Replacing air hub pipes with silicone hose.

Hi,
My air hub pipes have corroded through completely and it's looking pretty costly to replace them. I am wondering if anyone has successfully replaced the steel pipes with silicone hose at a fraction of the cost. I know most advise binning the air hubs for manual versions but I do not wish to do so.
My Jimny is a 2000 X reg with a M13a 1328cc DOHC engine.
For the sake of £10-15 I am going to give it a go. Just looking for a bit of advice or encouragement.

There is no reason why it wouldnt work, only drawback might be that they will be more likely to get caught on some thing and ripped off. You could use standard copper brake line to make up the straight sections, and silicone for the joints on to the suspension arms, might make them a little more sturdy, and shouldnt be too costly.

I thought about using copper brake piping but I am not sure what to do where the single pipes from the solenoids split into two off to each wheel. I was going to to use a nylon t-junction connector with the silicone hose.

Yes any T junction will do ... I have redone mine and will create a schematic when I get a chance .... Off to bed now ...

Might the silicon tube collapse due to the vacuum?

Not sure about it collapsing, it is sold as vacuum hose. MigCooper has apparently done it. Found a shop on ebay selling 3mm for £1.55 a metre free p+p.

Not an expert on this by any means but wouldn't nylon air line tube - designed for high pressures, be better suited and possibly cheaper than silicon for this job?
atb
Mike

I am no expert either and your dead right, Nylon tubing it is way cheaper than silicone. As I understand there is no air actually being blown down the tube, it is being sucked causing the vacuum which would potentially collapse the tube which is why I initially thought of vacuum hose. Not sure what material the flexible portions of the stock system are?

why not fit manual hubs?

My missus wouldn't thank me for that in the snow. Besides I quite like the clonk, clonk and the click, click (when it works).

I copied my pipes in copper brakepipe: took ages to make and braze on the tee pieces, but you can buy ready made tee pieces for brakepipe if you have a flaring tool..

You could use microbore heating pipe if it is still available, there must be solder tee pieces available.

Yes you can still get microbore heating pipe from screwfix
www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/poly...lene-pipe/cat2330006