How to Cut Brake Plumbing

Steel and stainless steel tubing holds the high pressure required to operate a vehicle's brake system. Cutting the tubing to repair a brake line requires tools with the capacity to cut hardened steel. Since the cut brake line will receive a flare for a connection, that tool needs to produce a straight cut to ensure the flare sits square inside the compression fittings used to connect the brake system. Using the wrong cutting tool will result in brake system leaks and possibly lead to the brake system failing when needed.

Instructions

1

Pull a tape measure along a length of brake line tubing. Mark the cut location on the tubing with a permanent marker.

2

Turn the knob located at the bottom of a tubing cutter counterclockwise until the tubing cutter fits over the brake-line tubing. Slide the tubing cutter over the tubing, and align the cutting blade with the mark placed on the tubing. Turn the knob clockwise to lock the cutter in place.

3

Spin the tubing cutter around the brake line two times. Tighten the lower adjustment knob half a turn. Spin the tubing two more revolutions. Tighten the adjustment knob another half turn. Continue spinning the cutter and tightening the knob until the cutter cuts through the tubing.