Double flaring brake line seal woes

Quality tools are a must: I have a BluePoint brake line kit that's 25 years old--they still sell the kit. It's the one that comes with a tubing cutter. You MUST have a quality tubing cutter. (Do a search on here for flaring and my name to find the part number on Snap-ons site... I don't feel like looking it up again).

If the seal leaks, I've always found that backing it off and snugging it up several times has solved the problem. The nipple on the brass fitting has the seat in the mouth of the steel flare. Back off/snug/back off/snug/back off/snug seats the fitting, and it will almost always stop the leak. (it has every time, in my experience.)

-Brad

 

the 37 flares have a hardened flare insert that goes on before you make the flare
this insert reinforces the flare as it is tightened

all gov't branches use it/must be better

it is traditional as all parts have been gov't surplus available ...

i started uses it in 58.......

looks more professional.....

Lukey's was Joe Factors shopped there for years burbank socal

 

That's the main difference. AN stuff is used for race cars, normal 45 degree stuff is used for stockers. You have to decide how much racy you want your car to be. I have both on my 55.

 

I have a Bluepoint that I bought about 40 year's
ago & have done thousand's of cars with No Problem
when I had my Shop
I use it now for my rides
just my 3.5 cents

 

After making the first flare, I tap the flare flat with a small clean smooth hammer before making the second flare. I find the tool pushes the metal in better if starting from a flat surface rather than a raised one. I use the blue point tool sold off the snap on truck. If the flare looks a little off center I prefit it into a steel fitting before fitting it to a brass fitting. I don't normally have leakers, at least once tightened properly, in other words tight but not overtight.

Mart.

 

throw away the steel line your using and ask for the stuff that looks like copper.it is an alloy of stainless and nickel i think. it never corrodes.flares easy and bends even easier.i work on cars 6 days a week ever since they came out with this stuff it's all we use.very forgiving.the flare will form as use tighten it to the union to make a perfect seal.ask your parts store should be around 3-4 bucks a foot.better than stainless or the coated shit.

 

I got the Eastwood cam action tool a few years back on sale $189. I'd buy another in a hartbeat. You can do a complete flare in less than 30 seconds, I dont even bother deburring the tubing. The only downside it has to be mounted in a vise so using it on a line that is already in the car wont work.

 

I found that using some brake fluid, or even some motor oil (tiny bit) to lube the fitting works wonders. I intalled a complete dual master cylinder, front disc brakes and re plumbed the rear brakes, and did not have one leak.

 

IF a brass fitting leaked, take a look at the flare inside and you'll probally have to get a new one. Tightimg them to much distorts them. Also i use a little dab of oil while i'm making the flare. Some of those preflared lines will leak to i found.

 

on the final flare make sure the tool is flaring straight,use a little wd40.the really cheap tools can flare slightly angled,unless you hold it in position.

 

AN stands for Army Navy.

 

I tried several different flaring tools before I ended up going to napa and rented a hydraulic flaring tool from them {no charge,just a deposit} .With a little practice on some scrap lines .worked great.

 

This must be my problem. I have tried a Napa, KD, Mac, and a no name flare tool, I always have the same result IF I can even get the bubble going. I always get a teardrop with the ^ at the seam.

What brand or type of lines are you fellas using? I usually have tried to use a pre cut/flared section from Napa, but if the part is just too long I can never get the flare right.