Brake flaring tools

[giraffeinbath]

I know brake lines are cheap enough to get done by the local auto shop but I've been scuppered again today by needing a brake pipe to finish a job which means I've had too stop for the sake of not being able to do it myself.
Looking at the options they seem to be available for around £30 then jump to over £100. Are the cheap ones just no good?

Looking at these as a couple of options, different in style I don't know if anyone would have some suggestion on which is best?

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/15190/Hand-Tools/Plumbing-Tools/Pipe-Fitting-Tools/Automotive-Flaring-Kit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8022&frostProductName=Brake%20Pipe%20Flaring%20Tool&frostCat=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[ianscooby]

Frost stuff tends to be pretty good but try and spend as much as you can as like anything you pay for what you get.

 

[billybradshaw]

Hmmm, I've used both types and wasn't happy with either of them. Either the flare wasn't to my liking and in the case of the tool from Frost the jaws left a nasty imprint around the circumference, a bit like Jaws had had a go at it to be honest............

Now then, my digi camera is playing up but I will try and get some pics of the bit of kit I used. Olde Worlde but fookin' good

Watch this space

Cheers

Ian

 

[giraffeinbath]

Now then, my digi camera is playing up but I will try and get some pics of the bit of kit I used. Olde Worlde but fookin' good

Watch this space

Cheers

Ian

:wink:

 

[Snakey]

I use this one for work (oil heating supply lines)

http://www.dereksairconditioning.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=64" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Took a while to find it as it seems to be a bit obselete now.

Goes down to 4mm OD so should do brake lines ok. Gives a lovely flare and grips the pipe around the circumference.

 

[AndrewHS]

I share similar views to ianscooby. Brake pipes are too critical to cut corners on, so the flaring tool is important. I have a Sykes Pickavant professional type left over from my mechanicking days which is superb and quick if you're making new pipes in the workshop, but impossible to use if you're repairing a pipe that is attached to the vehicle. The screwfix version is virtually identical to the one supplied by Snap-on which is well tried and tested as well as being compact and convenient. I haven't personally tried the Frost one. I'm not sure about the one used with heating systems, the picture isn't very clear, does it do double lap female flares?
Some of the smaller and cheaper tools may not come with an adequate selection of dies, there are more varieties out there than you realise! As well as metric and imperial there are also DIN fittings and BSP.
Ultimately it depends on your vehicle and how much use you think you will make of it but, as always, yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice!

 

[PetrolHead]

I went through the same process a few years ago

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=175207

I was lucky and found one of the Moprod brake flaring tools on Ebay.

I used it to replace every hard brake line on my Westy with (copper / nickel) cupronickel pipe.

Makes lovely flares, none of the wonky ones that I had suffered for years before from the cheapo type of flaring tools you see about.

Have a look here for one in action.

http://www.integerspin.co.uk/brakeflare.htm

J

 

[billybradshaw]

Ah Mr Petrolhead beat me to it. The Mopod device looks a little crude but the quality of the flares is excellent. Hunt one down and job's a good un.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Nic B-C]

Those mopod ones look interesting as they stop the guesswork about where to grip pipe have to keep an eye out for one of them to try them out.

Cheers