[zeebo]

i was thinking in the future to buy the nice hand held hydraulic flaring tool. buddy did his car with one..no leaks..not one. tho i live close to inline tube, and they have done all my pump to carb lines nicer and about as cheap as i could do them. probably use them for brake lines someday.

[pontiac1981]

Originally Posted by zeebo

i was thinking in the future to buy the nice hand held hydraulic flaring tool. buddy did his car with one..no leaks..not one. tho i live close to inline tube, and they have done all my pump to carb lines nicer and about as cheap as i could do them. probably use them for brake lines someday.

I bought from Inline tube for all the brake lines on my 81 Trans Am and they were a very close fit, for price it wasn't worth the head aches bending and flaring the line myself. Oh yeah! and it saves a hell of lot of time. I needed both front lines for my Ranger, they had them. Look them up on their web.

[1969GiPper]

About a year or so ago I had the rear cross-car brake pipe on my 1997 GP rust out. I figured no big deal as I've made a lot of double flares using my Blue Point (snap-on) tool. Surprise came when I found out that the pipes and fittings were "bubble flares" and not the typical double flares. I got lucky as the length of pre-made "bubble flare" tubing I bought was the perfect size once bent to shape. Had that not happened I would have had to buy the tool for making the "bubble flares". Anyone have to make the "bubble flares" yet with the new tool?

[2002Z4CSS]

Originally Posted by 1969GiPper

About a year or so ago I had the rear cross-car brake pipe on my 1997 GP rust out. I figured no big deal as I've made a lot of double flares using my Blue Point (snap-on) tool. Surprise came when I found out that the pipes and fittings were "bubble flares" and not the typical double flares. I got lucky as the length of pre-made "bubble flare" tubing I bought was the perfect size once bent to shape. Had that not happened I would have had to buy the tool for making the "bubble flares". Anyone have to make the "bubble flares" yet with the new tool?

You can make a bubble flare that won't leak using a standard double flaring tool. Look it up on you tube. Just one step of the double flare is used.

[rohrt]

Originally Posted by pontiac1981

it wasn't worth the head aches bending and flaring the line myself.

x2

This is what I discovered myself. My trek to bend my own SS line and flare them was a huge waste of time and money. I bought three flaring tools, and even the Rigid brand chucked in vise wouldn't hold the SS lines when trying to flare them. Mild steel was no problem but was not going to re-bend all the lined at that point. I will do some lines on small jobs but If I had a car that I was restoring I would just get a kit.

[60man]

Guess I've been lucky all these years. I picked up my line flaring set when I was in tool business over 30 years ago..WOW! Think it's a Lisle or Standard brand.....branded MATCO>
Never tried SS line....knew it was too hard. Always used a "sharp" tubing cutter and clean up inside with a "DEburring tool" and cleaned up outside with crocus cloth..
YES...there is such a thing as a DEburring tool.. Get one.
Don't forget on a double flare..what's on the out side before...is going to be the sealing surface when done..

Nobody's perfect....but ought to get most done right...

[screamingchief]

For those talking about flaring stainless steel tubing,there is a lot more to that deal than many folks are aware of.

First thing first,depending on the type of SS tube,often double flaring SS tube is'nt even remotely recommended,especially it it's generic seamed SS tube,as that type of tube tends to crack @ the seam when trying to make the double flare.

If one absolutely has to double flare SS tube,they really NEED to be using seamless/annealed (softened) SS tube specifically made for such.

Often the tubing for such is double annealed.

More often than not many will still recommend using 37° single flares w/SS tube vs. 45° double flares.

And 37° flares typically require a different flaring tool,typically those flaring tools will use some sort of mechanical force multiplication (hydraulics etc.) like those expensive production style flaring tools employ,as it's pretty much taken for granted that the 37° flare tools are going to be used on SS tubing sooner or later.

So,flaring stainless steel tubing is'nt really intended to be the relm of the "DIY" or "hobbyist" types,I mean no doubt,sure it can be done,but anyone trying to do so had better expect the frustration level to be significantly greater than using any other style of tubing in just about every respect.

FWIW

Bret P.

[Captainofiron]

Originally Posted by screamingchief

For those talking about flaring stainless steel tubing,there is a lot more to that deal than many folks are aware of.

First thing first,depending on the type of SS tube,often double flaring SS tube is'nt even remotely recommended,especially it it's generic seamed SS tube,as that type of tube tends to crack @ the seam when trying to make the double flare.

If one absolutely has to double flare SS tube,they really NEED to be using seamless/annealed (softened) SS tube specifically made for such.

Often the tubing for such is double annealed.

More often than not many will still recommend using 37° single flares w/SS tube vs. 45° double flares.

And 37° flares typically require a different flaring tool,typically those flaring tools will use some sort of mechanical force multiplication (hydraulics etc.) like those expensive production style flaring tools employ,as it's pretty much taken for granted that the 37° flare tools are going to be used on SS tubing sooner or later.

So,flaring stainless steel tubing is'nt really intended to be the relm of the "DIY" or "hobbyist" types,I mean no doubt,sure it can be done,but anyone trying to do so had better expect the frustration level to be significantly greater than using any other style of tubing in just about every respect.

FWIW

Bret P.

we use 304/316 stainless and the AN style fittings alot here at work, and there was a really big investigation into the flare cracking. Ended up that we needed to get new dies for the facing tool after the technicians would cut the tubing to length

it can be done by a DIYer, just make sure to follow the proper steps.

1) cut with a hacksaw (dont use tubing cutter)
2) file down face flat
3) use a tubing deburring tool which will also chamfer on the inside and outside (make sure tool is very sharp and is for the angle of flare you are trying to make, they are different)
4) put it in the flaring machine/tool