I want to be able to bend and flare my own brake lines. Usually Harbor Freight is my go-to for tools that I don't use often but I'm thinking maybe this is the kind of job where lesser quality tools can make it a pain in the butt.
Recommendations?
I want to be able to bend and flare my own brake lines. Usually Harbor Freight is my go-to for tools that I don't use often but I'm thinking maybe this is the kind of job where lesser quality tools can make it a pain in the butt.
Recommendations?
I assume HF are the experts at bending metal because nothing I have ever bought there can cut, grind or sand it.
This is definitely the sort of job where quality tools make all the difference. Bending is easy, but flaring requires a good tool and the cheap ones will cause early hair loss and excessive use of profanity.
I use a Blue-Point myself. I know we had a good discussion on a variety of flaring tools jut recently. There's also a Carl article: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/8-secrets-you-need-bend-and-flare-pro-quality-brak/
Agreed the cheap ones are junk... Especially the ~$25 screw type contraptions.
I've used the Eastwood one in the past with good success.
tux424 said:Agreed the cheap ones are junk... Especially the ~$25 screw type contraptions.
I've used the Eastwood one in the past with good success.
We use that tool weekly in the shop and it still works as well today as it did 8 years ago when new. I love the thing.
Jumper has a real name?
The screw type contraptions can work well if made by a real company. That's what my Blue-Point is. The parts store ones are trash, I've broken a few in half. The design can also be used when the lines are on the car, too.
But I do think I need one of those Eastwoods 
Keith,
Got one in my garage so if you ever need it more than happen to ship it to the other side of the state.
Mastercool.
Buy one and you will stop asking "what flaring tool do I need"
Buy two because your friends will always want to borrow it.
93gsxturbo said:Mastercool.
Buy one and you will stop asking "what flaring tool do I need"
Buy two because your friends will always want to borrow it.
I agree 100%. Anyone who has borrowed mine can't believe how easy it is to use. In fact one person went out and bought his own since he's on a Lemons team and they always seem to be building another race car.
The Mastercool appears to be what Carl uses in the article I linked earlier.
Keith Tanner said:The Mastercool appears to be what Carl uses in the article I linked earlier.
I've used a Mastercool kit, and it's awesome. The Eastwood is almost as awesome, held back only by the fact that it needs to be mounted in a vise.
The Blue-point is usable (unlike the HF garbage), but it's still vastly inferior to the two above.
Nickel Copper lines (or whatever they're called) for the win. I replaced EVERY hard line on a 2003 Suburban with the stuff. Amazing.
I used AN Fittings and had a tool produced by Parker Hanifin. Agreed that proper good quality tool will make you look very good.
Indy-Guy said:Nickel Copper lines (or whatever they're called) for the win. I replaced EVERY hard line on a 2003 Suburban with the stuff. Amazing.
I agree. The parts store flaring tools are just fine for the parts store nicopp lines.
Forget about trying to reflare a factory steel line with a parts store flaring tool however.
I recently bought an OTC Stinger tool from amazon to make all the lines on one complete vehicle. I had to redo 3 out of 8 or 9 lines on the car because they leaked right off the bad. I used another tool that I had to borrow from another guy working in the same garage as I was. That other tool probably dated back to 1970, the box was red. I did not see any branding on it. Both tools looked identical. It seemed that the OTC tool made the flares "crooked". The no name tool made them straight. Moral of the story: old tools are better :)
Rocambolesque said:I recently bought an OTC Stinger tool from amazon to make all the lines on one complete vehicle. I had to redo 3 out of 8 or 9 lines on the car because they leaked right off the bad. I used another tool that I had to borrow from another guy working in the same garage as I was. That other tool probably dated back to 1970, the box was red. I did not see any branding on it. Both tools looked identical. It seemed that the OTC tool made the flares "crooked". The no name tool made them straight. Moral of the story: old tools are better :)
If that old tool didn't work it would have be thrown away years ago. The fact that he still has it means that it works as intended!
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