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4SPEED427


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Using a flaring tool
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I'm sure most of you (likely 99% of you) will read this and think "why did he bother, it's common sense" but I'm posting this for the 1% who it might help.

Over the years I've talked to a number of guys who hating making brake/fuel line flares. They say it never works right. The flare is off centre, the flare is not perpendicular to the tube, etc. 

A few years ago I bought an old used Blue Point flaring tool on the advice of many people who said how good they work. And my experience had been that with Blue Point when I borrowed one from my friend or used the one at the dealership I worked at.  However, the odd time, not often but every so often I'd get a flare that wasn't squared up, wasn't perpendicular to the pipe. Usually after 1 or 2 more attempts I'd get a good one but I never took the time to figure out why it happened. 

This week I think I figured it out. I was making a flare and I had one not squared up. I looked at the tool and noticed the 2 halves weren't perfectly flat with each other i.e. if I would have put a straight edge across them there would have been a gap under the straight edge on the low side half. 

Prepared to make another flare but before I tightened up the wing nuts super tight I put a vise grip on the end across the 2 halves and made them flat with each other. Of course the result was a perfect flare and I'm betting if I always do this it always will be. 

There's much more to using a flaring tool but I just wanted to add this in case anyone has had this issue.

And for anyone who is WAY more experienced than me with flaring, which won't take much, feel free to add tips to this. I'm convinced a good quality tool and some careful thought while working can always yield good flares. 

I did a mockup picture to show what I'm talking about.

20231220_164619[1].jpg



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
cdnpont


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Absolutely a must to have both sides even Carl. Good tip.

 

Couple of others,

 

#1, make sure you've slid your flare nut or nuts on first lol!

Use steel flare nuts

Use Copper Nickle brake line. It's so much easier to work with amoungst other benefits.

 

Use some light oil on the die and line when flaring.

Make sure your cut end is totally square.

If possible use a little zip wheel to cut the tube. A wheel type tubing cutter can work harden the cut area.

Carefully and fully bevel the edge of the square end.

Remove any inner burr. A good kit comes with a tool. Be gentle.

Do not crush or over torque torque your second fold flare. Just a light fold is better. Dont reef on it. Make it come together in the fold, but some give allows for it to conform easier to the base or nut.

If both ends are open, blow out the line with air and if possible brake cleaner.

Oil the flare nut when you install it. When you tighten the nut it'll slide on the line flare instead of dragging on it.

 

 

 

 

 









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 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 69 Parisienne Convertible.
 
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4SPEED427


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cdnpont wrote:

 

#1, make sure you've slid your flare nut or nuts on first lol!

 

 Yes, although if you want to make an absolutely perfect flare like a factory would make it, forget to put the nut on the line first. It works every time!

Thanks for those other tips Mark. Flaring is really one of those rewarding tasks when it is done with good tools, done carefully and turns out great.



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Lemans64


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LOL about the flare nut going on first. You would think that be a no brainer, But it happens quite a bit.
usually when the line is getting close to being too short. LOL

 

Don't try and tighten the line all at once, work back and forth a few times to seat new flare onto cylinder or joint. 

Especially with stainless line. 



-- Edited by Lemans64 on Wednesday 20th of December 2023 07:32:35 PM

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timbuk


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soo ready to buck up for a new style fancy one

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Lemans64


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Does the fancy one prewar you about the missing nut? LOL. We had one at GM when I was there, nice tool.
Was not cheap though. Price has come down lots since then, Many moons ago.


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cdnpont


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We could probably make it "easy" with one of those Eastwood type flaring tools. 

But we can for sure do it as good with what we have and know. I make mistakes with the flares all the time, and as long as you don't over crush that second fold, they'll usually seal.

 

 



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 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 69 Parisienne Convertible.
 
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Prefectca


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IMG_7821.pngI used this style for years until I wore it out and the price increased so much that I couldnt justify buying another one.



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LT1Caddy


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Good Info Carl and Mark.....

Next lesson should be the Tube bender.. how to use it and get the bend where you need it the FIRST time...

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cdnpont


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With the copper nickel line you can pretty much work it by hand, and in 3/16 it's pretty forgiving. But you only get a couple of tries then it's work hardened and wants to hold it's shape.

I have a couple of types of small benders, have tried them with little luck. should learn lol!



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DonSSDD


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One trick I learned from a smart guy is if you need to fix a bend and it is off the car, fill it with fine sand and tape the ends. You can fix a mistake, then just blow it out with air to clean it. Had to do that with some 3/8 steel fuel line that got over bent in shipping. I bought a set of lines to replace the 5/16, the box it came in was about 4 ft long, no visible damage.



-- Edited by DonSSDD on Thursday 21st of December 2023 11:40:53 AM

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DonSSDD


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IMG_0736.JPGIMG_0739.JPG



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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC.
1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada

Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
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4SPEED427


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Ouch, that looks like an attempt to bend a 90 degree without using a bender.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
koolconvertible


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Rigid are a qualoty tool. I bought a rigid 37.5° flaring tool for my hardlines doing flares to dash fittings for fuel lines etc. was cheaper to buy one from the states but a great tool.

doing brake lines I was lucky enough to snaffle a sykes pickavant kit like this off ebay for $175. the guy had done his brake lines on his car and was selling it on. It's an absolute pearler!

for brake lines you can get a set of bending pliers.these work extremely well and do tight bends. You can generally get them in where you want to do the bend. 

IMG_0811.png

IMG_0812.png

 



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cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....

65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
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