This is the initial bubble flare created by the first 3/8inch die, which sets the walls up for 45-degree roll-in. The bending and flaring tools out there are designed to fit many budgets. Opt for the higher-priced tools when you can because you generally get what you pay for. Pre-bent performance and restoration car tubing. Cockeyed and incomplete flares can cost you in time and leakage. It's been awesome when needed. ymmv - good luck - Tom. We have 30 years of experience making high quality replacement tubing for brakes, fuel, transmission and carburetor applications, which results in an American-made product that will last. 16. For brake lines, use brake fluid as a lubricant. This die executes the initial bubble flare where the first wall of a double 45-degree flare gets rolled inward. I've got a bluepoint kit like the OTC posted above. When you slam on the brakes, your master cylinder is applying on the order of 1,800 psi to the lines, fittings, calipers, and wheel cylinders. It works great on stainless. It does single, double and European flare. 3. My ISO bubble kit is the same style but matco, also no issues. However, if youre going to do a lot of flaring or outfitting your ride with stainless tubing, the pro flaring tool is a must. We have been asked time and again what kind of flare to use for brake and fuel lines. This is something you can do yourself in your home garage and feel good about your project when the job is done. The multiheaded flaring tool on the left is quite expensive. Does somebody make a reasonably priced double flaring tool for brake lines or do I have to go the tool truck route? Sur&r makes a decent kit. In fact, a socket can perform bends a tubing bender cannot. In short, use a lubricant compatible with the medium your lines will carry. If you dont have the old lines, you can send Classic Tube your specifications, and the company will bend and form lines to your blueprint. The Rigid set plus dies is good, maybe off too, don't know but the parts stores got ready made on the shelf. Much of it began with seat belts, padded dashboards, collapsible steering columns, impact absorbing crush zones, catalytic converters, and better braking systems. The bubble flare is performed first. On the left is a completed fuel line double flare. 12. Double-flaring tools are available for $12 to $22 from Harbor Freight Tools. Measure twice, cut once. There are two steps to flaring. The first step is this bubble flare. For fuel lines, use a low-viscosity engine oil or even WD-40 as a flaring lubricant. We will show you a few and how to use them. 15. 19. The pins on the little bits are the RIGHT size, they are sposed to be small. 6. Do a fit check and bend more if necessary. Wouldn't work if they were tight. When you are flaring brake and fuel lines, it is suggested you use a lubricant at the flaring head and line end. It's all in the prep work and knowing what you're doing. https://www.ebay.com/itm/K-D-DOUBLE-FLARING-TOOL-SET-KK243/193717420226?hash=item2d1a7540c2:g:9n4AAOSwMXxfjv9W, https://www.ebay.com/itm/Snap-On-TF-5-Double-Flaring-Tool-Kit-With-Case/164513984720?hash=item264dcc30d0:g:j5cAAOSwhrRfsK4e, https://www.ebay.com/itm/Double-Flaring-Tool-Kit-163-by-Cal-Van-with-orig-box-directions/303569602193?hash=item46ae288691:g:0PsAAOSw-5pewFa0, https://www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-5478-Master-Flaring/dp/B00B5VN94W, https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369273&page=512, https://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html, https://www.amazon.com/SUR-Auto-Parywords=otc+flaring+tool&qid=1605665893&sr=8-5, https://www.amazon.com/OTC-6502-Masywords=otc+flaring+tool&qid=1605665893&sr=8-2, https://www.amazon.com/MASTERCOOL-7ywords=otc+flaring+tool&qid=1605665893&sr=8-7, https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLP-CPDFTD. Slowly increase pressure on the disc and line rotating the cutter in a back and forth motion for 360 degrees until the line severs. Although the federal government can be a pain in the neck to automakers and individuals in terms of tougher safety and emission standards, it has contributed greatly to both vehicle safety and improved emission standards for the past half century. Tubing cutters enable you to clean the inside diameter as shown prior to tube flaring. Line ends must be completely free of burrs and imperfections. Stainless has to be treated differently than conventional galvanized steel because it is a much harder material. You can use coat hanger wire as a template between connections (much as exhaust shops do) to prevent wasting expensive tubing. Classic Tube has been fabricating preformed stainless steel tubing products for the classic car restoration market. Link below. Theres something so gratifying about fabricating replacement parts for your muscle car. Bought this one a couple years ago when I had two projects to do, definitely worth it: Eastwood for the win. It is the ultimate way to personalize your ride by doing something no one else has done the same way. 14. If youre thinking about using a hacksaw or cutting disc to cut your lines, heres a more civilized approach (unless youre working with stainless steel tubing). The second die rolls the walls into a 45-degree flare where the double-flare looks like this. The second is when we roll the sides over into a double flare like you see on the left. Tube bending and flaring tools are available from a variety of sources, including Harbor Freight Tools and The Eastwood Company. Finish the tube ends as shown with 240grit sandpaper to achieve a smooth flare. Use a large socket for your tube bending. 8. 4. Line fitting first, then flare. If you dont have the old lines, you can send Classic Tube your specifications, and the company will bend and form lines to your blueprint. Allow yourself enough length, which includes bends, before cutting. Tube bending begins with lining up the reference mark at zero and bending from that mark. The average muscle car home garage isnt going to need this professional-grade multiheaded flaring tool. The beauty of custom tube bending and flaring is being able to route brake and fuel lines where you want them or, as a matter of convenience, opt for prebent lines ready for a quick bolt-on you can do over a weekend. Were going to show you how to use it. On the right is a brake line with a bubble flare, not yet completed to a double 45-degree flare. Classic Tube makes it easy to make your own Fuel and brake lines. 21. The martercool hydraulic kit is the gold standard. You want to remove all ragged edges before flaring begins. Another for the mastercool unit. Extra care must be taken when bending stainless. I am surprised noone has recommended the RIDGID flaring tool kit. The final die rolls the bubble flare inward to produce the 45-degree double flare mandatory for brake and fuel lines. Best money spent and I don't think I've made a bad double flare yet. JavaScript is disabled. When you are fabricating lines, its vital to take your time and get it right. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It works flawlessly and I have never made a bad flare with it. Brake lines are always double flared to contain extreme pressures. Got it to do bubble flares on my Mercedes. It is mandatory for you to apply a double flare to every line end and fitting. However, if you do a lot of line fabrication, especially in stainless steel, it is a good investment. Using the nickel copper mixed lines not only gives you strength and longevity , it also makes most flaring tools work better,and bending them is a breeze! This step performs that initial roll-in. This makes perfect sense if youre restoring an obscure muscle car for which Classic Tube may not stock prebent lines. I recently got a Lisle 56150 set used from fleabay. This makes the going smoother when you are flaring the tip. Set up the flare by extending the line the width of the die. 23. Tube bending can be performed on the vehicle with a bend as you go approach. You also have the option of shipping your existing brake and fuel lines to Classic Tube, where they will be used as a template to make new lines. It's made in USA, and looks as if it's going to be the bee's knees. Budget tubing benders will get the job done if cash is tight. The OTC kits are also nice, with a positive locking system on the ram. Stainless steel is harder than galvanized steel and thus more challenging. Though pricey compared to the 20$ kits, at 100$ this kit is best in it's price range, and you won't be breaking/bending any bits with this kit. I havnt watched pricing, for part timers simple is good especially with the newer line. 10. For anyone in the rustbelt states uncoated steel brake lines are at best , temporary. AN fittings get a 37-degree flare. In both cases you must have a double 45-degree flare, especially with brake lines, which are always double-flared to contain the extreme pressures that exist in a hydraulic braking system. It does single, double and bubble flares. 7. 22. I have a decent used manual set I can sell,you. I bought one from a member here years back. Take tube bending and flaring for example. Have used and owned many sets, and this tool is the best I have found , unless you are willing to spend 3-500$ dollars. 5. A tubing cutter gently cuts into the line as shown. I've been using this Classic Performance tool for a long time. Only application for steel lines is if you need to install pre-bent/formed ones, and they already have flares. 13. Walls are rolled over and ultimately in to create the 45-degree double flare. 2. 17. You are using an out of date browser. Trust meyou will never want to go manual after using it. Any irregularities are unacceptable. Slowly bend the line as shown to the number of degrees desired. Prior to starting a flare, line ends should be clean cut like this one, free of burrs and other irregularities. Power steering lines get power steering or automatic transmission fluid as a lubricant. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Mustang Dual Exhaust Floor Pan Conversion Kit, Copyright 2022 | Classic Tube | 80 Rotech Drive | Lancaster, NY 14086 | 1-800-882-3711 or 716-759-1800 | Fax: 716-759-1014 |. 18. Look what custom tube bending from Classic Tube did for this Ford 390. It may not display this or other websites correctly. First, if you are doing brake lines, use NiCopp. Never had a flare leak on me with copper line and that kit. It is easy to forget to install the line fitting before doing the flare. They now have the Eastwood and love it. You must log in or register to reply here. This is a budget line flaring tool from Harbor Freight Tools. You should have a perfect 360-degree flare. 11. 1. Classic Tube offers rolls of steel, stainless steel, and aluminum tubing you can custom bend and flare to your liking. I purchased the MasterCool hydraulic flaring tool set to create double flare 45 and 37 single flare on stainless steel 3/16 brake tubing. My go to, is my Imperial vintage set, none better for my old trucks. First order of business in flaring is to use the proper die. I've got an ATD set that is really good and was very affordable when I purchased it. 9. It works. You may use steel or Adel clamps for line security. I have the mastercool. Worth every penny, especially on SS. Mine was on permanent loan to a friend shop for years. 20. Extra care must be taken when bending stainless. You also have the option of shipping your existing brake and fuel lines to Classic Tube, where they will be used as a template to make new lines. It is also virtually impossible to get a good double flare from stainless. Yet stainless virtually never corrodes and will outlast any other material, so the learning curve is worth it. This makes perfect sense if youre restoring an obscure muscle car for which Classic Tube may not stock prebent lines. You can count on winding up with scrap stainless as you learn the ropes. Some seasoned tube bending professionals suggest the use of a hacksaw instead of a tubing cutter, because a tubing cutter will work-harden stainless, making it tougher to get a proper flare. Classic Tube offers rolls of steel, stainless steel, and aluminum tubing you can custom bend and flare to your liking. The industry offers an extensive lineup of tube bending and flaring tools. On a really tight budget? There have been a few times I didn't like how it looked, cut off and reflared. The advantage of a rubber-lined Adel clamp is the elimination of chafing from vibration.