Flaring hard steel brake line

funkey_monkey

Hi,

Need to put a flare on a steel brake line. Got a new tool to do it but it isn't working on the car. The alternative for me is to drop the tank out of the car and replace the line (rear brake line).

Isa there anything I can try first to put the flare onto the steel pipe - I'm guessing that as it is old pipe original to the car that is it old and hardened with time.

I cut the line with a pipe cutter and then use the tool, but it is not flaring the end. Everything is clamped down tight so I can't see what is going wrong.

Thanks.

dooroy

Does the new tool state that it is suitable for steel pipes ? Many are not it appears.

mk7r

Most of the decent tools will easily do steel lines

dooroy

There are quite a range available - 'decent' usually means more expensive and harder to justify for a 'one off' job.

mk7r

Flaring brake pipes is not an area to skimp on tools

funkey_monkey

Brand new recognised brand. Got it done in the end easily enough - I read that using a pipe cutter hardens the pipe so I cut with a saw and it flared perfectly.

funkey_monkey

Lines are replaced and brakes now bled and working.

Next issue is some rust and collapsed jack point :

Stoolbend

For future reference, if the pipe is slipping in the tool you can put some chalk dust on the tool and pipe to help grip it.