Hey guys I’m trying to Shorten my rear brake hose and I’ve run into a problem. I don’t have a vice and I’m struggling to get the connector insert into the hose!

Anyone any ideas on how to do this without a vice? It’s a shimano set-up.

Never used a vice meself. Got mole grips? (assuming you’ve got the yellow Shimano things) You can do it all by hand (or at least, I can) but it’s no fun.

I’ve only got a yellow block thingy. The new brakes I’m fitting came with this yellow block, a new olive and connector insert.

Yeah, basically all you do with the vice is squeeze the yellow blocks together around the hose (do it a wee bit down the hose, otherwise you’re basically squeezing it shut and the barb will be a nightmare to get in!) Or, this is how I do it (but with moleys)

So, you can recreate that with molegrips/stilsons/pure brute force. But I must warn you that you are not a real man if you don’t own a set of mole grips. It’s almost as bad as not owning at least 3 hammers.

But I must warn you that you are not a real man if you don’t own a set of mole grips.

Your not a grown up until you own a vice.

If you have a set of Park cable cutters the blocks fit perfectly into the flat bits in front of the plastic handles.

If your in Leeds area, feel free to come use my man garage. I have everything you can think of! 😀

jam bo – Member

Your not a grown up until you own a vice.

I own 3! i just don’t use ’em for this. Mainly because the bench the big one was bolted to collapsed so now it’s got nothing to bolt to 🙁 And the little ones are bolted to machinery so not that convenient for jobs like this.

<edit- may have protested too much there! Actually the tiny wee vice off the lathe would be perfect for this, never thought of that before. good thread!>

Your not a grown up until you own a vice.

I’ve not got a vice…does a Black and Decker workmate count? 🙂

I take mine to Paul at the LBS, he shortens them, charges me a paltry fee AND if all goes tits up (which it would if I did it); it isn’t my fault!!!!