Hard Brake Lines - Double Flare Issues

[Johnjan]

I'm making new hard brake lines for my '68RS and bought a double/reverse flaring tool from Sears. Perhaps it's the tool (or the tool using the tool) but I cant get a concentric, even, smooth, nice looking flare to save my life.

Any tips on using these things to get a good flare?

Thanks loads,

JJ

[Kenova]

It takes some practice. The best I've been able to do is a flare that seals well and doesn't leak. Still didn't look perfect though.
Make sure your cut is nice and square, de-burred, and take your time.
It's been my experience that the best flares are made when you forget to put the nut on FIRST :crying:
Ken

[chevymike]

Practice, practice, practice. Over the years I have done so many of these, I usually nail it on the first try. Big thing is to debur the inside and camfer the outside. When possible, I also put the tool in the vice to hold it so I don't have to fumble around with holding it, the line and tightening all at the same time. This only works if the line can be off the car. A little drop of brake fluid on the end helps to lubercate the flairing process and makes them more likely to flair correctly. Make sure you are using a small tubing cutter and not a hacksaw or some other method of cutting the line.

Good luck. :)

[Rick Dorion]

I too had consistency problems until I bought a hydraulic flaring tool. It allows me to get all 10 thumbs around it and make great flares every time.

[Johnjan]

Thanks for the tips. I have been cutting the lines with a fine tooth hacksaw rather than a tubing cutter. I'm squaring the end with a stationary belt sander and deburring both inside and outside edges.

I read elsewhere that a tubing cutter will work harden the steel making it more difficult to flare. I will certainly try it though.

I've got plenty of line to practice on so that's certainly a step in the process.

[David Pozzi]

I too had consistency problems until I bought a hydraulic flaring tool. It allows me to get all 10 thumbs around it and make great flares every time.

Rick,
I bought the Master Cool hydraulic flare tool, it is great!
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/MAS-71475.html

I've done 20 flares with the tool and only had one leak, it was slightly out of square, it was an 1/8" line, they don't center in the tool quite right due to the small tube diameter. The smaller the tube, the more to one side the center gets. I added a .050" thick aluminum shim spacer on the side of the block opposite the clamp screw and the small tube flares more straight now.

I've heard good things about the Snap-On tool.

[CoryM]

Quality of a flaring tool is very important. I have never gotten a good flare from a cheaper tool. Sounds like you are cleaning the ends well enough, lots of guys screw up there and end up with ragged ends or splits. If its SS lines you have to have the ends very square/clean or it will crack. If you are getting flares that are not square to the tube its probably the tool. If you are getting flares where the folded part is too short it is probably slipping in the tool and you need to clamp it tighter. Its usually best to crank it tight in the vice. I would recommend using a tube cutter rather than a hacksaw as well.
What exactly is happening? Is it oval? Not perpindicular to the tube?

[Craigon69]

I did this last year with stainless lines and was pleased with the results after much trial and error. I used the Ridge-345-D I got for $57 at www.coastaltool.com. I sort of documented what I did here in my journal (http://chemagic.com/craigon/Chassis.htm) ... go down to 3/17/2004.

[Rick Dorion]

David, it was your post a while ago that prompted me to buy that very tool. Expensive but I love it.

[Elusive R]

David,

My dad bought the same tool for his hot rod and I used it on my El Camino. I could not say enough good things about it. Simply amazing and it pretty much never messes up the lines. I did my whole car and did not have one single leak. Well worth the money (I would have gladly paid for one if I didn't have access to one for free!).

Ryan

[427v8]

I've given up on double flares completely.
They are too hard to make and not reuseable ( but I know people do ) and mine always leak.

I bought myself a 37' flare tool and a box of tube nuts.
The flares are easy to make, don't leak and are reuseable!
I can buy a whole lotta tube nuts for one o them fancy double flare tools

[Rick Dorion]

Wow - a 37' flare tool. How do you pick it up :)

[David Pozzi]

Rick,
37 deg tools are around, all the industrial and aircraft people use them. I picked one up at a local industrial hydraulic shop.

[chevymike]

I bought mine from Summit. They, Speedway Motors, Jegs are all selling 37* flairing kits. It works well.

[race-rodz-inc]

absolutely under no circumstances should you ever use a tubing cutter on any kind of brake line. as the cutter is doing its job it also work hardens the material. i used to use it all the time, and when doing double flares with a hydralic bender, you would have to make sure to not over do the second part... or risk splitting the tube. then one day at an old timmers shop i watched him making brake lines, cutting with cut off wheel. after asking him why he did it that way, he explained it to me... and it made sence. have done it his way from then on and never had a problem $.02

[a67]

My understanding is that double flares are required on seamed tubing. This prevents the seam from splitting which results in brake failure. Isn't the 37° a single flare?

Is brake line tubing seamless? (And I don't know this?)

Bob.

[race-rodz-inc]

yes 37 is a single flare, 37 is what A.N. fittings are, instead of 45 used on double flares. steel tubing always has a seam.... (maybe im just paying too much for the cheap stuff) and i do believe that stainless brakeline is seamless..... i dont ever rember spliting a seam on it.

[a67]

This is what I thought, just wanted to make sure. So, the 37° single flare fittings should only be used on the stainless brake line tubing (which is seamless). And not on the regular steel brake line tubing (which has a seam).

Bob.

[race-rodz-inc]

IMO... i would never try to use a single flare on mild steel line... i have transitioned to using stainless line on all my projects... never rusts...always looks good... etc