The pins on the little bits are the RIGHT size, they are sposed to be small. You can count on winding up with scrap stainless as you learn the ropes. This is the initial bubble flare created by the first 3/8inch die, which sets the walls up for 45-degree roll-in. In fact, a socket can perform bends a tubing bender cannot. I havnt watched pricing, for part timers simple is good especially with the newer line. The OTC kits are also nice, with a positive locking system on the ram. The bubble flare is performed first. I bought one from a member here years back. 2. Classic Tube offers rolls of steel, stainless steel, and aluminum tubing you can custom bend and flare to your liking. Measure twice, cut once. Pre-bent performance and restoration car tubing. Never had a flare leak on me with copper line and that kit. The advantage of a rubber-lined Adel clamp is the elimination of chafing from vibration. 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. Mine was on permanent loan to a friend shop for years. Trust meyou will never want to go manual after using it. Classic Tube offers rolls of steel, stainless steel, and aluminum tubing you can custom bend and flare to your liking. 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! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. AN fittings get a 37-degree flare. On the right is a brake line with a bubble flare, not yet completed to a double 45-degree flare. Does somebody make a reasonably priced double flaring tool for brake lines or do I have to go the tool truck route? 3. Use a large socket for your tube bending. It works flawlessly and I have never made a bad flare with it. This is a budget line flaring tool from Harbor Freight Tools. I purchased the MasterCool hydraulic flaring tool set to create double flare 45 and 37 single flare on stainless steel 3/16 brake tubing. A tubing cutter gently cuts into the line as shown. We have been asked time and again what kind of flare to use for brake and fuel lines. Line ends must be completely free of burrs and imperfections. 6. Classic Tube makes it easy to make your own Fuel and brake lines. Any irregularities are unacceptable. Yet stainless virtually never corrodes and will outlast any other material, so the learning curve is worth it. 22. You may use steel or Adel clamps for line security. Extra care must be taken when bending stainless. Finish the tube ends as shown with 240grit sandpaper to achieve a smooth flare. Theres something so gratifying about fabricating replacement parts for your muscle car. Have used and owned many sets, and this tool is the best I have found , unless you are willing to spend 3-500$ dollars. Take tube bending and flaring for example. It is also virtually impossible to get a good double flare from stainless. They now have the Eastwood and love it. Opt for the higher-priced tools when you can because you generally get what you pay for. 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. 19. There are two steps to flaring. Tube bending begins with lining up the reference mark at zero and bending from that mark. Sur&r makes a decent kit. Much of it began with seat belts, padded dashboards, collapsible steering columns, impact absorbing crush zones, catalytic converters, and better braking systems. Were going to show you how to use it. 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. Tube bending can be performed on the vehicle with a bend as you go approach. Power steering lines get power steering or automatic transmission fluid as a lubricant. It is mandatory for you to apply a double flare to every line end and fitting. You are using an out of date browser. It's been awesome when needed. The average muscle car home garage isnt going to need this professional-grade multiheaded flaring tool. Double-flaring tools are available for $12 to $22 from Harbor Freight Tools. There have been a few times I didn't like how it looked, cut off and reflared. It does single, double and European flare. 13. 23. 14. Allow yourself enough length, which includes bends, before cutting. 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). 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. We will show you a few and how to use them. I've got a bluepoint kit like the OTC posted above. Set up the flare by extending the line the width of the die. Look what custom tube bending from Classic Tube did for this Ford 390. Tube bending and flaring tools are available from a variety of sources, including Harbor Freight Tools and The Eastwood Company. Stainless steel is harder than galvanized steel and thus more challenging. It does single, double and bubble flares. This makes perfect sense if youre restoring an obscure muscle car for which Classic Tube may not stock prebent lines. For fuel lines, use a low-viscosity engine oil or even WD-40 as a flaring lubricant. Do a fit check and bend more if necessary. I've got an ATD set that is really good and was very affordable when I purchased it. I've been using this Classic Performance tool for a long time. 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. In short, use a lubricant compatible with the medium your lines will carry. 17. Slowly bend the line as shown to the number of degrees desired. You want to remove all ragged edges before flaring begins. Another for the mastercool unit. ymmv - good luck - Tom. When you are fabricating lines, its vital to take your time and get it right. You should have a perfect 360-degree flare. 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. This is something you can do yourself in your home garage and feel good about your project when the job is done. It is the ultimate way to personalize your ride by doing something no one else has done the same way. This step performs that initial roll-in. Walls are rolled over and ultimately in to create the 45-degree double 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. My go to, is my Imperial vintage set, none better for my old trucks. This makes the going smoother when you are flaring the tip. It works great on stainless. 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 |. 8. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. For brake lines, use brake fluid as a lubricant. Stainless has to be treated differently than conventional galvanized steel because it is a much harder material. Cockeyed and incomplete flares can cost you in time and leakage. The multiheaded flaring tool on the left is quite expensive. Slowly increase pressure on the disc and line rotating the cutter in a back and forth motion for 360 degrees until the line severs. For anyone in the rustbelt states uncoated steel brake lines are at best , temporary. On a really tight budget? First order of business in flaring is to use the proper die. 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. Wouldn't work if they were tight. I have a decent used manual set I can sell,you. However, if you do a lot of line fabrication, especially in stainless steel, it is a good investment. Prior to starting a flare, line ends should be clean cut like this one, free of burrs and other irregularities. Brake lines are always double flared to contain extreme pressures. The bending and flaring tools out there are designed to fit many budgets. You can use coat hanger wire as a template between connections (much as exhaust shops do) to prevent wasting expensive tubing. 12. 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. 10. The industry offers an extensive lineup of tube bending and flaring tools. On the left is a completed fuel line double flare. I recently got a Lisle 56150 set used from fleabay. 18. My ISO bubble kit is the same style but matco, also no issues. The first step is this bubble flare. Worth every penny, especially on SS. First, if you are doing brake lines, use NiCopp. 21. The second die rolls the walls into a 45-degree flare where the double-flare looks like this. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I have the mastercool. However, if youre going to do a lot of flaring or outfitting your ride with stainless tubing, the pro flaring tool is a must. 5. 1. Line fitting first, then flare. The final die rolls the bubble flare inward to produce the 45-degree double flare mandatory for brake and fuel lines. I am surprised noone has recommended the RIDGID flaring tool kit. When you are flaring brake and fuel lines, it is suggested you use a lubricant at the flaring head and line end. Best money spent and I don't think I've made a bad double flare yet. Got it to do bubble flares on my Mercedes. This die executes the initial bubble flare where the first wall of a double 45-degree flare gets rolled inward. It's all in the prep work and knowing what you're doing. It is easy to forget to install the line fitting before doing the flare. It works. Budget tubing benders will get the job done if cash is tight. 4. 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. JavaScript is disabled. 7. It's made in USA, and looks as if it's going to be the bee's knees. Tubing cutters enable you to clean the inside diameter as shown prior to tube flaring.