When I relined the brakes on my '37 Buick I used the new, easier to bend line. It's got a dark coating and doesn't kink as easy as the old stuff. I also bought a few short premade pieces for the shorter runs. I've bent lines before but always used the premade lines and use brake line couplers to make long runs. On the Buick I didn't want any more joints than necessary so I bought 25' coils of line. I never made double flare before so I did a lot of reading and watched some Youtube videos. I made multiple test flares until I got them right. Even after I felt comfortable with my flares I checked each one under a magnifying glass and compared them to the flares on the premade lines I bought. If they were correct I cut off an inch and started over. I also blew out each line before threading into place. I found a few leaks when I bled the system but they sealed up after I loosened them and retightened.
I belive it is federal law to use some form of steel, copper and aluminum are against the law and rules of all race sanctioning bodies that i am aware of. Same is true with the fittings, must be steel - no aluminum even when using -AN fittings. Maybe the copper you are seeing that is approved is copper-clad steel for corrosion resistance, but it can't be pure plumbing type copper.
Actually there is something totally wrong with copper line, it is illegal. Maybe not in England but here it is, not because of work hardening but becaue it doesn't have a high enough burst pressure. So listen very carefully fellas, there is a copper looking line that is DOT approved, you can find it at a very high price. Please don't go to the hardware store and buy soft copper then drive on the same road with my wife, that would be Anywhere, USA.
My tips would be to chamfer the edges of the end you plan an flaring before you flare it. This helps keep the tubing from cracking when you fold it over for the "double flare". Make sure to put a drop of oil on the cone in the flaring tool before each time you use it to make a flare. . . .and when doing the second half of the double flare, don't tighten it down 100% of the way. . . do it like 95% of the way. This leaves tiny bit of room for the line to form to the fitting when you tighten it down to the wheel cylinders, master cylinder, t-fittings, etc. . . it'll make for less leaks.
Make sure that your flare tool is not worn out and don't buy an El Cheapo tool and expect to make good flares with it.
Hi... Its Illegal in Australia doesn't comply with ADR's....anybody using it is very foolish...both copper or alloy...I have removed it from cars when doing RWC's over the years and a lot of the flares were just single taper.. done with a plumbers flaring tool..was popular in the 70's here....no doubt there are still a few cars around with it installed.....just waiting to fail..... porknbeaner..you have hit the nail on the head ..in your second paragraph.."So listen.............
For long runs, a couple of shorter sections with couplers makes threading through body/frame a lot easier.
I was told to always assemble brake lines by first putting a few drops of brake fluid on the threads before assembling. Makes for a tighter fit as everything fits better..
Yes it may, but it also makes the potential for leaks greater. You want to use the least amount of fittings/couplers as possible.
Do use brake fluid for lube when flaring - not oil - brake parts and oil do not play well together...just a thought...jack
To strighten out tubing that comes in a roll, step on one end and then push the roll down to the floor as you roll it out. Comes out nice and stright!
Lots of great do's n don't's here but lets not forget to fasten the lines with isolated tie downs so the line doesn't wear through from rubbing and vibration like against the frame or a bolt head, etc. It's important .
I was looking at one of my Custom Classic Trucks Mag, They was doing Brake lines! Found the site that sells them. there like 250 300$ http://www.purechoicemotorsports.com/
Thanks to each one of you who posted the various tips. I'm working on a '36 Hudson Terraplane and am about to purchase the coil of 3/16 steel line and have never done this before. I took each tip, copy and pasted them into a Word Document and have saved it for future reference. Again, thanks to all...... Wayne
Thanks for the thread. I'm doing the brakes on my 55 soon and don't have a whole lot of experience. The only reason I'm willing to do it myself is because the truck has bags... Worst case scenario, I'll lay it out to stop!
Maybe weld some spikes to the underside of that truck. I'd hate to be sailing into an intersection at 50 sliding on an uncontollable steel sled. But I say by all means do your own brakes. Those that think you shouldn't do it probably shouldn't be on this board. Why are brakes the sacred part of a hot rod build. Sure, if they fail you're in the shit but if your suspension fails you're in trouble, if your steering fails, you're in trouble, if the frame breaks or a multitude of failures occur you are in trouble. If you can't do any of those things safely, buy a new Toyota and enjoy the motoring experience.
My life will change the day you buy me one too! Seriously, it is on my list of things I need to buy....it seems longer than my bank book at the moment...
Probably the biggest leak causing mistake is to over-tighten the flaring tool on the second upset. Tighten it down until you JUST feel the point bottom out. This leaves some "crush" between the 2 layers of flared material, and allows the fitting to form it's own seat when tightened. Oh, and DO NOT double flare pure stainless brake line (straight tubes, not the fake shit that comes in a roll). It WILL crack around the lip. Stainless hard line must be 37deg single flared and use AN type fittings.
I will say one thing USE DOT5! I love that stuff! Been in one of my truck for 6 years now No porblem yet! Most of the time it sits in the barn but I allways have Brakes when I wannna take it out for a drive!
I have one of those at my shop. It is incredible how much faster our brake line fab is and more consistent the flares are! I'd say 95% of the time our fittings don't leak! Great tool.
Another tip on that one is to do it with the tubing in the garage floor seam, I do it for fuel line as well, helps to keep it straight while you are unrolling.
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