** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:15 am

Sorry - I was in a hurry last night. I ordered replacement rears from a shady supplier and they sent Van fronts, explaining on the phone after I complained that the Caddy hoses are NLA (as you know) but the Van front hoses are a direct functional replacement (length & ends) but you have to come up with your own attachment to the axle.

I saved my old Caddy hoses with the intent of having custom hoses made in the future, using the original axle mount.

Chris

Kanzan · Post by **Kanzan** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:54 pm

Just pulled the rear brake hoses off my 81 Caddy, pretty bad shape. Think I will go the Vanagon front hose route. What year Vanagon front hoses should I look for? Thanks, Kanzan

Luckypabst · Post by **Luckypabst** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:40 pm

I believe they're the same across the board, at least for 2wd. Braided stainless hoses are out there for not much more than stock replacement rubber hoses.

rs899 · Post by **rs899** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:56 am

Are Vanagon fronts the same length as the Caddy rears?

Luckypabst · Post by **Luckypabst** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:20 am

Close enough - it's what Im using but you have to come up with your own mount. The package even listed the Rabbit truck as an application in addition to the Vanagon.

Chris

Kanzan · Post by **Kanzan** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:16 pm

My Vanagon brake hoses came in today. Very similar to the Caddy hoses, except no metal plate to bolt to the rear axel. The only other difference I can see is on the upper end. One hose matches perfectly, the other has a larger collar on it, I guess so you can't get then reversed and mess up the VW brake system. I filed out the center of a washer, to make a collar. Seems to work rather nicely. Will probably use a large hose clamp to hold the hoses to the axel. If you see anything wrong with this system, please let me know. Kanzan
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