Advice for hard brake line flaring

[rang-a-stang]

This weekend I had to replumb my front hard brake lines (long story, don't ask). I bought a 8' length of double flared brake line for the passenger and went to work bending/installing it. Took me over an hour to get the bent and secured correctly.

Then when bleeding the brakes, it would not seal at the proportioning valve. I cranked it down harder and harder (no luck) until I stripped the nut. Yes I was using a flare wrench.

I don't want to replace that whole line. I want to chop a part off, get a male to male adapter and make a short "jumper" from the prop valve to the adapter. When I last did hard brake lines (in the 90's) I used a double flaring tool set from Naval Station San Diego's Auto Hobby shop but it kinda sucked.

Doing a quick search on the interwebs I see:
https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Double-Fl...e+flaring+tool is their best seller and has decent ratings.
I also see:
https://www.harborfreight.com/double...kit-66534.html is a little cheaper but has terrible ratings.

My questions:
A) general advice?
B) Any better ideas?
C) Tool ideas? Does anyone know if Oreilly, Crapa, Autozapper, have these as loaners?
D) I know there are tool sets that are $200+ that I am sure would do a wonderful job but I don't have that kind of money to spend on my Jeep.

[ShagWagon]

I know you dont want to bend it over again... but wouldn't that be the best and right way?

And use the old one as a template?

Surely you can get er done in less than an hour the second run.

[rang-a-stang]

Dah! You sound like my conscience! stop it! Would probably be cheaper, too.

I FEEL SO CONFLICTED! Do it right or do it easy?!?!?

[joe]

Don't know about military "hobby shop" tools but the military usually buys quality tools for mil equip maint, but likely it's as good or better than either of those your links. Ones I've had were either from Sears or the local auto parts store. Nothing exotic or expensive. Think my current one came from Napa's bargain bin? I was taught way back(the 60's) the key to good flares is "cleanliness" as in no burrs or sharp edges to get nicked or rolled over. I always polish the flare with very fine emery cloth and clean thoroughly before installing. Have I ever had a fitting leak? Yup. Often?, No. In my case a leak was pretty much operator error. Flaring is sorta like crimping/soldering wires...takes practice. If you're just looking to scab in a short section, tubing is cheap, keep at it. Oh and with a properly done flare and quality fittings you should never have to put your arse into it to make the seal.

[KaiserMan]

Sounds like the line may have cracked when you flared it. I'd start all over. Do it right. That little section of line would bug the heck out of me.

[xabn82]

Don't know about military "hobby shop" tools but the military usually buys quality tools for mil equip maint, but likely it's as good or better than either of those your links. Ones I've had were either from Sears or the local auto parts store. Nothing exotic or expensive. Think my current one came from Napa's bargain bin? I was taught way back(the 60's) the key to good flares is "cleanliness" as in no burrs or sharp edges to get nicked or rolled over. I always polish the flare with very fine emery cloth and clean thoroughly before installing. Have I ever had a fitting leak? Yup. Often?, No. In my case a leak was pretty much operator error. Flaring is sorta like crimping/soldering wires...takes practice. If you're just looking to scab in a short section, tubing is cheap, keep at it. Oh and with a properly done flare and quality fittings you should never have to put your arse into it to make the seal.

What Joe said. I've got a set of "Ridgid" brand flaring tools and benders. They are Made in USA or Ireland. Buy more tubing with one end already flared. Just be patient, like what is being said, tubing is cheap. I built a Factory Five Cobra, took me a while to obtain a "factory looking" run of brake and fuel lines. Good luck

[chrism]

A couple suggestions for you...
I recently started using nicopp hard lines...easy to bend and easy to flare don't rot out. The local auto parts stores have started carrying it.

Also checkout inline flaring tools/kits. They work much better than the older type with the clamp.

[SOLSAKS]

i am not as mechanically skilled as most people on the forum

so, on a recent restoration of a GM car

i ordered all hard lines from in-line-tube company
and they came pre bent, they were perfect

all fuel lines
brake lines, etc
and you can pay a little more and get stainless.
the mechanic installing them loved them.

they have the patterns to almost any vehicle.
and it comes with the correct coiled wire covering.

the cheapest thing in the whole restoration process
and also one of the best quality items too

dave in NC

[rang-a-stang]

Sounds like the line may have cracked when you flared it. I'd start all over. Do it right. That little section of line would bug the heck out of me.

I think I have a contaminant in there, maybe a metal shaving, pebble, or something like that. I concur (bug the heck out of me) but at that time the frustration of it not sealing after all the time I took to form it was greater than how much it would bug me. I just need a break to cool off for a bit, regroup, and do it right.

What Joe said. I've got a set of "Ridgid" brand flaring tools and benders. They are Made in USA or Ireland. Buy more tubing with one end already flared. Just be patient, like what is being said, tubing is cheap. I built a Factory Five Cobra, took me a while to obtain a "factory looking" run of brake and fuel lines. Good luck

Patience if something I lack at times. Thanks, I need it (Good luck)!

A couple suggestions for you...
I recently started using nicopp hard lines...easy to bend and easy to flare don't rot out. The local auto parts stores have started carrying it.

Also checkout inline flaring tools/kits. They work much better than the older type with the clamp.

I'm pretty sure I bought NICCOP. Crapa had two types of pre-terminated lines, one looked like the regular zinc coated stuff and the other has a dark green coating on it. Dude behind the counter said the dark coated lines bend easier and last longer (2 important requirements for me) so I bought them. When I google'ed "NICCOP" images, I see lines that seem to match what I bought. The cost difference was negligible.

Just looked at the inline flaring kits. I have a little bit of room on my line so I think I am going to order one of those tool kits, cut the boogered end off, re-flare it, install a new nut, verify the female side (Prop valve) is clear of contaminants, and see how it comes out. Amazon has this one that is the correct size for my brake lines and is about the same cost as the brake line I have in there.

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-24364-Line-Flaring-Tool/dp/B01DO9142G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506443910&sr=8-2&keywords=inline+flaring+tool

This particular tool seems to have good reviews and after watching a few videos on how to use inline flaring tools, this one seems to be worth the risk. If I make things worse with this tool, I'll go get another length of tube and re-bend the whole thing having only wasted some time and $10 on the tool.

on a recent restoration of a GM car
I ordered all hard lines from in-line-tube company
and they came pre bent, they were perfect

all fuel lines
brake lines, etc
and you can pay a little more and get stainless.
the mechanic installing them loved them.

they have the patterns to almost any vehicle.
and it comes with the correct coiled wire covering.

Copy that, Dave. I used those on a Falcon I built a few years back and loved them. After I read your post I did a quick search and could only find one company that had a kit for an 80 Cherokee WT and I assume they would fit my 79 but I am not sure enough to spend the $200 they were asking for the kit they had. Plus I have to finish this, this weekend or it will linger until after Christmas.

[babywag]

A "patch" line will be or should be fine. We don't suffer from the brake line horrors other parts of the country do.

I removed the axle brake lines on my '68 Mustang a while back. All of them came right off, and still had brake fluid in them.
This car has been sitting for decades, and honestly I could reuse the lines if I wanted to. I won't be, but try that in the rust belt

[J20 project]

Just have to utilize a double flare tool.....practice helps though.

J20

[joe]

I've got a set of "Ridgid" brand flaring tools and benders. They are Made in USA or Ireland.

Can't go wrong with Rigid for tubing or pipe tools. Quality stuff and not silly expensive.

[TexasJ10]

Cutting the tube evenly and duburring before flaring goes a long ways towards making a good flare and seal as well. Ridgid are great tools

[J20 project]

Maybe a bad question.....but.

Ya'll are making inverted, double flares....right?

J20

[tgreese]

...

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-24364-Line-Flaring-Tool/dp/B01DO9142G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506443910&sr=8-2&keywords=inline+flaring+tool

This particular tool seems to have good reviews and after watching a few videos on how to use inline flaring tools, this one seems to be worth the risk. ...

This type of tool has worked well for me on steel and nicopp. I would not expect it to work well on stainless line ... too hard.