It’s not too often you’ll require new hard lines for the brakes or clutch in a vehicle. But when you do, it’s often because they’re old and tired, which means they may even be so old they’re not available anymore. Even if it’s just for a custom project, the cost of the tools and the ease of creating your own makes is a better option than paying a professional to do it for you. So what tools will you need? And how do you do it? Lets take a look.
Tools you’ll need to create your own brake lines
- A tube cutter
- A tube bender
- A tube flaring kit
- Some tube flare nuts to fit the required thread size and pitch
- And some brake line of course!
Step 1: Measure
Because you’re likely to have a few bends through the line, it’ll be difficult to measure. So begin by measuring up a rough length and starting with a piece of brake line longer than you’ll need.
Step 2: Ben
Start from one end where your brake line will hook up, and leave a little excess here. Then work your way through to the other end using the tube bender to shape the line as you go. Hold it in place as you work along the length with some tape if necessary.
Step 3: Cut
By the time you reach the other end, you should have a pretty perfect fit. Trim the brake line using the tube cutter, and leave just a little excess if possible.
Now it’s time to flare the tube
First we’ll look at how to create a single flare
In most cases, an automotive brake line will be of double flare design. But it’s worth knowing how to create both types anyway.
Step 1:
For a single flare, hold the tube steady and fit it through the appropriate size hole in the screen bar, allowing a small amount of the tube to poke out of the top - to create the flare.
Step 2:
Now tighten the wing nuts down to clamp the tube firmly, but not so much as to crush it.
Position the yoke over the screen bar with the cone central to the tube - and wind the handle of the yoke in. This will flare open the end of the tube, leaving you with a neat single flare.
As you can see, a single flare is super easy! Now how about the double flare?
How to create a double tube flare
Step 1:
Select the adaptor which best suits the size of tube you are using. The button should fit snugly inside the tube. Place the tube in the screen bar as before, but this time ensure the end protrudes as much as the height of the shoulder on your adaptor.
Step 2:
Clamp the tube firmly, place the adaptor on the tube with the button facing down; and operate the yoke until the tube crushes flat to the screen bar.
Step 3:
For the second part in the double flaring process, use the yoke in the same manner as for a single flare – opening up the inside of the tube. The result will be a flared tube which is far stronger than a single flare.
As soon as you have flared one end of the tube, slip your flare nuts over the line straight away. If you forget these and create the second flare; you’ll have to cut one of the flares off to fit them.
You did it! Nice work!
Now you should have one beautifully crafted brake line in your hand, ready to fit snugly into place.
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