Brake Hose Lengths

Hi All (and Merry Xmas)
I recently replaced a LHS rubber brake hose on my lowered 65 bug.
The replacement hose was 480mm in length (the same as what came off and the longest I've been able to find for sale).
Having replaced the line, I was experiencing brake drag if I had the wheel turned to the left when applying the brakes. In addition, if I was turning left from a standstill it felt as if the handbrake had been left on. It turns out that when the wheel is turned to the left, the brake hose is effectively being stretched to its limit and being pinched.

Has anyone else experienced this and if so, any suggestions on how to solve? Obvious answer is to install longer lines, but I can't find any VW lines in the first instance. My second thought was to connect two lines together to form something in the region of 500-520 mm long but that seems like a dangerous bodge! Third though was to try and source a line from a different make of vehicle of a better length...

Any suggestions welcome to resolve my rolling death trap issue!

Cheers

If you have changed the LHF brake hose-when you are turning left the hose will be at its shortest distance as I will bend up out of the way-conversely your RHF hose will be stretched tight on left turns.All my early cars take a hose that is 440mm long,even with a disc brake conversion they take the same hose.Sometimes you can crib a bit by bending the steel bracket where the flexible and solid pipe meet-just bend it towards the the wheel- you will stretch the solid pipe a bit.

Have a look at the T3 some of these are various lengths

bend the bracket how is the wheel alignment ??

Thanks for the tips - all sorted. Turns out that whilst I ordered a 480mm line, I got sent a 440mm line instead - gotta love those online parts stores..
Rummaging through the garage this morning, I found my original 480mm lines before the front brakes were converted to disks (with the wrong length lines as it turns out!).
30 mins later - full lock on both sides with no hang ups nor 'automatic' braking which is just as well in wet Brissy today....managed to get it sideways up a hill with a bit of 2nd gear wheel spin!
A pair of new 480's on order.

what place did you online shop at ??

vw54 wrote:what place did you online shop at ??

The one that uses a convertible VW as part of its site.