Stainless Steel Brake and Fuel Line Tool

[Gitter Dun]

Can you guys chime in on what to buy. I am currently looking at Classic Tube. classictube.com

[oestek]

Assuming you're looking for a flare tool? We use the Eastwood Pro flare tool. It makes perfect flares QUICKLY every time, and there is almost no skill needed. The reviews on their website tell the story.

[wmhjr]

I have the mastercool tool. It does a pretty good job though it's pricey. Getting the right tube is very important.

[rohrt]

I warn most people about my experience with SS lines. I got rolls of SS tube from Inline tube and I spent hours bending mine an "TRYING" to flare the ends and getting them to seal. I tried a couple differnt flaring tools including a Rigide tool brand with some success. The main issue I had was the tubing pushing out even clamped in a vice. I never tried a hydralic flaring tool and I never tried the pre-bent SS lines.

In the end I gave up and replaced them all with mild steel pre-bent lines. They worked great.

[Gitter Dun]

Eastwood Pro Flare sounds good. What about bending tools. Does anybody make a decent single bending tool applicable to bend OD sizes from say 1/8" to 9/16" or am I going to have to buy a bender for each size.

[wmhjr]

A few things. The Eastwood tool seems to work great - so long as you don't ever have to do any flares ON THE CAR. IIRC, it requires a stationary mount like a vice to work properly. My experience is that there are times if you're runnign solid stainless tubing that you'll maybe need to flare a line that you can't easily remove. The hydraulic tool can do that.

Second, I'm not aware of any "multi-tool" that bends a variety of stainless tubing well. Frankly, the individual tools are difficult enough with stainless.

Last, I'll echo roht. Every single component of every plumbing line in my car is stainless except for my rad hoses. Fuel, oil, brakes. Almost all the fuel (supply and vent) as well as almost all brakes are solid stainless. This even includes plumbing for my line lock. It was a MASSIVE PITA. I hope to never ever touch it again. My mastercool tool worked pretty well, but wasn't a piece of cake. Just cutting stainless is more of a pain. I don't know if I'd do it again.

[Gitter Dun]

The '69 Camaro I just picked up was a full on pro-street car. I need to re-do the front brake lines because the previous owner incorporated a line-lock set up. I also need to redo the fuel line due to it all being in steel braid and a couple of decades old. I know I can buy pre-bent stainless steel brake lines and I may go that route to save on the aggravation factor. Thanks, appreciate your input.

[parsonsj]

I've had good luck with Ridgid benders and Imperial hand flare tools. I did brake lines, fuel lines and power steering lines in SS. I can't imagine trying make a flare in SS while on the car. If you're flaring SS by hand, you need to mount the flare body in a vice (as Bill mentioned).

As I moved my regulator around trying to find the optimum placement for it, I gradually replaced my original SS fuel lines with aluminum. It's way easier to work than stainless, but you should stay with SS for brakes and power steering.

[1969CamaroRS]

I had good luck with the Rigid line of flaring tools specifically Rigid Model 377 for 37* flares:

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/458R-Rat...Tool/index.htm

For bender I had good luck with Imperial Eastman hand benders
http://www.newmantools.com/imperial/

Bent up to 5/8 stainless with them. Bent all my fuel lines, oil cooler lines and transmission cooler lines with them. Like wmhjr said often you need to make bends on the car and the hand benders are useful for that.

Here are a couple other good threads discussing the subject:
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ighlight=Rigid
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=29647

[Gitter Dun]

Thanks John and Ed, the Rigid flaring tool and Imperial Eastman hand benders look pretty capable. Ed, thanks for tossing in the discussion threads.

[wmhjr]

John, fwiw I have made 2 flares on 3/16 stainless on the car. Wasn't planned. The mastercool tool requires no vice at any time.

I'm a bit gun shy about aluminum fuel lines. Back in the late 70s I had one crack, and poof. No more car. I know it can be safe but I just can't get it out of my head.

[1969CamaroRS]

No problem glad to help

For me the problematic stuff was the long run 1/2" fuel lines. The only way to bend them was on the car (due to routing), most of the other stuff was bent on the bench next to the car.

[BonzoHansen]

^^^never used it^^^

**2nd hand advice warning**

http://brakequip.com/tools.html

on chat one night frank @ prodigy customs was talking about this stuff. to paraphrase him "easy bend, none corrosive line that wont rust, and you bend it with your thumbs,double flares like butter". Says he uses it on all his cars now. "It is not soft like you would think, just pliable. They use it on big trucks, DOT approved"

http://brakequip.com/tools_video_gallery.html

So ask Frank.

[fordsbyjay]

I have an assortment of benders that are all different sizes. I have never seen a "one size fits all" bender especially with the range you are looking at. Having different brands and sizes allows you to have different radius of curves which can be very handy for all the different bends needed around the car. I have a 5/8 bender I bought for my -10 stainless tube but I have not used it yet. You wanna talk about big money...............