Can it be done? Any tips?

I tried it with shimano but don’t have enough hands to get the pin in and ended up with most of the brake fluid on the floor.

Eh? Use the square blocks and some grips to clamp the hose, push barb in, tap with hammer.

Mole grips work perfectly and you can get them super cheap

Make the hole in the hose slightly bigger with the end of a 1.5mm allen key or hex.Barb goes in much easier.

Never needed a vice myself

Park Tool cable cutters have a square cut out in front of the blue handles. The yellow blocks fit perfectly in them. A firm grip on the cutters and a gentle tap on the insert, job’s a goodun.

If you use some hydraulic hose cutters (epicbleed) the hose isn’t deformed and the barb can be inserted using the fingers. No blocks no vices no hammers no faff

creamegg – Member
Never needed a vice myself

Everyone needs a hobby

I couldn’t get the barb to take enough to allow me to tap it in. Make the hole bigger sounds like a plan.

Cheers all

Take a look at our guide on shortening Shimano brake hoses for tips on how to insert the new barb without a vice.

http://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/blog/shorten-shimano-hoses-without-bleeding/

Buy a vice? More tools?

It is easier with a vice but you can hold the blocks in molgrips or pliers if you’re careful.

Why pass up the opportunity to get yourself another expensive specialist tool that you’ll only ever use twice, then will forever more take up valuable space in your toolbox?

Seriously though, it’s not that expensive, and it does make the job really simple…

In an emergency stick the blocks in the doorjamb, pull door with foot. Hands are free to sort the hose.