Brake Hoses

What is a brake hose?

Brake hoses are flexible pipes that connect the metal brake lines to the brake caliper or brake cylinder. They can also be used to connect 2 metal brake lines together. Brake hoses are made out of rubber or some other flexible tubing. This is so that the part they are connected to can move freely without causing damage to the hose.

There are different types of connectors on the end of these hoses depending on the vehicles design requirements. These are:

• Male screw connector

• Female screw connector

• Banjo connector

How do I choose the correct brake hose?

Brake systems are often uprated at the time of manufacture. For example some vehicles are fitted with a sport pack or some other performance upgrade. Some car makers use different brake systems depending on which country they had their vehicle manufactured. Whatever the reason there can be several factors that determine which brake hoses are correct.

These can be:

• Type of connector

• Length of the brake hose

• Difference in the original manufacturer brand of the brake system. The makers of the brake system on a vehicle can be different especially when a model of vehicle is manufactured in different countries and then brought to the UK

• If the vehicle has ABS

• Brake system code. This is commonly used with German vehicle brands

• Sports pack or other factory upgrades

• VIN (chassis number sequence. Sometimes the first 3 letters of the chassis number or the last 6, 7 or 8 characters will determine the correct part

• Vehicle manufacture date (this is not the date the vehicle was registered but the date it was made

What brand of brake hose should I choose?

Bosch and TRW make brake parts for the original car manufacturers so these are classed as premium brands. There are other brands such as Apec, Borg & Beck, Delphi, Febi and Quinton Hazell that manufacture high quality brake hoses and at a lower price point.

All brake parts are designed to meet the original specification so which brand you choose is down to your budget and the brand you trust.

How can I tell that my brake hose needs replacing?

Safety is paramount so if you have any issues with your braking system we would always recommend that you have your vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic to receive an accurate diagnosis.

Some of the symptoms of a faulty brake hose are:

• Brake pedal feels soft or spongy when pressed

• Brake fluid is leaking from the hose or hose connector

• Brakes do not work

• Brake warning light on the dashboard