Single or double?

[spqr67]

Can't seem to find a definitive answer....do brake lines get single or double flares?
Thanks
Michael

[railway]

They should be double flares steel tubing

[sweetolbob]

Yup double flares. I'm only adding my two cents to suggest that if you are doing it yourself that you buy a quality double flaring tool. The cheap ones make it extremely difficult to produce quality flares.

Bob

[spqr67]

Dang. I was hoping it was single. The manual flaring tool I have makes creating the double flare on a 3/16 tube really difficult. Ugh.

[sweetolbob]

A couple of tips:

Be sure the tubing is tight in the clamp, any movement is bad. I've been known to clamp the holder in my shop vise to help on the larger diameters.

Bevel/round the end of the tube slightly.

Use a lubricant on the flaring tool like lithium grease or other compatible lubes. Or use anything you have on hand but be sure to wash it off before you install the lines.

Be sure the tubing is only sticking out the suggested length.

[junior]

practice some flares before going to the trouble of bending the tubing and then messing up the flare. remember to put the flare nut on before you flare...that one has gotten me more than once! follow sweetolbob's advice. to clean the inside of the line, I squirt brake cleaner in the tubing, and then blow it out with lots of dry compressed air. Junior

[N8N]

Dang. I was hoping it was single. The manual flaring tool I have makes creating the double flare on a 3/16 tube really difficult. Ugh.

3/16" is the worst, and the double flare adapters are practically consumables. That said... you can make your life a lot easier if you use a GOOD tubing cutter, take a flat file and dress the cut end, then use the little tang on your cutter to ream the flash out of the inside of the tube. Use a GOOD flaring tool that grips the tube tightly, and also keep the screw on your tool lubricated and a little light oil on the double flare adapter probably doesn't hurt either.

ISO "bubble" flares and 37 degree AN flares are both way easier to do at home, but of course the automotive industry standardized on 45 degree double flares for a good half century or more.

nate

[1954khardtop]

Use brake fluid as a lube on the adapter. That way you don't have to worry if you don't get it all when you clean it.

[spqr67]

GREAT advice! I'll give it another try with these suggestions!
Michael

[Neal in NM]

Do not try the HOBO-FREIGHT double flare tool. I bought one and it is only good for copper it is barely mediocre for steel brake lines and absolutely useless for stainless!!! I borrowed a RIDGID double flare tool and it works smooth as silk. I even asked the owner if I could buy it from him. One other point, the flare angle is 45 degrees. Neal

[BBStude]

I just finished replacing all the brake lines on my 47 Champ. Save yourself some pain and money. Measure the lines you take off and go buy the pre-cut, pre-flared stock brake lines from your parts store that is close to that length but longer. Then, go to Harbor Freight and buy the $10 tubing bender. If the precut line is too long, you can use the bender to but slight bends in your line to take up the extra length. I even used mine to put come loops to take up slack. Way too much trouble to buy your own flaring tools. Good luck.