Brake lines

[Jozi]

Can the brake lines be flared easy enough on the car rather than on a bench?

I want to get my shell rolling again asap which means putting the subframes back on but I haven't got the brake line nuts just yet so I can't do them before all goes back on the shell.

[harry_p]

Copper or kunnifer lines can be, steel lines are more likely to need a more substantial bench mounted former.

I replaced my front to rear line and all the lines and hoses at the rear without removing the subframe, so I wouldn't worry too much about the lines yet. Much easier to make a neat flare with the line sat in front of you than under a car, especially if it goes wrong and you have to pull it all out and do another one anyway.

[Jozi]

Thanks! All kunifer, I've got it all cut to rough lengths ages ago. I might do the bending etc before the subframes go on the car.

[jamie-o-connell]

Just buy them from bmw there cheap enough and all you have to do is bend them yourself

[Jozi]

I've already got the brake lines, just waiting on the stainless brake nuts to be made and arrive.

[Brianmoooore]

With the appropriate flaring tool, they're easy enough to flare in situ.
The type you need is the sort (like my forty year old one) that clamps to metal blocks around the pipe and then you screw the die down with a spanner, not the cheapo type that consists of two hinged bars accommodating many sizes of pipe, used with what looks like a scaled down gear puller.
There was a link to the correct type in a thread a couple of months or so ago.

[Jozi]

With the appropriate flaring tool, they're easy enough to flare in situ.
The type you need is the sort (like my forty year old one) that clamps to metal blocks around the pipe and then you screw the die down with a spanner, not the cheapo type that consists of two hinged bars accommodating many sizes of pipe, used with what looks like a scaled down gear puller.
There was a link to the correct type in a thread a couple of months or so ago.

I have that version, the cheap one, I'll have a look around for the correct version this evening and post a link if I think I found it.

[MrWhite]

Is this the correct one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171259149962? ... 1497.l2649

[scallyally]

Make sure that you make a 'bubble flare' and NOT a 'double flare'.

Check out rtsauto.com for full details.

[Brianmoooore]

Is this the correct one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171259149962? ... 1497.l2649

Don't think it's the one from the thread I referred to, but that's the right type of thing. 'Working' parts look very similar to mine.

[spook]

I got the kit from Machine Mart,cutters and flaring tool, was not that expensive.

[bigbird76]

This bad boy did my whole car, Absolute pleasure to use after trying to flare with the cheap crap that brian mentioned not to get above.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-AK5063 ... 3cdb27fc55


Leigh

[Brianmoooore]

Which one? They sell several.

[capnmchl]

Meet the king of pipe flarers, although it's very expensive for a one off DIY purchase, and it's pretty useless out of a vice.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brake-Pipe-Fl ... 19e07b1bca

Also, I see that people throw around the double flare and single flare situation alot

SINGLE FLARE FOR MALE UNIONS
DOUBLE FLARE FOR FEMALE UNIONS

And remember to stick with DIN or SAE the whole way through.

[Brianmoooore]

At the other end of the scale, this type is what NOT to buy: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-SILVERLINE ... 2018&rt=nc

[capnmchl]

Yeah, I tried using one of those at a friends once. After about 10 minutes of trying to get a pipe to stay in there, I said I'd rather build them up at work using the proper tool and fit them the next evening for him.

[harry_p]

This bad boy did my whole car, Absolute pleasure to use after trying to flare with the cheap crap that brian mentioned not to get above.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-AK5063 ... 3cdb27fc55


Leigh

I had one of the really cheap kits, and got it to work ok for a little while, but it was crap, and pretty hit and miss.

I've now got one like the sealey one above ( although mines branded laser I think ) and it's excellent.

For some reason I really enjoy making nice neat flares, and making a perfect copy of a factory line

[maxfield]

Is this the correct one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171259149962? ... 1497.l2649

I have one of these and it's a very good bit of kit. Use it a hell of a lot with the amount of brake lines I get.

Harry, I don't mind doing brake lines either, it's quite satisfying when you look and know you've done a good job

[Jozi]

Is this the correct one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171259149962? ... 1497.l2649

This bad boy did my whole car, Absolute pleasure to use after trying to flare with the cheap crap that brian mentioned not to get above.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-AK5063 ... 3cdb27fc55


Leigh

Didn't have proper internet for a few weeks and forgot to check this thread.

Which of the two above does the proper flare? Their both more or less the same price but one of them does more flares than the other.

[Brianmoooore]

Top one would be my choice. The working parts look near enough identical to mine, and that does perfect flares every time, as long as you have set the depth stop correctly and made sure the end of the pipe is hard against it.

[Jozi]

Ordered the top one earlier today

[Jozi]

Just an update and maybe someone can also clarify.

I got the tool linked above (and below is the one I bought) and while it does nice flares, it won't do the correct one for our E30. From what I can find, and I'm open to correction, we need a DIN or Buble flare on the brake lines. The tool does single and double but not bubble/din.

This is the one I bought: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-PIPE-FL ... 2a3b5c9154

This is the one I think is needed to do the correct flare: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brake-Pipe-Fl ... 5d4a6c42b5

Unless someone can tell me with certainty the type of flare that is needed?


---edit---

If I'm not mistaken its the flare on the right that we need for the e30?

[DanThe]

Those are two types of brake nuts hence the different flares, but yes the one on the right is to fit into anything you will find on an E30, Op1 then Op2

[Jozi]

I dont have the right tool for it then and i was just about ready to frsme the lines and rebuild the rear end.

My tool just has op1 but the block itself probably isnt suitable either because of the chamfer on it.

[Brianmoooore]

Assuming you've used the correct nut, trial fit the pipe, nip it up, then take it apart again and inspect it. You will probably find that it's reshaped to the correct profile.

[harry_p]

I agree with Brian, it will almost certainly nip up to the right shape once it's been assembled. its the flare at the front which has to seal to the inner of whatever you're connecting to, the back is just for the nut to press against to get the front to seal.

[Jozi]

Looks like your right. Is it safe enough to do all hardlines this way or would i be better of waiting till i get my hands on the correct tool?

[Brianmoooore]

I'd be happy with that. TBH, I've never known a brake line connection to leak, however bad the flare.

[Jozi]

Ive no experience with them really. I had the stainless nuts made like the bmw ones because the ones i was originally supplied were wrong, just making sure everything is done right.

I can prob start rebuilding the rear axle so

[DanThe]

Looks good to me

[Willeh]

While we're on the topic, what are you guys using to bend your lines?

[Jozi]

I have a little el'cheapo pipe bender I got of ebay (that I probably can't find again) but I hear you can bend them round a bottle

[harry_p]

I usually just do them by hand around a socket of the appropriate size.

[DanThe]

As above, sockets give you pretty much every radius you need

You only need pipe benders if your using the steel tube