Brakes: Brake line flaring tools, recommendations?

[mausersmth]

I'm about to replace all the brake lines on my Cruiser as part of my 'Turnerizing' of the brake system. Bought a 25' roll of steel line, just to change my mind and decide the Copper/Nickel stuff is what I want on the car.

What to do with the steel line? Practice my flares, of course!
Problem is I kept making off-center flares!

I looked at my flaring tool and found the pin on the adapter is bent. It's a cheap one, bought from Auto Zone. OEM brand, I think.

Can anyone recommend a better one that won't cost more then the Turner kits I'm installing?
Thanks!

[gmax336]

I recently purchased a nice double flare tool from eastwood,com. It works great and is almost hard to make a poor flare. It is expensive. List in their lastest catalog at @249.99. They had a sale recently and I got i for $180 with free shipping.

[jimmijim8]

take it back

I'm about to replace all the brake lines on my Cruiser as part of my 'Turnerizing' of the brake system. Bought a 25' roll of steel line, just to change my mind and decide the Copper/Nickel stuff is what I want on the car.

What to do with the steel line? Practice my flares, of course!
Problem is I kept making off-center flares!

I looked at my flaring tool and found the pin on the adapter is bent. It's a cheap one, bought from Auto Zone. OEM brand, I think.

Can anyone recommend a better one that won't cost more then the Turner kits I'm installing?
Thanks!

go to harbor freight and get a different packaged one. What is the problem with steel brake line? I got'sta kinow. jimmijim

[jclary]

If you have a good old school NAPA parts store in your area, go to them and see what they are selling the garages in your area. See if they have a good old name brand such as Imperial Eastman or Milton. There are others that work just fine. Shouldn't cost an arm and a leg either. Make sure you get the double flaring unit. A NAPA sales tech worth his salt will steer you in the right direction.

[mausersmth]

go to harbor freight and get a different packaged one. What is the problem with steel brake line? I got'sta kinow. jimmijim

How long you want them to last?
http://64.90.169.191/applications/au...rake_tube.html

If I can do a job once and be done with it, even if my heirs sell the car after I'm a memory, and at a reasonable price, why not?
Steel lines I'd have to replace again if I keep the car (and live as long as my dad did.)

[mausersmth]

Anyone try the Craftsman (Sears) double flaring tool?

[N8N]

I have a Craftsman one but I prefer the K-D one I bought years ago. Neither was that expensive. The smallest double flare adapter is a consumable unfortunately. It'll last longer if you use a sharp cutter, and dress the cut end of the tube with a flat file and deburring tool (inside) to make sure end is square and 100% symmetrical in every way before each flare.

nate

[jimmijim8]

just a tad

How long you want them to last?
http://64.90.169.191/applications/au...rake_tube.html

If I can do a job once and be done with it, even if my heirs sell the car after I'm a memory, and at a reasonable price, why not?
Steel lines I'd have to replace again if I keep the car (and live as long as my dad did.)

I would expect them to last as long as my car is old as it is a 63 Hawk and has never been and as long as I own it be sublect to calcium chloride covered roads.

[jclary]

I have a Craftsman one but I prefer the K-D one I bought years ago. Neither was that expensive. The smallest double flare adapter is a consumable unfortunately. It'll last longer if you use a sharp cutter, and dress the cut end of the tube with a flat file and deburring tool (inside) to make sure end is square and 100% symmetrical in every way before each flare.

nate

Excellent point! Preperation is key. Simply cutting and crunching the ends with the tool will get inconsistant results.

[mausersmth]

I would expect them to last as long as my car is old as it is a 63 Hawk and has never been and as long as I own it be sublect to calcium chloride covered roads.

I believe the lines on my car are mostly original, and I don't plan to let the car see salty roads, but I still prefer to improve little details when I can. That's why the Turner brakes are going on all four corners, and a dual master is feeding them. That's why the points got replaced with a Pertronics.

Don't get me wrong, steel does the job, and with avoiding salt, might for a couple decades. Just not sure I'll want to re-do my lines again when I'm in my 70's.

[jimmijim8]

just a few decades

How long you want them to last?
http://64.90.169.191/applications/au...rake_tube.html

If I can do a job once and be done with it, even if my heirs sell the car after I'm a memory, and at a reasonable price, why not?
Steel lines I'd have to replace again if I keep the car (and live as long as my dad did.)

I would expect to expect them to last at least as long as my 63 Hawk is old even if it happens to be a rust free unrestored survivor. If the steel replacement line is of equal metalurgical quality as OEM type and under non snow belt circumstances I would say it to be fine. I may consider a set of Brazilian made rubber brake lines for a project car I intend to flip. cheers jimmijim

[mausersmth]

Another reason I'm not using steel lines, I opened up the rear wheel cylinders and found extensive pitting. If the inner walls of the cylinders rust, why not the lines?

Here in MD it gets humid, and I might forget to flush the brake system one year. DOT 3/4 fluid absorbs moisture, even the synthetic stuff I use.
The steel lines might outlast me on the Cruiser, but I choose not to chance it. Besides, I'll need to replace the lines on my 'new' '81 Ford F-150 Winter Beater, and I know the steel would rust there!

[rusty nut garage]

I like imperial brand tools, I've had mine for years I hope they're still made in the USA. Try this website they used to sell imperial but the description of the tools doesn't say so give them a call.
Read they're tips on how to flare. The key is square cuts, and preparation before flare like chamfer the outer and debur the inner...........mostly practice practice practice. I'd buy a few 3/16 double flare buttons they are easy to bend and break. If you extend the tubing too far into the fixture for the first step you will bend the flare button. I have they're 3/16 bender and its a nice one, the multi size benders are usually too big to make tight bends.

http://www.inlinetube.com/

I'm about to replace all the brake lines on my Cruiser as part of my 'Turnerizing' of the brake system. Bought a 25' roll of steel line, just to change my mind and decide the Copper/Nickel stuff is what I want on the car.

What to do with the steel line? Practice my flares, of course!
Problem is I kept making off-center flares!

I looked at my flaring tool and found the pin on the adapter is bent. It's a cheap one, bought from Auto Zone. OEM brand, I think.

Can anyone recommend a better one that won't cost more then the Turner kits I'm installing?
Thanks!

[bison]

like gmax , i also got the flaring tool from Eastwood when it was on sale and it works awesome !!!! and does SS. you can go to their
website and watch a video.
good luck

[Warren Webb]

I stopped by at an O'Reily auto parts store today & noticed they load double flare kits out. You might try them or one of their competitors. The price would be right at least!