Bending and flaring brake/cooling lines

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fredsmedina

fredsmedina

6 Dart 7 MOPAR OR NOCAR
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Not Sure where I should Post this thread at. but i'm going to buy a flare tool and tubing bender so that I can bend/flare my brakelines and new cooling lines for the transmission.

whats the difference between the double flare and bubble flare?

I believe the double flare is what I need for the brake lines.

which one do I need for cooling lines?

and what are the angles of the flares that I need for both the brake lines and cooling lines?

thanks.

also whats a good place to get this tool from? summit seems to have quite a few of them.
 
Bubble and double flare are just different types of flares. For your trans cooling and brake lines you want a double flare tool. Got mine from snapon (blue point). The one I got from sears was junk.
 
If you are using stainless steel it can be very difficult to double flare if you don't have a good tool. Even the Snap-on blue point had a difficult time with the SS. Good luck and do some practice runs and make really really smooth cuts. Mild steel line should be pretty easy.
 
daves66valiant said:
If you are using stainless steel it can be very difficult to double flare if you don't have a good tool. Even the Snap-on blue point had a difficult time with the SS. Good luck and do some practice runs and make really really smooth cuts. Mild steel line should be pretty easy.
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thanks. will do. the double flare is what i need then for both the cooling and brake lines?
 
fredsmedina said:
thanks. will do. the double flare is what i need then for both the cooling and brake lines?
Click to expand...

Yes and the tool should be a 45 degree tool. The 37 degree stuff is just to mate hard line to AN- fittings. Daves66 is correct about the SS stuff too. It's a freakin' bear to work with. One day when I get rich I'm going to get a hydraulic flaring tool.
 
any other tips? buying the tool soon. so is it correct that I need the 45 degree double flaring tool right?

and has anyone used any of the flaring tools from summit?
 
In the 20+ years I spent behind the parts counter at my familys parts store, we used a KD brand flaring tool and a KD tubing bender. The flares on any of the domestic automotive stuff during the 70s and 80s that I dealt with on fuel, trans cooler, and brakes were inverted flare (I guess now they call it double flare?) The inverted flare tool had inserts that fit into the end of the tube (one insert for each size tubing). The forcing cone of the flare tool fit into a dimple in the insert to keep it centered. The handle was screwed in till the insert was forced down and the tube was bulged out like a mushroom with the end retaining it's original i.d.. The insert was removed and the handle screwed down again with the forcing cone shaping the inside of the tubing into a flare with what was the outer end of the tube now on the inside, and flared out. Cheap flaring tools (two bars with holes held together by wing nuts) just don't work from what I've seen, and I've never seen one do an inverted flare properly. The KD flare tool had rotating dies that were changable for 3/16" - 3/8". Not sure if they are still selling the same tool now....
 
All mild steel tubing that you get in the automotive stores needs a double flare due to it having a seam. Any stainless steel that is seamless only needs a single flare(the second of the 2 flares, the final one). Not all SS is seamless.
I am going for this one from the Eastwood. I justify it because I do this alot....

http://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html
 
thanks for the link to the eastwood one. looks like a great one. why does it say only for brake lines though? from what people on this forum have said as well as my own research, it should be the same tool for all of the cooling lines as well as brake lines right?
 
I think my dad bought his through lordco. We don't have any problems double flaring

but then again Me and my dad are pretty big guys
 
mine a imperial tube flare it. was use on some older cars like little browne, and other mopars, my father inlaw got it from a tire shop over in copley. aka coply tire arlin vankes old shop. still works great.
 
alsdemon said:
mine a imperial tube flare it. was use on some older cars like little browne, and other mopars, my father inlaw got it from a tire shop over in copley. aka coply tire arlin vankes old shop. still works great.
Click to expand...

I have sold Imperial-Eastman flaring kits for 20 years now. They are very good quality but not cheap. Mac # FT93 $110 toolmanmike
 
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