Hydraulic brakes – How difficult to change the brake lines

I have a set of XTR disc brakes. The front is too short. Therefore I need to

a.) Get it into a bike shop at short notice ie this morning so I can go riding tomorrow (anyone know a shop in manchester that would do that for me)

b.) Do it myself. How hard is this and does anyone have a guide?

Thanks

Andy

Do you have a new hose?? It's pretty easy, though can be messy for a first timer. Removing the old one is easy- you just unbolt the ends. Installing a nee one is easy- you cut to lenght and make sure all the fittings are in the end of the hose then bolt up the ends. The tricky bit is bleeding the brakes to get new oil through the hose and bleed off air which has inevitably got in the system. You'll need some mineral oil for this. If you google for shimano disc brake bleed you may find something. There might also be something on shimanos website.

I will be picking up a new hose today. I also have shimano mineral oil. Do I need any special tools (other than those a normal cyclist would have)? I have bled brakes before just never changed the hoses. I shall be getting JonR of this parish to help/take the lead.

Anyone recommend me some decent cable cutters?

junior hacksaw makes a nice clean cut for brake hose

What hose are you going to use?
If its braded use a good pair of cable cutters (shimano or park), if its another shimano hose just use a sharp knife.
You'll need a syringe to bleed them. Also bleed from the caliper up to the lever.

Hose – stanley knife will do it.

And you don't need a syringe. The only "special" tool is an 8mm spanner (or is it 7mm?) for the bleed nipple.

You will need a new olive and insert for the replacement hose.

Follow the Shimano instructions carefully and you'll be fine.

Mike Davis article here is useful – http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/4807

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/Deore-XT/BR-M755-BL-M756/SI-8180H-En_v1_m56577569830611888.pdf

thanks for the info dezb

No worries -I've bled Shimanos a few times and always followed their instructions.
As will all brakes, getting rid of the air bubbles is the crucial bit – tapping the hose/caliper etc and opening and closing the nipple work well.

I can only get hold of goodrisge hoses today. Is there anything I different to shimano?

Thanks again for all the advice

If they are braided they'll be a bit harder to cut

a 7mm closed spanner makes the open/close bleed nipple bit of the bleed a lot easier (open ended spanner obviously keeps falling off!)

Get the goodridge braided ones. You'll need cable cutters though!

I had heard that XTR's are an absolutely pig to bleed properly

As long as you bleed them from the caliper up you should be ok.