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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Back flexi pipe warning

Next time your trying to bleed the back brakes and you cant figure out why there is no fluid coming out you might want to replace the back flexible pipe from body to axle. After replacing the rubbers in the master cylinder of my current 1500 I couldn't get the back circuit to prime. I read up on other peoples similar problems and tried to prime it unconnected but still no luck with the back circuit. So I bought a brand new master, fitted it and pre-primed it but still no luck, Only then did I start breaking connections one by one until I found no flow after the back flexible. On removal I cut it and the centre was completely blocked with gunge and broken down rubber as seen in the photo. Ans yet the brakes were working fine before I started, I only had a small leak at the master. Moral of the story always replace flexibles if they are old!


Alan McKewan

Always good to remove flexi pipes when draining and renewing the brake fluid every 2 years. Glad you are back on the road and safe !
J L HEAP

My Consul Capri passed it's mot last july, I assume the tester at least looked at the rear flexi rubber brake line connected to the axle. I would have hoped he would even have felt it with his fingers.

Last week I took my rear brake shoes off to get them relined, -- you can't buy new ones anymore. I glanced at the rubber flexi, and noticed it didn't look quite right. The outer skin fell off in my fingers when I squeezed it, and underneath the rubber feels like it's dissolving. Amazed it passed an mot, let alone holds fluid.

I have no idea how old it is, but I've never seen one in as bad a condition as this one is, and I haven't changed the one on my sprite any more regularly than 6/7 years, which has never caused a problem. I wouldn't be surprised to find that the rear flexi on my Capri is 30/40 years old, -- given that it sat off the road for a long time before being 'restored'.

Got a new one on Ebay for 7 8 quid inc post.
Lawrence Slater

I had a similar problem on a midget that I owned many years ago. I once had to stop quickly and when I took my foot off of the pedal, the rear brakes didn't release. After a few moments they finally did let go but it was a careful drive home to replace that line.
Martin Washington

... and the gunk from that flex line can clog up the solid lines on the axle. I've been down that road more than once.
Trevor Jessie

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2016 and 22/02/2016

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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