Gas/Brake Line Flairing Kit, Tube Bender and Tube Cutter

[4.6 litre]

Guys,

I will be running 3/8" aluminum gas supply lines. So I'm looking to purchase the subject equipment for doing both the gas and brake lines. Can you provide some economical tool recommendations for performing these task?

Thanks,

Damien, aka 4.6 litre

[RickP]

Guys,

I will be running 3/8" aluminum gas supply lines. So I'm looking to purchase the subject equipment for doing both the gas and brake lines. Can you provide some economical tool recommendations for performing these task?

Thanks,

Damien, aka 4.6 litre

I picked up a hand held Tube Bender from Harbor Frieght. 8.00 bucks and cheaper if you can use one of their 20% off coupons

http://www.harborfreight.com/tubing-bender-3755.html

I plumbed 3/8 Stainless Steel line with it and I was able to bend it with some effort but Aluminum should be no problem. They also sell a Tube Flaring Kit but it's junk. Only thing good included with the kit is the tube cutter.

Eastwood Paints sells a coulpe of different flaring tools depending on what your pocket can afford.

When I was planning my hardlines, I took Edwardb's advise and purchased a 3/8 OD tube to -06AN male fitting. There not cheap (15.00 a pop) but it does not need a flare. You can get them from Breeze Automotive and they are so easy to install.

http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=1073&cat_id=27

If you go the fitting route, I would check with Mark at Breeze to see if they will work with aluminum.

[Jazzman]

I have tried several flaring tools, and only one really work well: The Eastwood system. All the others just let the tube slip as it was supposed to be forming the flare. The Eastwood tool is expensive. I was lucky enough to borrow one from a fellow FFR enthusiast. (And even though I am not quite done, I really do need to return this to AZPete!! Thanks Pete for your patience!) Perhaps you can be as lucky. The best tube bender I found was a Coca Cola bottle! I tried a couple of others, and they did ok, but for simple bends in aluminum tubing, the bottle makes them nice and smooth. Now if you are following in EdwardB's footsteps and doing your tubing in stainless steel, then you had better get a real nice bender.

[edwardb]

For flares, regardless of the material, the Eastwood Pro flaring tool works great. I've used different (cheaper...) types, and it's significantly better. SS can be a little finicky, but for any other material the flares are easy and absolutely perfect every time. At about $200 not cheap though. If you don't want to add it to your tool collection, buy it, use it, and sell it here on the forum. I see them get listed occasionally and they get snapped up pretty quickly. For not too much less than new price. Or find someone to borrow one from. This triple head bender will handle your brake and aluminum fuel lines. It works quite well and isn't expensive: http://www.eastwood.com/triple-head-180-degree-tubing-bender-3-16-3-8-in.html. For brake lines, I also really like this little bender from Inline Tube: http://www.inlinetube.com/#!product/prd14/2245619591/silver-small-radius-3-16-bender---tlb07. I've never used a dedicated tubing cutter. For SS tubing, what I've used on my last two builds, tubing cutters are not generally recommended because they can work harden the SS. I usually use a hack saw with the tubing in a padded vise and touch up the end with a file. Or if I'm in a hurry (or feeling lazy...) I'll use a Dremel with a cut-off wheel, again touching up with a file. These methods would work fine with aluminum or steel as well.

I've not used aluminum tubing in one of these builds before. Hopefully you've done your research on this. Did a little searching myself and seems it's OK to use, but needs to have a little extra attention. Like a lot of support (every 12 inches recommended) and only in padded clamps. Metal-to-metal chafing has to be avoided. Seems it's also common to use -AN fittings with 37 degree single flares. There is a 37 degree die set available for the Eastwood flaring tool.

[johngeorge]

I bought this a while ago and its excellent flaring tool. Never had issues with flares coming out weird.

Mastercool-71475
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41yKIEhpLzL.jpg
http://www.toolpan.com/Mastercool-71475--Universal-Hydraulic-Flaring-Tool-Set--_p_2536.html?gdffi=d5de8d975e554fe98677ff5f83efd43 9&gdfms=EF587D1612D843D583FD9F386FE0EBCD&gclid=Cj0KEQjwhN-6BRCJsePgxru9iIwBEiQAI8rq89w6ExOZENkJsI1d0xfFSxYPz iMJHbI7Drl8NRrzq94aAmm-8P8HAQ

[4.6 litre]

Edwardb,

I know this may sound stupid but can the Eastward Pro be used for both fuel and brake lines and which lines are single and double flared? I got the aluminum fuel line coil from Forte when i purchased my Coyote so i just assumed it would be okay. Thanks for those great reminders about strapping those lines. Knowing that I should be able to resell the tools at a later date helps the decision process. Sometimes I just need a little assistance going forward.

Thanks for the info,

Damien

[edwardb]

Edwardb,

I know this may sound stupid but can the Eastward Pro be used for both fuel and brake lines and which lines are single and double flared? I got the aluminum fuel line coil from Forte when i purchased my Coyote so i just assumed it would be okay. Thanks for those great reminders about strapping those lines. Knowing that I should be able to resell the tools at a later date helps the decision process. Sometimes I just need a little assistance going forward.

Thanks for the info,

Damien

The Eastwood tool in stock form does 45 degree flares. Single, double and bubble flares. For our purposes, most 45 degree flares are the double variety. For sure on brake lines (that's what comes with the kit) and often too on fuel lines where flares are used. I have never used 45 degree single or bubble flares. Bubble flares are apparently more common across the pond for brake lines, etc. Single 45 degree flares as I understand are not very common for automotive use.

37 degree single flares are used with -AN fittings. Eastwood sells a separate die set to make these: http://www.eastwood.com/37-deg-flare-die-set-for-25304.html. In three builds, I've not found the need and haven't purchased the dies. I've used a ton of -AN fittings, but never required a 37 degree flared end. Either use compression fittings or a 45 degree double flare tube nut to -AN adapter.


When I was planning my hardlines, I took Edwardb's advise and purchased a 3/8 OD tube to -06AN male fitting. There not cheap (15.00 a pop) but it does not need a flare. You can get them from Breeze Automotive and they are so easy to install.

http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=1073&cat_id=27

If you go the fitting route, I would check with Mark at Breeze to see if they will work with aluminum.

Yea, those fittings really work great. According to the HAM-LET LET-LOK® tube fitting instructions, they are meant only for certain annealed SS and copper tubing. Aluminum is not listed, so I assume shouldn't be used. Per the instructions, these things are rated in excess of 1,000 PSI. I think they're up the task for fuel lines.

[Avalanche325]

I recommend that you do not use aluminum under the car. It is susceptible to road damage and cracking from vibration. If it cracks, it will do it right at the flare.

You said economical. The Eastwood tool is far from that, but a nice tool. That being said. A cheap flare tool will do 3/8" aluminum just fine. Summit, H/F etc for about $30. They will not do 3/8" steel, which you should be using in my opinion. It will slip.

I have used a Rigid that worked very well. I also used a Craftsman one that worked well. I looked on the Craftsman site and the picture I saw looks just like the Summit one, not the one I used. If the die part is chrome, it is likely the same as the cheap Chinese one sold by Summit and H/F. The one that worked well had a black machined looking die.

You don't have to spend a lot on a bender. Get the triple head one with handles. Stay away from the plier type or the loop ones. They make really ugly bends and really make for a sloppy looking build. Also, AL usually comes in rolls. If you don't spend a lot of time straightening it, it looks terrible. Again, my opinion.

[edwardb]

You said economical. The Eastwood tool is far from that, but a nice tool. That being said. A cheap flare tool will do 3/8" aluminum just fine. Summit, H/F etc for about $30. They will not do 3/8" steel, which you should be using in my opinion. It will slip.

I have used a Rigid that worked very well. I also used a Craftsman one that worked well. I looked on the Craftsman site and the picture I saw looks just like the Summit one, not the one I used. If the die part is chrome, it is likely the same as the cheap Chinese one sold by Summit and H/F. The one that worked well had a black machined looking die.

I know everyone's experience is different, but I did steel brake lines on my Mk3 build and tried three different of these split flaring bar style flaring tools. The first was a rental one from Auto Zone. Probably shouldn't even mention it. Was quite worn and I never did get a good flare. I bought a $20-30 Craftsman version, and still not too great. Bought a $50-60 dollar name brand version (sorry don't remember the brand) at a local tool center, and it was pretty OK. But I still regularly had the tubing slip no matter how much I tightened it or the flares came out off-center. I burned through a lot of tubing getting the job done and it was pretty frustrating. I bought the Eastwood model for my second build when I decided to go stainless and it worked great. Tried some steel tubing in it and they are perfect every single time. Holds the tubing solidly and the flares are perfectly centered. Just my experience FWIW.

[mikeinatlanta]

Be aware that if you have a state inspection aluminum may not pass for fuel line. I'm running CN pressure and aluminum return and it will not pass inspection either.