Hello, 264GL brake woes!

Hello, this is my first post so I'll introduce myself first. I'm really into classics - particularly big old barges. I have a 1981 Volvo 264GL which I bought for the princely sum of £80. It had a respray in light met. blue 4 years ago and still looks really straight. 113k on the clock, and a set of re-conditioned "starburst" alloys in gold. I nervously put it in for an MOT last week, and it failed on 6 things....
N/S Track rod end (just replaced that one today)
N/S Shock Absorber Linkage (I don't know what he means by this... lower balljoint maybe?!)
N/S and O/S Brake hoses (one each side, causing me grief)
An exhaust clamp (easy)
Headlamp switch faulty (hmm... I'll leave that one for now)

Not too bad for 80 quid, eh?!

Anyway, I'll get to my point. I've just replaced the track rod end, and I thought I'd have a crack at the brake hose on that side whilst it's on axle stands.
Went to undo the end mounted on the shock absorber flange... wouldn't budge. In fact, the brass nut on the brake line has rounded off. Oh dear. I don't know why but I've got it into my head that the unions are AF sizes - I've been using a 14mm and an 11mm spanner. Perhaps this is part of the problem?
I did notice that the mountings have sprung metal clips on them - do I need to remove these before undoing them? I can't see any way to do this.
Oh, and if anyone knows what the MOT tester means by "shock absorber linkage" please let me know! I'm guessing he means the lower balljoint but it looks OK to me.

Thanks for bearing with my rambling post - any advice is welcome!

[Glen Morangie]

You need 'flare nut wrenches' but the nuts should be 14mm and 11mm. I need to do two front hoses on my 240 and recently bought the two sizes of spanner required for the job.

You will have to deal with the rounded nut first - which one is damaged, the flexible hose or the rigid pipe? Soak the union in 'plusgas' or similar and leave it for several hours before trying to break loose the joint.

I found the Halfords 'professional' flare nut wrenches reasonably priced and good quality - and of course readily available (note they also have cheaper carded ones which didn't look so good to me). I've also seen quite good value Canadian made sets on ebay.

You may still get the rounded nut off with the correct spanner, otherwise a small mole grip may be your only option.

[Mike_Brace]

It is very common for the brass nut to round. Even with a good soaking this isn't uncommon. I normally reckon on replacing the copper pipes when undoing. The spring puts tension on to keep the pipes in place and can aggrevate the problem of getting it all undone. Sometimes it can be worth destroyng the clip to make things easier to undo and replacing with a new one. I tend to try and make sure I have replacement clips and copper pipes available before tackly these jobs.
With regards to shock absober linkage he might me strut top - best to go an ask the tester so you do the right thing.

Mike

Thanks for the replies. Yeah the nut on the rigid line rounding was something I could have done without. I reckon I'll have a crack at it with a set of mole grips. I know that they'll pretty much destroy the nut but I don't see as I have much of an option! I'll get some flare nut wrenches for the other side and hopefully it won't get butchered!
I'll keep you posted on the progress. Thanks again

[Glen Morangie]

Ensure the flare nut wrenches you get are as deep as possible at the jaw. A flare nut wrench is shaped like a ring spanner with a bit missing, but should be about double the thickness of an average ring or open spanner.

It spreads the load over more of the nut area to allow for the softer material, and goes further around to reduce slippage. I have seen thinner flare nut spanners, but they are not much better in use than open ended spanners.

Good luck with it, because I think access is quite restricted to the nut you've rounded - has anyone use any of the 'magic grip' JBL type things one sees in Robert Dyas for this kind of problem?

[222s]

Hi & welcome Brickboy - I wouldn't by any chance know you under another name?