Route of the front brake pipe

[bushhouse]

Hi all, rebuild continues slowly but surely. Can anyone send me a picture or give me a steer of the pathway of the front brake pipe from the master cylinder forward into the engine bay. I'm sure that it must pass above the clutch linkage mechanism but the actual clips suggest otherwise. Any information would be great. Thanks. Almost ready to start the engine after a year or so's rebuild. Just door bottoms to be repaired, exterior paint and interior refurb to go oh yes, plus the old trunion check.

Thanks everyone.

[les]

It's quite cramped around that area so find the route that gives you the most clearance be it top or bottom, hopefully it will be top. If bottom make sure it's not below the chassis rail. Remember to check in all positions of the levers travel.

[bushhouse]

Thanks Les,

Yep, pedal re-fitting comes next. I guess the wiring loom also heads skywards at this point too ?

Cheers,

Stuart

[Ufudu]

Whilst on the matter of the brake pipe route; My understanding is that the brake pipe from MC to the front, electrical loom between front & back and the fuel pipe from tank to fuel pump all "hop" over the gearbox cross member instead of going "through" the cross member.

I guess that is so the cross member can be removed to extract the gearbox without removing the engine?

But is that the only reason? I'm tempted to route all "through" the cross member when I get to that point simply because it is more "efficient", but it would be non standard and could be a bit of a "bodge"....

[bmcecosse]

It would be to ease assembly on the line.... You'll regret it if you ever need to drop the gearbox crossmember...

[Ufudu]

Thanks Roy, I'm sure your are right.

[drivewasher]

Iv'e routed my brake pipe over the gearbox crossmember, also the fuel pipe on tuther side. The wiring loom has gone through the semicircle cut out as my thinking is you can pull the wiring loom out of the way the solid pipes just live at the top

[les]

Your probably right but as the 'circles' are open once the cross member is dropped slightly the pipes will be cleared. The advantage of going through the cross member is having the ability to run close to the chassis rail.

[drivewasher]

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[les]

Can't remember how I did mine now, I'm inclined to think I went over the top for the clutch linkage to avoid the proximity of the linkage clevis pin and associated split pin. I know I tried to keep pipes high to avoid things hitting them. Each to his own really.

[midget]

Visited this thread as I have to overcome this difficult task.
Although helpful, it does not indicate where the "official" route to the front T piece is? I have looked at 3 other Minors, and they all different--none of them very attractive or simple. Why did BMC not use a 90 degree union at the front of the M/C? This would simplify matters well?
Indeed is this possible/desirable?

Edited to say that after studying the van workshop service parts list, it appears to hop over the X member and covered with a rubber tube.
I'll do that.

[biomed32uk]

I have just done this same job, fitting a new brake pipe between the MC and front T, and also sorting out more poor wiring.

It is certainly a strange design to route such things so near a moving linkage.

I ended up kicking it up and over the top of the clutch transfer linkage, and along the lip of the chassis leg, with some clever bending managed to make a neat job of kicking it slightly out, upwards and then across the engine bay floor.

Had I have though about it and run the pipe on the top of the lip from above the clutch linkage it would have been easier, and put the loom underneath the lip.

I used some chassis edge clips to retain it, and the loom along the chassis leg lip, the ones with barbs in that knock onto a suitable lip.

I will take some pics tomorrow as its all accessible still as the car is up on ramps and easy to get at, it may make more sense then what I have done. It actually looks quite neat and a decent engineering job, well at least I think so. Much better than how it was for sure.

[biomed32uk]

I have attached some pictures of my solution, not the finished job yet but you can see the idea.

I run the brake line in some spilt sleeving so it fitted the clips better, and just for some protection.

No idea why some are upside down, they are not on my system so you will have to look at them the other way.

Needs finishing off now, my engine bay floor needs a good clean by the looks of it as well !.

[midget]

Pretty good job. Can I ask what is and where you obtained the sleeving from please?
I have gone through the x member with full knowledge that it will entail removing pipe to fit engine/box later.
Will add pics tmrw.

[Mark Wilson]

These pics will be very useful to me, thanks. Although I'm realising that I'm going to have serious fun taking three copper pipes over the X member - m/c to servo, servo to rear and remote filler to m/c

[biomed32uk]

Thanks, its much better than how it was, the pipe was below the chassis leg and had been slightly flattened, and the wiring loom had been catching on the clutch linkage, only the PVC sleeving it had been run through but none the less not good.

I may even make a clip up off of the gearbox bracket to secure the pipe more there as well.

The sleeving is just split flexible sleeving, really useful stuff, the 4.7mm ID is a perfect fit for 3/16 pipe.

I got it from the auction site, not many places sell the really small size of this.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-Cor ... 2749.l2649

[philthehill]

The route of the front brake pipe on my Minor which has not been altered since new - travels over the top of the clutch pedal, then up hard against the side of the bulkhead stay - still hard against the bulkhead stay goes over the top of the starter motor/rear engine plate - and then down the front of the bulkhead stay - through the clip which is part shown at the L/H side of 17.51.45.jpg and then along the top of the tie plate, through the clip shown in the same photo and onto the 'T' piece.

[biomed32uk]

Thanks Phil, if you get a picture at some stage it would be really interesting to see how it actually was when it left the factory.

I think I can imagine the route by what you describe. Always awkward when there is nothing to go on other than prior bodgery. Wish I had taken a photo of what I had prior !.

[midget]

After fitting the engine/box yesterday, I now realise why it is not wise to route the pipe through the X member as there is still not enough room to easily detach/refit the X member whether its connected to the box or not. So I am back to square one.
Phils method seems good, but does this need a custom length pipe, or will the available replacements suffice?
Would a 90 degree fitting from the M/C be feasible--It would make the job far easier?
Has any one thought of the "rally prepared" route of taking it straight up into the interior through the cabin?

[philthehill]

My brake pipe to the front goes up over the top of the cross member (as per original) and is protected by a rubber sleeve.
It then goes down and follows the underside of the chassis leg flange, over the top of the clutch pedal shaft and then up and over the rear engine plate, then back down to and along the tie plate.
The length of the replacement pipe (from a kit) should be as per original length.
I have taken some digital photos this morning but the camera will not allow (for some reason unknown) their transfer to my computer for inclusion in this post.
I will add at them at a later date if possible.
In the mean time I have found an original brake pipe route picture of a front brake pipe going from master cylinder to the front - note that it goes over the cross member. Also of interest - the rear wiring loom goes over the cross member.
Phil