Instructions for Brake Line Flaring Tools

Anytime a brake line is cut and repaired or shortened a flare nut must be inserted over the line and a new flare formed on the cut end. It is difficult to form a double flare on an old line that is rusted or pitted. These old lines become brittle and often crack when forming a new flare. The split may be so fine that it doesn't show up until the brake line is under pressure. Any crack in a brake line under pressure may leak and cause dangerous brake failure.

Instructions

1

Cut the brake line to be flared with a tubing cutter. Remove any burs from the cut end with sand paper or file. The burs are sharp jagged edges or metal flashing that remains on the cut end of the lines.

2

Select the proper internal flare die by matching the tube size with the corresponding size stamped on the flare die. If the tube size is unknown, match it up with one of the many holes labeled for various size tubing in the split bar clamp.

3

Clamp the brake line, to be flared, into the hole of the split bar clamp that fits snug around the line and tighten the wing nuts on the clamp. Place the head of the internal flare die flat on the bar clamp next to the protruding brake line. The brake line should protrude out of the bar clamp and be flush with the internal die head, step or mark, and extend no further.

4

Tighten the bar clamp wing nuts extra tight to hold the line in place.

5

Insert the pin of the internal flare die inside the cut end of the brake line hole. The internal flare die looks like a large thumb tack so imagine placing a thumb tack in the cut end of the tubing.

6

Saddle the flare clamp over the split bar clamp. The flare clamp is u-shaped with a t-handle on the threaded rod in the center. The flare clamp slides over the split bar clamp and the pointed nose at the bottom of the t-handle must be centered over the head of the internal flare die.

7

Turn the t-handle of the flare clamp clockwise until the internal flare die is pushed tight against the bar clamp. This will form a round nose on the end of cut tubing.

8

Unscrew the flare clamp and remove the internal die. The brake line should now have a rounded nose tapered inward toward the hole.

9

Hook the flare clamp over the bar clamp again with the pointed nose of the clamp centered over the brake line and tighten until the double flare is formed.

10

Remove the flare clamp from the split bar. Loosen the wing nuts on the split bar and remove the line. The flare is complete.