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All I want to do is make a GD brake line

Fishnbeer

Fishnbeer

The dude abides
Joined
Jun 8, 2020
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CA
My double flaring tool has dun pissed me right the F off. I wanted to get a decent one, supposedly better then HF, so I bought this OTC kit. Looks nice and shiny, I have had many OTC tools in the past that were good shop quality tools.

Right off the bat it barely clamps down tight enough to keep 3/16 line from sliding out of the bars. So I crank it down good and snug and the pin holding the bar snaps! Luckily I have some small round bar here that I cut down and its a perfect fit, cool, keep moving on. On the fourth flare the nipple on the die that centers it in the line gets stuck and cant get it out. What the F. Tried shooting compressed air in the other end, tried fishing some welding rod through there to tap it out... nothin. Ended up cutting the end off...

So now I got a die with no centering nipple. I figure what the heck Ill try flaring a scrap piece and see what happens. It still works, found I just have to carefully chamfer a little more of the inner edge of brake line for it to center correctly but it works, its centered, flare looks good, I can still use it. Cool. Go to finish my lines and the goddamn die cracked. What the F. I swear theres a leprechaun hiding in the shop somewhere just to piss me off. Clamped it in the vice, welded it and ground it flat on the belt grinder. Still works. Tightened it down a few times in a spare union fitting to massage out any imperfections and it looks good.

So my '3 hr project' turned into an all day ordeal fighting a goddamn flaring tool.
 

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I never had luck with that style of flaring tool. I ponied up for a Mastercool hydraulic flaring tool. That was probably 1/3 of my problem. I haven't had an issue with the tube slipping.

I also found that the hardlines you buy in straight lengths from the autostore are excessively hard and brittle. VERY easy to end up with split flairs. I swapped to nickel/copper line by the roll and buy the brake nuts separate. Quality longer full threaded nuts helped a lot with fully seating the flare while the soft nickel/copper line would deform a little bit if my flare wasn't perfect.

Final part for me was doing a good cut and debur.


EDIT I meant nickel/copper, not aluminum/copper.
 
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Living in the land of rust I had the same problems you did. I ponied up for the mastercool hydraulic flaring tool. I actually get excited to flare something now as it’s a joy to use.
 
posford said:
I have the same OTC flare tool and have used it for years and never had an issue :confused:

Are you positive that its not operator error? :flipoff2:
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I am not sure about anything in this world anymore so I cant rule that out haha

Im thinking maybe the brake line I bought was to blame. Mebbe its slightly bigger or smaller, mebbe different wall thickness, I dunno. I have flared a few lines before but I have never had to fight a tool like this before
 
For sake of comparison, I buy rolls of brake line, the coated steel or NiCopp if they have it. Cheap shitty pipe cutter to cut the line, flat needle file to make sure the end is square, and a small drill bit to chamfer the inside of the line. All fits inside the OTC flare tool case. Do that, and add a dab of brake fluid as lube when flaring and I have no issues.

Some claim theres a knack to it. You could hand my father the most top of the line flare tool and he'll fuck it up :homer:
 
Lil'John said:
I never had luck with that style of flaring tool. I ponied up for a Mastercool hydraulic flaring tool. That was probably 1/3 of my problem. I haven't had an issue with the tube slipping.

I also found that the hardlines you buy in straight lengths from the autostore are excessively hard and brittle. VERY easy to end up with split flairs. I swapped to aluminum/copper line by the roll and buy the brake nuts separate. Quality longer full threaded nuts helped a lot with fully seating the flare while the soft aluminum/copper line would deform a little bit if my flare wasn't perfect.

Final part for me was doing a good cut and debur.
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10000% this
 
posford said:
For sake of comparison, I buy rolls of brake line, the coated steel or NiCopp if they have it. Cheap shitty pipe cutter to cut the line, flat needle file to make sure the end is square, and a small drill bit to chamfer the inside of the line. All fits inside the OTC flare tool case. Do that, and add a dab of brake fluid as lube when flaring and I have no issues.

Some claim theres a knack to it. You could hand my father the most top of the line flare tool and he'll fuck it up :homer:
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I don't even do that much work. HF pipe cutter, no cleanup on the tube end. HF flaring set. Hell, most of the time I just single flare them and they still just work without issues.

Sometimes in soft materials (i.e. straight copper) and larger sizes I get ugly flares if the stick-out is too much and I say fuck it and flare it anyway. But even then I can salvage it 9x/10.
 
arse_sidewards said:
I don't even do that much work. HF pipe cutter, no cleanup on the tube end. HF flaring set. Hell, most of the time I just single flare them and they still just work without issues.

Sometimes in soft materials (i.e. straight copper) and larger sizes I get ugly flares if the stick-out is too much and I say fuck it and flare it anyway. But even then I can salvage it 9x/10.
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Bullshit, you're the kind of guy that uses compression fittings on brake lines :flipoff2:
 
shaggy10000 said:
Been there a time or 2. I was in the same boat. Clamping those in the vise to hold enough to get a flare that didnt suck.
I switched to this one https://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html
And like others have said, switch to alu/copper line and stop using the auto parts store hard line. Flares are a breeze now.
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I use this, looks to be the same tool.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HOXH242/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I look forward to flaring lines now. Oh and use copper/nickel line much better results
 
Halffastford said:
wait, isn't that what they're for? :homer:
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No its not!! Compression lines / fittings arent to use on an application that you are entrusting your life to.

Leave it to a professional you are a danger to busloads of nuns and priests everywhere.

JHC
 
I bought a nice one only to find out the 1/4 " (the only hole I would actually use) has no grooves in it. Couldn't take it back because I took a year or two to use it. 😥 Have to fuck with it to get it to work.

Fuck the type you're using. I could see how different manufacturers tube might get stuck. Slightly different ID'S. And all.
 
Ive been using that style flare tool for going on 30 years. Wrap electrical tape around the line to keep it from slipping. If you are using anything besides nickel copper you are an idiot.
 
I don’t use compression fittings on brake lines, but we do use them at work on sample lines carrying 1000 degree, 3000 psi steam. Of course, there are no busloads of nuns in a power plant.
 
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Eastwood has made me not dread brake lines anymore. Can’t recommend it enough.
 
Fishnbeer said:
What makes nickel copper a superior choice?
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In order to make a proper flared connection your IQ must be higher than the rockwell hardness of the material you're trying to flare. Ni-cop is soft like copper so idiots can flare it more easily.

Also it doesn't rust. But for stuff that doesn't see road salt that's not really an issue. For bends on the tight side you'll get less deformation in steel.
 
I really dont use it enough to justify the cost, but this mastercool flaring tool is the best on the market. You can flare lines in place and I haven't met a tube too hard to flare yet. My go to flare tool test is the stainless tubing you get when you buy those napa pre bent kits for the 2000s chevy Silverado. That stuff always pushes through the conventional flare tools.

20200723_211551.jpg
 
X1000 on the Mastercool tool.
Mine is Snap-on :homer:brand but exactly the same tool...
 
you guys just suck. 90% is the user, 10% is the tool. Ive used cheap no-name Vatozone flare and never had any issues.

Technique, bros :flipoff2:
 
I've made plenty of good flares with the craptastic style, but the time/effort/frustration is not worth it to me.
Plus I got the tool in exchange for plumbing my buddies Heep so...

This same goes for a bunch of different tools.
Yes it can be done with the shit tool and good to have the skill to make it work.
But, with a better quality/design tool it goes easier/faster/more smoothly so it makes the better tool worth the $...
 
Ni/Cop tubing and this tool is a pleasure to work with.

Amazon.com: OEMTOOLS 24364 In-Line Flaring Tool Kit, Low Profile | Brake Repair/Brake Flaring Tool | Create Single or Double Flares in Copper or Thin-Walled Steel Tubing | Use with a Ratchet : Automotive

Buy OEMTOOLS 24364 In-Line Flaring Tool Kit, Low Profile | Brake Repair/Brake Flaring Tool | Create Single or Double Flares in Copper or Thin-Walled Steel Tubing | Use with a Ratchet: Brake Flaring Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
smile.amazon.com
 
Broncokyle88 said:
I fucking love mine. Better than the cheap ass universal kits, not as quick or easy as the mastercool kits. Small and cheap enough to throw it into your toolbox for a road/wheeling trip and not worry if it gets lost or stolen. It the perfect middle ground for guys like me who only make a handful of flares a year.
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When I bought this I already had two craptastic older units but wanted to try a better tool.
It's probably really just the Nicop tubing that makes it easy but really this was so refreshing for me. I bought 15' of tubing with 4 nuts and this tool for $34 and made the 3 brake lines I needed in a hour or so with zero issues.
 
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