>From: Barry Schwartz <bschwart@pacbell.net>
>Reply-To: Barry Schwartz <bschwart@pacbell.net>
>To: spitfires@autox.team.net
>CC: triumphs@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re-flaring lines-
>Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 22:02:48 -0700
>
>I've heard many references to re-flaring brake lines and have always been a
>little puzzled. I have tried to re-flare the typical steel 3/16 O/D brake
>lines and with the flaring tool I have, and I have never been able to do a
>decent single flare, never mind a double. I could see possibly 1/4 inch or
>bigger fuel lines but the wall thickness of these small brake lines, plus
>their small dia make it virtually impossible with the flaring tool I have.
>I end up just pushing the tubing through the clamp. Now maybe it's the
>tool. The one I have is like two bars, with various sized holes, that
>have groves supposedly to hold the tubing, for various size tubing, with
>what looks like a a battery terminal clamp remover to make the flares. As
>I mentioned this doesn't work on brakes and I gave up trying. I would
>truly love to make my own, but haven't really seen anything that will
>successfully make the double flare necessary for brake lines.
>What tool do those of you who've actually done this use, and was the flare
>every bit as good as the factory one?
>
>Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
>
>72 PI, V6 Spitfire (daily driver)
>70 GT6+ (when I don't drive the Spit)
>70 Spitfire (long term project)
>
I inherited a flairing tool from a fellow who moved out of
state and forgot I had It (heh, heh). I found that I can do a
decent flair on the small dia tubing with enough practice... Of
course, it's not like riding a bike so the learning curve begins
every time I have to flair tubing. The flairing tool I have (from
memory) is a multipiece thingie that has a vise like clamping
device for a mandrel which can change with the diameter of the
tube. There are several little disks with protrusions for the
various inside tube diameters these are clamped on yet another
threaded piece which screws in to make the first (bubble) flair.
The double flair is achieved with yet another cone shaped disk
which is clamped on the shaft and screwed down on tube end.
I know you didn't ask about bending tubing... My advice is get some
1/4" aluminum armature wire (it's used for sculpting) from an art
supply store to make a template for bending your tubing.
I find whenever I have to do either tube bending or flairing it's
wise to buy about twice as much tubing as I think I'll need. I'm
thinking about buying stock in an automotive tubing company Gods
know I buy enough of the stuffs.. It's GOT to be a safe bet:)
Greg Petrolati Champaign, Illinois 1962 TR4 (CT4852L)
That's not a leak... My car's just marking its territory...
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