Brake line tip

I tried to make the double flare with the sub $20 tool kit. After prepping the end the tool would not push the steel squarely. After the second attempt bending the adapter I thought there has to be a better way. I dug out my 1 ton arbor press and placed the tube in the holder and used the press to start the flare. Works great pushes squarely. Then move the holder to my vice and finish with the tool.

I am replacing suspect steel brake lines on my challenge car/truck.

Very neat, a poor mans Mastercool kit.

For those that love to make brake lines as much as I do, this is the only way to fly.

Downside is it is 3 bills. Upside is it makes every concievable flare (brake line double flare, bubble flare, AN single flare, GM fuel line, Saginaw flare) and it makes it perfect every time, even in stainless. We ran all new brake and fuel lines on my friend's Galant VR4, and we would have been lost without this gem.

Fedhillbrakes.com

If you are just replacing a section and need to join two ends, forget the double flare, I used compression fittings last time. It is cheap and easy.

93gsxturbo wrote: Very neat, a poor mans Mastercool kit. For those that love to make brake lines as much as I do, this is the only way to fly. Downside is it is 3 bills. Upside is it makes every concievable flare (brake line double flare, bubble flare, AN single flare, GM fuel line, Saginaw flare) and it makes it perfect every time, even in stainless. We ran all new brake and fuel lines on my friend's Galant VR4, and we would have been lost without this gem.

Yes. I should have bought that kit..., well whenever it was introduced.

fritzsch wrote: If you are just replacing a section and need to join two ends, forget the double flare, I used compression fittings last time. It is cheap and easy.

Might work, but its not legal.

fritzsch wrote: If you are just replacing a section and need to join two ends, forget the double flare, I used compression fittings last time. It is cheap and easy.

Very poor idea. Think of the force required to pull that apart vs. a proper bubble or double flare. One involves folding steel over itself, the other is relying on friction.

It takes a lot of directed effort for me not to automatically punch parts store people who try to sell me those things.

I'd rather lay on my back under the car for an hour berkeleying with a flare bar, because then I KNOW when I slam on the pedal, nothing is coming apart.

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

fritzsch wrote: If you are just replacing a section and need to join two ends, forget the double flare, I used compression fittings last time. It is cheap and easy.

Very poor idea. Think of the force required to pull that apart vs. a proper bubble or double flare. One involves folding steel over itself, the other is relying on friction. It takes a lot of directed effort for me not to automatically punch parts store people who try to sell me those things. I'd rather lay on my back under the car for an hour berkeleying with a flare bar, because then I KNOW when I slam on the pedal, nothing is coming apart.

the same fittings that hold up to 2500psi in tractor hydraulics for decades aren't good enough to hold up to less pressure in a car's brake system?

Not on my car. berk that.

In reply to novaderrik:

Ever have a pressure gauge in your brake system?

When I was a teenager, my dad had a vintage fire truck, a 1960's GMC 5-ton chassis. It had a treadle-vac booster on a hydraulic system with a manual line lock to hold the truck in place. There was a gauge on the lock valve.

I wanted to see how much pressure the system could generate with me pushing. I got around 5000 psi with one foot and pushing hard against the back of the seat.

Making a proper double flare is NOT difficult if you do it properly.

Don't use compression fittings, there's a reason they're not approved.

i'm a fan of a good double flare and do that on my stuff, but i've known people that have used compression fittings that lasted a long, long time on brake lines.

a long long time? are you berkeleying insane? i dont want a fitting that lasts a long time, i want one that lasts longer than every other component in the berkeleying brake system. you should be ashamed to operate a 2000+ lb vehicle of any kind on public roadways or even courses with berkeleying compression brake fittings. do you have children? would you want to explain to the CORONER your son is dead cause the brakes failed at speed cause you were too cheap/lazy/stupid to use the proper tools and equipment for the job? and if the answer to that is yes, imagine my reaction if you have to explain the same to me about my son cause your car couldn't stop in time. lemme give you a hint, the grave digger gets to dig two...

your so non-chalant about "blah blah compression fitting rated for 600 psi are FINE, don't worry, its cool..." when reality is stupid lazy half assed E36 M3 like gets people berkeleying killed!

shiny happy person...

-J0N

What an excellent way to convince someone to believe the same way you do. Normally, when someone calls me an shiny happy person, I tell them to berkeley themselves and do whatever I was going to do, regardless of how unsavory it may seem.

I might just go to clearwater and drive around in a car with only compression fittings! he's driving down your street, walking up your steps, knocking on your door, with a bag full of compression fittings!!!

I had the tree bark looking brake lines on my old '02 Silverado replaced a couple years ago by one of the better shops in town. They quoted me a price (complete new tubing to the MC). Upon pickup I found they used steel compression fittings to connect the new lines to original tubing from the MC, about 15".

I was livid, that wasn't specified in the quote... complete new to the MC was. Lead mechanic was now pissed, thought I was over reacting, they use them all the time he says. I thought they took the easy/ lazy way out.... but bottom line is... not on my truck.

Now, I've used steel compression fittings in industry for 30 yrs.... but refuse to use them on vehicle brake systems. I took the truck to another shop and had it finished correctly. I never went back to the first shop, never will.

I spent $70 on a flare tool and it does a really nice job. Yeah it takes some time, but those are the kind of projects I'm OK with spending more time on.