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    Results 1 to 16 of 16
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Posts
      543

      stainless hard lines

      Lots of guys use stainless braided lines for their gas lines, but aside from extra protection from rubbing and road debris, there really is no longevity added apart from regular rubber fuel hose.

      I've seen guys use stainless hard lines for fuel lines, which I would think would pretty much last forever, unless there's something in gasoline that breaks down stainless (something I've never heard of).



      Can you use a regular hand tube bender and flaring tools on stainless line?

      Mathius


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
      Posts
      10,603
      Country Flag: United States
      I'm not sure what you mean by "regular", but my car has SS fuel and power steering hardlines.

      I bent them them with Ridgid benders I bought off eBay. I flared them with this Imperial 37 degree flaring tool.

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Posts
      543
      Quote Originally Posted by parsonsj View Post
      I'm not sure what you mean by "regular", but my car has SS fuel and power steering hardlines.

      I bent them them with Ridgid benders I bought off eBay. I flared them with this Imperial 37 degree flaring tool.

      jp
      Well, in terms of sheet, stainless is harder to bend. A bending brake that will do 16ga steel won't usually do the same in stainless. I presume the same applies for stainless tubing, so I was asking if a normal tube bender that works for regular steel lines would work for stainless.

      Regular steel lines you can more or less end with your hands if you're careful, but I've never worked with stainless lines before. I would imagine they're a lot easier to crush.

      Mathius

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Mar 2005
      Location
      NY
      Posts
      1,097
      A good quality bender will bend ss lines with a little more effort than a mild steel line. For flaring, make sure the tool is rated for ss lines. Car Craft had an article about it http://www.carcraft.com/howto/116_07...ing/index.html
      The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      Keller, Texas
      Posts
      250
      I was able to flare 3/8 and smaller stainless line with a regular summitracing 37 degree tool, but it was tough. Anything bigger was impossible. You will need a real professional quality tool. I found it cheaper and easier to take it to the local plumbing/hose supply house and let them do it for me. On a few fittings I had them weld the male fitting directly to the stainless line to cut down on the number of fittings needed. No sense in flaring it, to go back to a union, then to go to a hose end. By the way this was on a -8 (1/2) line I was trying to do.
      Greg
      1970 challenger convert-in process
      1970 barracuda-driver

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
      Posts
      10,603
      Country Flag: United States
      I'm still not sure what Mathius means by a "regular" bender.

      My "regular" Ridgid benders and Imperial flaring tool are good to 5/8 for SS. No doubt it takes more effort than steel, but that's obvious.

      For fuel lines, I'd recommend you go with aluminum tube. You can get 6' straight lengths (not coiled stuff like Summit sells that is impossible to get straight) .035 wall tube at McMaster-Carr. It flares and bends easily with my Ridgid benders and my Imperial flaring tool. It's lighter and certainly up to the task of fuel line.

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Columbus, Ohio
      Posts
      117
      I bent mine up with the previously mentioned Ridgid benders. The only thing I would add is get seamless tubing. SS is a little tougher to flair, but can be done. I lubed the crap out of it and it helped a lot. I would then thread a cap on the end and dunk it in a bucket of water, throw some compressed air on the other end...No bubbles, no troubles!

      Darren
      Last edited by Fluid Power; 12-21-2008 at 03:38 PM. Reason: spelling

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Jul 2010
      Location
      Arizona
      Posts
      4
      I have plumbed many cars with stainless lines. Just make sure you get seamless tubing, and the right type of flaring tool. Some flaring tools are not meant for stainless steel.

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Dec 2006
      Location
      Out of the Burbs of Detroit to SoCal, then onto my ancestral homeland, the woods of Cascadia
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      1,753
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      Sorry for Zombie topic-

      Is the Imperial flare tool John recommended
      http://www.purechoicemotorsports.com...prod/prd46.htm

      still the darling for 37 degree flares on-car? Already strung the -6 feed and return, forgot to flare them. And I'm not pulling them out- they are in the frame rails.

      Application is a shared tool, with occasional use between 3 brothers. Up to a couple hundred may be OK, Big $$ hydraulic systems need not apply



      Thanks for the feedback
      Greg Fast
      (yes, the last name is spelled correctly)

      1970 Camaro RS Clone
      1984 el Camino
      1973 MGB vintage E/Prod race car
      (Soon to be an SCCA H/Prod limited prep)

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
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      This one does a way better job on stainless and is my go to for on the car work requiring 37* flares. https://imperial-tools.com/products/...flaring-tools/

      The cone has rollers, that's the difference.

      Part number in case link disappears in the next 10 years. 537-F Large Size 37° Rol-Air™ Flaring Tools

      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Dec 2006
      Location
      Out of the Burbs of Detroit to SoCal, then onto my ancestral homeland, the woods of Cascadia
      Posts
      1,753
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      Hey Donny- That link/P/N is for a large tool for flaring 3/4 to 2"

      The 400-F is for 1/4-5/8" tubing.

      400-F Small Size 37° Rol-Air™ Flaring Tools <--- That the one to use for -6 stainless?
      Greg Fast
      (yes, the last name is spelled correctly)

      1970 Camaro RS Clone
      1984 el Camino
      1973 MGB vintage E/Prod race car
      (Soon to be an SCCA H/Prod limited prep)

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
      Posts
      10,603
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Donny
      537-F Large Size 37° Rol-Air™ Flaring Tools
      Quote Originally Posted by Greg
      400-F Small Size 37° Rol-Air™ Flaring Tools
      An informational zombie anyway.

      I'll check out the newer flaring tools. A bearing between the cone and the push rod seems like a good idea.

      The other update is that Ni-Copp line is the best solution now. I use it for all hardline. It comes coiled, but is easy to straighten, bends easily, and flares beautifully, either single or double flares.
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      derp, Yeah, that one.
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Jan 2014
      Location
      Portsmouth NH
      Posts
      247
      Country Flag: United States
      I third NiCu. It is working well for me in my current project. I had some SS lines and unfortunately they were not seamless SS tubing. Thus when I flared them (37° AN) there was a small area where the welded seam was that would be slightly imperfect. When I pressure tested the lines, this was an area that had a very small leak. The NiCu line is seamless and forms a smooth 37° angle . I have yet to have a leak with the NiCu

      Moral of the story for me is to ALWAYS pressure check ANY lines you make. This will identify any leaks you might have. This will save you from the potential leak and the consequences a leak might cause.

      thats my 2 cents.
      1969 Camaro (Small Tyre Restomod/mild Protour) 245/40/18 F, 275/35/18 R, stock frame, full Ridetech suspension, LS engine, T56 Mag, Wilwood Brakes. A driver car.

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Feb 2011
      Location
      dallas, tx
      Posts
      1,729
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      Key is to cut the line with a 32 tooth hacksaw. Do not use tube cutters or a cut off wheel. it was heat up the tube and when you try to flare it the ends will crack.

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Dec 2006
      Location
      Out of the Burbs of Detroit to SoCal, then onto my ancestral homeland, the woods of Cascadia
      Posts
      1,753
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      Looks like everyone who was going to say something has said something.

      First, I am familiar w/ CuNiFer, the European name for NiCop, from exposure to rusty old English sports cars (Is there any oher kind?). I bought the SS lines (w/ factory type endforms) a couple years back, so i'm going to use them. And also, because threading two -6 lines through the frame is a pita, and is already done.

      I'll end up getting the 400F Rol-Aire flare tool, thanks for the help,
      Greg Fast
      (yes, the last name is spelled correctly)

      1970 Camaro RS Clone
      1984 el Camino
      1973 MGB vintage E/Prod race car
      (Soon to be an SCCA H/Prod limited prep)





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