Undoing rusted brake pipe flare nut.
 

About a week ago I replaced all brake discs and pads on m8tes A8 getting ready for MOT. Doing that noticed that rear brake hoses does not look too good with cracks in outer layer and wiggling around changing discs and pads did not make them any better if you know what I mean. So we ordered new hoses as well.

Today I set to replace hose and got stuck on the first one. Flare nut from the pipe had a lot of rust on it and after cleaning up size measured 10.7mm down from original 11mm. Quick try with 11mm flare nut spanner showed that it will go over edges so I grind out 10mm regular spanner to bigger size and forced it on the nut but its rusted pretty solid and would not budge, feels like it will go over edges. Penetrating oils did not help. I was not to keen using blow torch in such a close proximity to fuel tank and hoses and paintwork. Not seeing much of a choice I made a heatshield from thin aluminium sheet to protect paintwork and fuel hoses and attacked with blow torch. Being cautious I probably did not heat it enough and after heating with following spray of Loctite Freeze&release still not moving. So I wrapped it in paper towel soaked in penetrating oil and left it overnight.

I have not gone over edges of nut yet but it looks like it is past the point where it can be undone with regular spanner so I will either attack it with vice grips or grind out 10mm flare nut spanner to bigger size and force on the nut to try and undo it tomorrow. If that fails I will have to cut the pipe and replace part of it but there is not much length accessible to work with.

Any body have any suggestions?

use a nut splitter to split away the nut?
http://www.toollineuk.com/product.ph...oogle/sn/10913

Would still need to cut the pipe as I cannot just slip new nut on. So would need to cut the flare off and make a new one after putting new nut on but my flaring tool is the cheap version not suitable for stock steel pipes, will only do copper pipes. So need to cut stock pipe shorter and use compression fitting to join to copper pipe.

PS. I could not get it on the nut anyway because the pipe is in the way and it is attached to body and its male nut so half of it is screwed in the hose not accessible.

After soaking overnight it came off quite easily with vice grips. That should be all sorted now. MOT is booked for Friday.

thank god!! +++