Making brake lines

[Snoman002]

It can be easy, and it can be quite maddening.

The rear line on my old s10 failed a few years ago, thankfully I could flare the original line anywhere along the frame with plenty of mess up room. Making the curly line off the master was time consuming, but it came out identical to e original.

On the other hand, the neighbors civic broke a line where it bends up to go over the gas tank. There was JUST enough room to get the flaring tool in there, and no extra line if the flare was bad. That one was a nightmare.

I used the harbor freight double flaring tool. It worked, but with practice I could get about 3 good flares for every 4 made. A hearty, but very even, taper filed on the outside of the line is what took it from 1 out of 2 to 3 out of 4.

 

[Trav]

Next time apply a little brake fluid to the end of the line when you make the flare, it really makes a difference and a much cleaner flare. DO NOT use anything other than brake fluid.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: supton
Found this, which shows better how to use that tool. I thought I had that tool, but I don't recall having the smaller black part.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDNHQhExDOQ

You can't make a Double Flare without the correct size button. It is common for them to be lost on older sets, because people don't realize how they go together.

Just say "no" to using unions, even double flare ones. The whole point of replacing brake lines is to improve reliability and introducing more joints is completely counter to that goal. Unions are TWO joints! If I'm going to spend the time and effort to improve a vehicle with NiCopp lines, I'm not going to introduce more joints.
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Also make sure you know what kind of flares they are. On my BMW they are ISO bubble flares, not SAE. This chart will help:

http://www.fedhillusa.com/webnuts/common flares6.pdf


You have it easy. I asked whether my 01 Dakota had bubble or ISO, SAE or Metric nuts. The answer was "yes".

After looking at a bunch of videos, I decided this one was the best:

https://youtu.be/wK1TL35pnNc

 

[supton]

Yeah, I would buy a new tool if/when I do this.

I see your point about unions, but I think I'd want to have the parts on hand "just in case".