Technical NAPA Copper/nickle brake line and Eastwood flare tool

Just had an interesting experience making some brake lines yesterday. Buddy was using some NAPA CuNi pre-made brake lines and needed to shorten a couple. Found that they didn't work in his Eastwood flaring tool; seemed like the diameter was a little small and the blocks didn't grip the tube. We ended up using a couple strips of note paper as shims; this held the tube tight. The 3/16" flared good; but the 1/4" didn't didn't like to form a good bubble in the first step and it took a couple tries to get a good flare.
We had done many trouble free flares with this tool in both the CuNi tube that comes in rolls along with steel line.
Anyone else finding this? I'm wondering if NAPA's tubing is different.

 

That tool is sold by 4 or 5 places, but all seem to be made by the same manufacturer. I have one, and have occasionally run into that problem where the tubing slips in the clamp block. It doesn't seem to be brand specific as to the tubing or tubing material. The 1/4" brothers more often then the 3/16", and I suppose it's due to taking a bit more force to form it. I have measured both tubing and clamp blocks and it seems to be an occasional tolerance stack up that causes it to slip. I clean the block with brake cleaner and use some masking tape and it usually works. It's frustrating as hell. I have even considered getting a spare block and run a small cut in the milling machine to have a tighter set of blocks.

 

Thanks for the info. I did mine with normal steel and my son did his with CuNi on a roll I bought on line. We had no trouble with each.
One of the best tools I ever purchased. When I figured how to put a bubble on a fuel line even better. I give it 2 thumbs up.

 

What if you took a hardened punch and dimple the dies to add some teeth to help hold the tubing in place?

 

You may have encountered some lesser quality tubing that has a smaller size OD.

I used my Eastwood flaring tool on 3/16” , 1/4”,5/16” and 3/8” with no issues.

Here’s some information on the tubing size issue.


Fedhill Brake Line Out-Brakes the Competition!


We have been providing the finest quality brake line products available to both manufacturers and individuals since 1995. Since then, the marketplace has been flooded with cheaper imitations. Customers calling with problems using the imitation tubing alerted us to investigate the competition. If you’ve been looking at the lower priced competition, please take the time to consider why our tubing is more expensive and how that benefits you.

We purchased samples of their tubing to find out what the problem was, and discovered the competitions claims are as flimsy as their tubing. The bare minimum SAE specification for wall thickness is .025”, but their tubing measured at .022”. Some mechanics have even reported a wall thickness of only .019”! The fact that it is nowhere near specification is alarming.

There’s between 28% to over 45% MORE metal in our tube than theirs. This is how the best of the U.S. Corporate competition measures up, and there’s also the tubing made in Mexico, China and India that’s flooding the marketplace.

Our tubing is not made to the bare minimum specification. Cunifer™ is manufactured to a tighter tolerance and exceeds the minimum SAE specifications, resulting in safe, reliable and truly high quality tubing.

 

Blue One, good info. Where is the best place to buy your tubing? Does anyone have it on Amazon?

 

I've run some Ebay NiCu tube and some random "laying-around-my-shop-tube" through my Eastwood flare tool. Not had a problem. Thanks for the tech tip. I'm going to print it out and put it with my flare tool

 

I've had problems with the NiCu tubing on my Eastwood flare tool, especially in the smaller sizes. Maybe I had some of the thin wall stuff?

 

Old school here, I still use my Imperial Eastman hand flairing tools, both single and double for my stuff. I have never had any trouble with the Ni Cop line. I have looked at the new type flairing tools, but they are all made in China and I just can't bring myself go there!

 

I'm not sure on Amazon, but I bought some of mine from a local brake and clutch shop and some in short straight lengths from Canadian tire.

I resorted to carrying my digital calipers and measuring the OD.
I didn't have any problems and I absolutely love my Eastwood flaring tool.

 

Recently plumbed my 27 Modified using Kunifer (it's the preferred brake line here). Had the same problem with using the cheapest Kunifer. Seems to be all about the OD. Swapped it for some better quality and no problems.

Sent from my moto g(8) power using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Lots of good feedback, guys; going to get some measurements of the various CuNi tube pieces and coils sitting around the shop and see how they match up. I am guessing the wall thickness may have been the problem with the 1/4" and probably the OD for both. Guess I'm still partial to the old rolled and soldered steel line (except for whatever it is they have been putting on my Chevy trucks).

 

Funny,I bought one of those Mastercool hydraulic flaring tools a couple of years ago. It worked so good it seemed impossible to not get a good flare. I pulled it out recently with some new tubing and took me 2 or 3 tries per flare to get a good result, I chalked it up to crappy tubing.

Sent from my SM-A705W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I had a new Mastercool kit and didn’t like it.
I sold it and ordered the Eastwood kit.

 

That's good info. How do you know who makes the good stuff? Just stick with your brand?

 

THe NiCu stuff is likely metric sized. Measure some up, I'm curious. I have to look to see if I have any around. I prefer to use NAPA pre-made lengths, the green coated stuff.

 

Tubing is classified by the outside diameter, not the inside diameter (pipe is classified by the I.D, not the O.D.). It shouldn't matter how thick the wall is, 1/4" is 1/4". It may be undersized, but that is easy to measure and determine.

 

When I was first having the problem I bought some 3/16" NiCu line from Amazon and from NAPA. Based on the packaging and coloration they both look to be from the source. The NAPA one was just more expensive. They both measure 0.184" OD in most places and an occasional 0.185". So a ways from 0.187", and enough to matter as far as the clamp block crush. So if I am buying local I carry a caliper with me and if they don't let me measure, which has happened once, I don't buy. If buying online, I would go with a place like Fedhill that will provide a tubing that meets spec.

 

i used nicop from summit ( 25' roll ) worked fine, although i did not measure it

 

Cunifer= copper+nickel+iron... it's an alloy and contains all three elements.

 

Cunifer is a trademarked brand name; didn't know who supplied the tubing for NAPA; figured CuNi would get the idea across.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I'm surprised... I love mine, and have loaned mine out and gotten nothing but raves from the users (I had some new friends once it was out I had this... LOL). While it's more expensive, one huge (IMO) advantage over the Eastwood unit is you can flare lines 'in place' on the car, something that's normally pretty difficult if not impossible to do. Yes, it's a bit clumsy at times but as long as you follow directions it turns out a perfect flare every time.

 

Even though I'm retired I can't always stop teaching/preaching...LOL

 

Flaring tools interact with both the interior and exterior surfaces of a tube, and wall thickness can affect how well the tube folds over on itself. Not saying it's the cause of people's problems, but it could be a factor.

 

If you’re going to teach you should get it right
Cunifer CU (Copper) NI (Nickel) Fe (Ferrous)

 

I’m with Steve on this one. I have the Mastercool kit as well and I absolutely love it. Perfect flares every time and I’ve used it on NiCop with no trouble. It was expensive ($375?) but to me, worth every penny. The only place we disagree is that I would not loan mine out. For the price of some pizza and Pepsi, I’ll come over and make flares for you.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I price-shopped heavily and got mine for $290 including shipping...

It's more money than the Eastwood, but it's a more versatile tool.

 

Well I was using the "street" names and not the official names or symbols of the elements. Now you can see me after class Mister Blue One!

 

Locally, AutoZone has the best price and availability of NiCop lines. Coils and straight lengths. You do have to bounce the counter guy past the year-make-and-model thing to get to it. It’s in the back, not out where you can see it, so you wouldn’t know they even carried it. They just shrug and walk me back to the rack to pick out what I want.



I also decline to purchase the extended warranty.



Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I have a very similar flaring tool, haven't had problems with 3/8" copper nickel line. I just got mine from Amazon, didn't figure to look for it at the auto parts stores, figured they wouldn't have it.