Brake hoses and hard lines are safety-critical components that deteriorate with age regardless of mileage. Internal degradation of rubber hoses can cause partial blockage resulting in brakes that apply normally but release slowly, a detached rubber lining inside the hose restricts fluid return, holding shoes or pads partially on even after the pedal is released. This same failure mode is one of the leading causes of rear brakes locking before the fronts. Rubber hose walls also expand under pressure invisibly, absorbing pedal travel and reducing hydraulic force reaching the calipers and wheel cylinders, a problem that bleeding will never cure, because the fault is compliance in the hose rather than air in the system.
Any hose showing cracking, swelling, or significant age should be replaced without delay.
Flexible Hoses
Front flexible hoses are available for chrome bumper and rubber bumper in genuine OE and reproduction. A dedicated pair of stainless braided front hoses is available for cars fitted with front telescopic shock absorber conversions, where the standard front hose length and routing are not suitable. Rear flexible hoses are available in rubber, reproduction, and stainless braided. Complete stainless braided sets, front pair and rear, provide the full car in a single purchase, with PTFE inner linings for a firmer, more direct pedal feel.
All three flexible hoses should always be replaced as a set rather than individually.
Hard Lines & Fittings
Original steel brake pipes on surviving MGBs are now several decades old, internal corrosion narrows the bore and weakens the pipe wall, while external corrosion can cause failure at the unions. Copper pipe sets are available pre-formed with brass unions ready-fitted for the complete brake circuit, in RHD and LHD across five production variants: single circuit chrome bumper, single circuit rubber bumper 1975 to September 1976, single circuit September 1976 to May 1977, dual circuit from May 1977, and LHD dual circuit. Malleable copper piping does not corrode, is easy to shape neatly by hand, and each pipe is labelled for straightforward identification during installation. The four-way engine bay connector includes a threaded boss for the hydraulic brake light switch used on chrome bumper single-circuit cars.
Rubber bumper cars use a three-way connector instead, with the brake light operated by a mechanical switch on the pedal box. Three-way rear axle connectors, inline connectors, pipe male nuts, and a brake and fuel pipe heatshield are all available alongside pipe clips in all sizes for correct routing to front side members, bulkhead, wheel arches, rear axle, and differential.