I caved and bought an evercool hydraulic flaring kit. It is the ultimate! Deluxe, as my buddy says.
For tight complex bends i fill lines with sand, then blow them out after, brake cleaner and blow again, sounds like work, but it makes for very nice bends.
Also I probably won't do the sand in the line but I would love to know the reasoning behind doing this and how it helps. It's good to have extra knowledge tucked away as you never know when it might come in handy
Helps prevent the line from kinking when bending.
Had to go exchange it, eh? i see what you did there.
Had to go exchange it, eh? i see what you did there.
Lol. My brain obviously isnt listening to my eyes..
after you clamp the line in the fixture, clamp the fixture in a vise. also just before you insert the die in the tube, double check the tube extends past the fixture the proper amount.Making the flares sucks, because if it gets just barely off centered when you're tightening the clamp it ruins it and you have to cut and redo it.
What I have done and it does work well. But try on scrap line. Get the flare to bulb the line in the first step. Then with it clamped into the tool, before using the cone to fold the line inward take a smooth headed ball pein hammer and tap the bulbed part flat working the metal inward. You dont have to really smash the **** out of it, just work it down flat and towards the center of the hole. Then put the cone part on to drive it inward to create the double flare. This works great this way. Try it.
after you clamp the line in the fixture, clamp the fixture in a vise. also just before you insert the die in the tube, double check the tube extends past the fixture the proper amount.
When you get all done including bleeding spray the **** out of everything with brake clean wait 5 minutes and clean again. Then grab the steering wheel put both feet on the brake pedal and press it as hard as you can. Push that damn thing thru the floor and hold it for at least 30 seconds. Then look at everything no leakys. Then do it again. If something is going to leak or break let it do it now not at 60. Works for me.Made another brake line.
Making the flares sucks, because if it gets just barely off centered when you're tightening the clamp it ruins it and you have to cut and redo it.
I measured this line long though so it all worked out. This is the first end, it has a little imperfection on the outer wall of the flare but the sealing portion is nice so I think it will work just fine.
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The step on the die is the amount that sticks out of the clampy thingie..i use a flat file to trim up the end of the tube. Quite often the cutter leaves a tiny burr, you have to get rid of it.
I think in the first year of owning my first flare kit i broke the pin off the 3/16 die 3 or 4 times. Partly because i didnt use a vise.
When you get all done including bleeding spray the **** out of everything with brake clean wait 5 minutes and clean again. Then grab the steering wheel put both feet on the brake pedal and press it as hard as you can. Push that damn thing thru the floor and hold it for at least 30 seconds. Then look at everything no leakys. Then do it again. If something is going to leak or break let it do it now not at 60. Works for me.
Did the trick I mentioned work for you?
If it helps, I just got done bending some 5/16 brake tube to make the line going from the fuel pump to the carb. I used a spring bender, and had help from my girl to provide bending force while I held the bender in place with both hands. It worked like a champ.