Rear AC pipes corroded! Are rubber pipes easier to fit? And better?

[Mr.Smiles]

Hi all,
Took my 100 series to toyota to check leak in my AC pipes, turns out the rear pipes are corroded and need replacing. Toyota quoted £1100 including tax. Other mechanics say its a difficult job. I read in some posts that Rubber pipes are a good and better option, and easier to fit! Have any of you done that and can some shed light on this matter!?

 

[Philip amos]

Mine a rubber, I did have them professionally fitted

 

[Gary Stockton]

Who did you source the hoses from Philip?

 

[Philip amos]

My ac man made them up

 

[Mr.Smiles]

Has anyone blocked the pipes going to the rear? And what do you use to block them?

The rear may have been disconnected due to corrosion and/or leakage. The front will work fine as the front and rear are parallel systems. New pipes available from Toyota, Amayama, Partsouq or Megazip. Sit down first.
Your best bet may be to have a good refrigeration engineer make up some pipes for you but this may depend on availability or re-use of the old fittings and how the rear has been disconnected. Flexible hoses may be an easier answer or if the pipes aren’t too badly damaged they could possibly be welded up or if you’re practical use the old ones as a pattern to make up some new from ally tube and have the ends welded on.

There are AC companies that will make up replacement flexible pipes rather than have a kidney removed by Toyota.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Has anyone blocked the pipes going to the rear? And what do you use to block them?

Haven't done it yet but plan to.

There's a thread on ih8mud Rear AC cap question - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club]

Using that thread as a reference, I found https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0083H5JCQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0083H5JAS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I *think* those are the parts needed, but can't confirm 100%.

Alternatively a good AC guy may have suitable caps already.

 

[Geoff 28]

Has anyone blocked the pipes going to the rear? And what do you use to block them?

Only just spotted your post Mr S!
I had the rear pipes capped off on my 100 some years ago, my air con guy had some stainless steel blanks turned up already so simply crimped them in place, low pressure at the rear of the engine bay and high pressure at the left hand front (behind the headlamp if I remember correctly) I left the rear air con unit in situ but stripped out all the redundant pipes along the underside and in the engine bay.
I’ve since changed the high pressure pipe between the compressor and the condenser which had corroded through where it passes through the front panel and is wrapped in foam plus the condenser itself.
If you do decide to cap the rear off you’ll need less weight to re gas the system, there seems to be some confusion amongst so called air con “specialists” about the weight but I’ve got the correct figure somewhere if you need it.
As for how it performs, in the brief spell of hot weather we had in June (remember that?) it soon cooled the interior down even after being parked up in 28 degrees for a few hours so no complaints!
If you decide to keep the rear air con, someone did post some info about a company who made replacement pipes up in rubber for them so a search through the threads on here should find it.

 

[StarCruiser]

One option would be to remove the pipes and cut off the fittings each end then braze in standard flare fittings and use standard fridge hoses between. Just de-gas first and seal the ends of the pipes left on the truck with cling film or similar while the pipes are being made up.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Turns out the rears on mine have been replaced before I got it, and they’ve been leaking from a poor joint, it also seems they’ve been replaced with the wrong size, so just make sure of pipe diameters if going this route. New Denso compressor and condenser fitted, new HP hose from Amayama, just waiting for pipes now then should 100% again.