double flare questions

[mustangdave]

What exactly is a double flare on a brake line, and how do you do it? Does stainless steel require special tools since it is harder than the usual stuff? I'm asking because I want to a custom brake system that pre-bent lines are not available for.

 

[ultrastang]

What exactly is a double flare on a brake line, and how do you do it? Does stainless steel require special tools since it is harder than the usual stuff? I'm asking because I want to a custom brake system that pre-bent lines are not available for.

Try this link;
http://www.carcraft.com/howto/50919/index.html


www.ultrastang.com

 

[thehueypilot]

Good link above and I might add that SS is a lot harder to bend and flair unless you get it annealed (softened) and even then it is very hard to work with.

 

[dolfan87]

I bought an entire stainless line kit for my Mach 1, but wound up throwing every piece away. Not a single end sealed, and I had several flares professionally done.

I would stay away from Stainless unless you have someone doing the flares with a lot of experience.

 

[mustangdave]

Sounds like stainless is kinda hairy: are there any other options for a cool look on brake lines? Maybe an anodized look to regular mild steel?

 

[mustangdave]

I also don't see the "buttons" referred to in the Car Craft article in my search for flaring tools. I have a flaring tool and it has no such critter either. I have flared propane gas lines with no leaks but they were single flares on copper lines.

 

[StaffAmerica74]

You need to use the buttons when flaring brake lines... thats why its called a double flair. Autozone has the tool with the buttons for renting and when you are done you can take it back. I did the whole system on my mustang with no leaks. I used regular line though.

 

[mustangdave]

Thx. I saw it on the zoo's website. I would still like to try the stainless for corrosion resistance and looks. It looks like I need a heavier duty kit to flare it though. Eastwood has one but it is several hundred dollars!

 

[66forfun]

My tip is do not use a tubing cutter when trimming the lines to length, use a hacksaw.tubing cutters leave a beveled end on the tube and a double flare will be near impossible. also cutoff wheels shouldnt be used because of the end getting hot and is then harder to cold work, it could cause cracking in other words. good luck, rent a good flare tool and practice on scrap of the same matl.

 

[DukeGnarley]

I got a stainless brake line kit with my baers, and ended up having to modify them. i used a $12 ish tool from the local parts house and it ended up working, but it was a pain in the ass. i found that to ged the best results, i had to cut the line with a dremmel, then use a lot of sand paper to get the end perfectly smooth. only problem with this is that it leaves a lot of metal dust in the lines that you have to get out.

 

[ultrastang]

I also don't see the "buttons" referred to in the Car Craft article in my search for flaring tools. I have a flaring tool and it has no such critter either. I have flared propane gas lines with no leaks but they were single flares on copper lines.

This is the double flare button the guy is holding (from the article).
http://carcraft.com/howto/p116197_image_large.jpg

This makes the "first stage" of the double flare.

 

[thehueypilot]

Try this link for steel brake lines that come in different colors for something different. http://store.summitracing.com/egnse...4294924496+115&Nao=10&Ntk=KeywordSearch#rstop

 

[BB1966]

I made my lines with a roll of strainless. I used a tubing cutter but I had to file the end smooth to keep it from splitting. Most of my flares are inverted ( the taper comes out not in) and they were a pain. It does take extra effort to make them in stainless but in my .02 it is worth it. 80% of my lines are hidden anyway and the adjustable prop valve is inside by the driver seat.

 

[pabear89]

What exactly is a double flare on a brake line, and how do you do it? Does stainless steel require special tools since it is harder than the usual stuff? I'm asking because I want to a custom brake system that pre-bent lines are not available for.

Use a sharp tubing cutter, then flat file the end to remove the cutting taper.
With a 37* tubing flare tool make your flare with enough pressure to form an equal ring of tubing showing around from the the wedge.

Works better than a double flare, but you only can use it once.
unlike a double flare that rolls the end in so it makes a crush seal when you tighten it down.
Depends how hard you tightened it prev is to how much crush area is left to reseal.

PB

 

[mustangdave]

Great advice everyone!!! I also like the look of the colored hard lines from Summit! Decisions, decisions.

 

[ozstang65]

Rothenberger ROFLARE is an absolute gem of a tool. Get the double flare adaptor and their pipecutter and you are set. The 'double rail' tools are a PITA. Once you've used one of these you'll never want to use anything else for flaring ever again.