Flare tool

Jrgunn5150 · Oct 13, 2016

Bob L said:
All I have ever used is the bar type same one for about 30 years. I put a little more sticking out than the guide says to and get good flares. I have heard that the expensive hydraulic tools don't work good on Copper Nichol. I have never used one. Being in the rust belt and doing auto repair for a living I do quite a bit of brake lines.

I just got another bar tool, it worked fine on the copper/nickel. The one from Autozone was just whooped and worn out.

michael hurd · Oct 20, 2016

Jrgunn5150 said:
What are you guy's using for flare tools? I've only ever used the bar style, that kind of suck even when new. Which is exactly why I have a leaky fitting on Pigpen lol.

So my options are, as I see them,

1. Go get another bar style, and fiddle around until I get it right. I still have the rear line to make also, so it'll likely wind up in the river before I finish.

2. Go halfway, with something like this, https://www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-5483-Master-Flaring/dp/B00H2W0ZCW Which it seems should keep the line straight, as long as it holds it well enough to keep it from pushing back.

3. Go full potato, and get this, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HHWASQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER which seems like it probably will outlast me, but man... It's 300 bucks lol.

Are you certain you are doing it correctly? Over my life, I have made 150+ flares working on my own stuff, and I have never had a leak, using bar style double flare tools.

After cutting the tubing to length, file the tubing square, deburr the inside as well as the outside of the tubing.

Setting the proper projection of tubing is important. Once the bar has been clamped around the bar, insert your mandrel to begin the bend, and put the yoke with cone on top. Swing the yoke so that it is 'locked' against the bar as you are tightening, this prevents you from getting a flare started off center.

Once the yoke is tightened down and the mandrel bottomed, loosen the yoke and remove the mandrel. When completing the flare, I do not run the yoke down completely, rather I let the tube nut seat the rest of the flare against the mating part.

Blow out the tubing with clean, dry compressed air before installation. Tighten the tube nut, I like to add a dab of nickel anti-seize between the inside of the nut and the outside surface of the tube.

michael hurd · Oct 20, 2016

Jrgunn5150 said:
I just got another bar tool, it worked fine on the copper/nickel. The one from Autozone was just whooped and worn out.

Ah, well that explains it then. It's hard to do good work with tools that are damaged. ( the ball joint press I rented a couple years ago, had a mangled up screw I had to fix before I could use it )

Jrgunn5150 · Oct 20, 2016

michael hurd said:
Ah, well that explains it then. It's hard to do good work with tools that are damaged. ( the ball joint press I rented a couple years ago, had a mangled up screw I had to fix before I could use it )

The little grippers in the tool were gone, it was letting the line push back while flaring, a new thirty dollar tool and it worked like a charm.

twomanymontes · Oct 20, 2016

I have the same set I bought over 25 years ago. I have worn out the bar and broke the compressing tool and many many many inserts. I do probably 500 flares a year maybe more. I own the "In line" one and it's OK, The fancy pneumatic one is nice, But takes the same amount of time to set up and flare. I still prefer the old fashioned bar style.

Flare tool

Jrgunn5150

Enjoying tomorrow's success today

michael hurd

Stalker be gone.

michael hurd

Stalker be gone.

Jrgunn5150

Enjoying tomorrow's success today

twomanymontes

car show addict

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