Technical Double Flare Tool

I have probably 8 flare blocks...several are capable of double flare with the little insert caps...none are up to my standard....I have been looking at the Eastwood unit and I've seen it under many different brand names, kinda wonder who actually makes it...knowing that almost everything is an import these days...

 

I've got the eastwood tool and its awesome. Worth every penny spent. Friend of mine was installing new brake lines on his asphalt modified racecar and after using the one he had and they all leaked but one, he borrowed mine and not a single leaker.

 

I also went through this about 6 months ago. I rented one.....junk, bought a new Chinese one that didn't work, bought a $75 one from CPP.....didn't work...then bought the $300 Mastercool one and still couldn't get a good flare. The problem I'm having is getting the tubing not to slip. Not one flaring tool will grip the tubing. At first I was using the green coated stuff so I switch to regular steel tubing and it still slips. I finally gave up.

 

ive posted this before and to this day I couldn't be happier w/ it
I paid $32 off ebay
(my opinion is that's a pretty good deal)


jeff

 

Disclaimer: I work at Advance Auto Parts.

Now, the flaring tool they have as the rental (also available for purchase) is a very good tool. I have used it myself, sold it to dealer techs and have had nothing but good feedback. It's around $35.00

Cosmo

 

I have one, I bought it on sale for under $200 shipped, it works great, I
Would recommend it to a friend as I
Would not lend it to a friend


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I got one from NAPA too.works great.

 

The cheaper ones will work ok with flexible steel but if you go to stainless you will want a good quality one. I've been looking at the Eastwood one lately, but I haven't pulled the pin yet. It's on sale this month and with all the attachments you can make pretty much any flare you want for $300 ...and no hydraulics to wear out....ever.

 

I have the Eastwood tool and I think it is a great tool and very user friendly well worth the money some would say pricey. I can make a great flair faster than you can get your tubing set up in your tool. I love it

 

I’ve used one of those cheap flaring tools for years and always had a hard time getting the flare square to the line. I finally followed the advice from another thread on the HAMB where they recommended the Rigid model 345. I got mine from Home Depot (in the plumbing department) minus the inserts, but you can also buy a complete kit – I just used the inserts from my old tool. This tool turns out great flares. The difference with the Rigid is in the side clamp that keeps the tool aligned perpendicular to the clamping bar while you’re making the flare. This way it can’t get out of alignment and the flare is straight. I always run a properly sized drill bit through the freshly cut line to debur the inside, and then touch it up with a file to get it square. Seems to work much better.

 

I got a blue point. It works great. I lend to people who care for their stuff.

 

I have an Old Forge tool that I can make a decent double flare with. I cut the tube with a good quality tubing cutter then I use a tapered reamer to chamfer the inside of the tube so it fits the insert better. It would be easier if they had a flat end to push the adapter with so it stays straight. Lubing the tools is essential.

 

That hydraulic tool is awesome. It's not cheap but it works amazing. U can do all sorts of lines with it. We have it at my shop and its made doing brake lines slightly less aggravating.


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Mastercool I use it on stainless, best I've ever owned

 

I use a matco set I bought over 20 years ago. One of the most important things doing brake lines and having succes not leaking is a nice brake line cutting tool, my snap on is real good and cuts the line straight and has a small reamer on the tool. Also this can be used this for newer vehicles with bubble flares just do the first step and your done. They make a specific tool for this but never bought it.

 

I recommend the Ridgid tool as well. Very sturdy and well made piece, and you can pick one up at any Homedepot.

 

Another vote for the Mastercool set, done 4 cars with it and never a bad flare. Great thing is you can use it on the car, Eastwoods doesn't look like you can.

 

I went through this several years ago also, couldn't get decent flares no matter what tool I tried, so I bucked up and got the Mastercool kit. Good flares every time, never been a problem now with leaky off centre flares. A good tool is really a pleasure to use.

 

I have the Eastwood and really like it. I also use cupro lines and it makes life easy when doing all new lines from scratch.

 

I recently purchased a Mastercool because I wanted to flare stainless tube and I couldn't be happier with my investment. While I was at it I got the set of 37 degree dies.
Very easy to use and perfect every time.

 

Another vote for the Eastwood tool, have not had a single bad flare.
I am going to order the 37 deg. die set.
LW

 

Have a friend with the Eastwood kit. Only drawback is that it is bench mounted and can't be used on the car. With my Mastercool kit, tube cutter, pliers and bending tool I can do everything on the car and not have to move everything around and to and from the vice.

Years ago I borrowed a friends old MATCO flaring tool and it broke (Very old and worn and I believe cracked) so I replaced it, as good friends do, with Sykes Pikavant flaring tool similar to Eastwood but vastly superior. It cost me $50 on E-bay when the equivalent in Australia was valued at $900. Boy did he get a good deal in lieu of his old stuffed MATCO. I should have replaced it with similar and kept the SP.

 

I agree; I love mine. If you really want to appreciate the Eastwood tool, try some 3/8 steel line. I used the Imperial tool when I worked at Bendix in the 70 s. They were all 37 deg. JIC flares in SS tube and the tool worked well

 

I must be using the wrong tubing or something. Why do I have a hard time keeping the tubing from slipping? Some times its clamped so tight that it actually dents the tubing yet it still slips.

 

I have the old style flare tools,the mastercool set and the eastwood professional flare tool. They all have their good and bad. I like the old style ones for use under the car,but slow and hard on my hands. The mastercool is great when i have different types of flares i need done (ie gm fuel inject o ring flares) but can be a pain to use, (holding on to the line,tool and dies all at the same time). I like the the professional flare tool when i am doing lines for a whole car because it is fast and easy but can't use it under the car. So it depends on what you what to do and how much you want to spend. I am glad i have all of them.

 

I hve found that the key to making perfect flair w/ a manual KD tool is to always do the reaming step. Doesn't seem to be that important whem you look at a cut tubing end that has been reamed vs. one tht hasn't but rest assured the reamed one will yield a perfect flair and the unreamed on will fail.

 

My Mac tool one that I got back in the late 70s is made buy Imperial.
When you tighten the clamp bar you are to tighten the end that is closest to the tubing first then the other one this could help with the tubing slipping problem.

 

Yes and I use a little Lubriplate on the flaring dies. Oh, and clean the grease off the line before installing the line.