Does anyone here warm up their brake line befor bending or flaring???

Just curious if anyone does this, especially the guys with the cheapo flare tools???

We used to heat the line ends and bends up with a torch (not red hot, just warm) on the buggy and it really made the bends and flares really nice, then stiffened back up as it cooled. But like I said that was on a buggy doing 30-40mph, Not in a heavy car doing 70.....

 

nope, never heard of any one having an issue with flairing brake lines either.
stainless maybe , but then you dont need to double flair.

 

Never heard of it. I can't imagine the line staying hot enough to make the flare or bend any easier than when it's room temperature. As soon as it's clamped in the flare tool it's got a pretty big heat sink on it. Unless you heat up the whole flaring tool, but that's not gonna happen in my shop.

 

no.

 

Ive never heard of it either... I don't know how hot to get it to be a benefit (if any benefit at all). If I did know what temperature was a benefit, how would you know you were at that temp ( maybe a pyrometer?). I've never had trouble bending or flaring tubing... even stainless, which I use almost daily at my job. To me, I would think that if anything, the heating of this tubing might make it brittle after the fact. I wouldn't do it, I think it is totally unnecessary

 

no.........

 

no why would you do that when its already soft enough to bend by hand.

 

Never.

Never heard tell of this before.

 

never used heat but when a line needs to flared i never use a tubing cutter, always use a hack saw. a tubing cutter work hardens the end of the tube. not a BIG deal, but i try to give myself every advantage.

 

Buy a quality flaring tool made by imperial-eastman.
Make perfect flares every time. It really is that simple.
The key is the tool... I learned this after owning 2 " cheap"
sets. Had as much $ in the junk sets as the imperial
and they didnt work.

 

I've never used a hacksaw, I always use a reamer to open the tube up before flaring, never had a problem.

 

I cut it with a hacksaw, then clamp it in one of the old clamps from one of those cheap flaring tools mentioned above, and dress the cut with a file, letting the file kiss the clamp, which gets the end squared up pretty good. Touch it with a reamer to clean up the inside of the tube, and flare away. Takes longer, but I never have to redo a flare.

 

That's one thing I'm fairly good at. Cold is good.

 

I'm with ebbspeed, I've always flared that way, never had a crack. Cutting with the rotary cutter does work harden the line, I cut with a hack saw just for the comfort factor, knowing I won't have to redo it.

 

ive got a fairly cheapo flarer , i find that making sure the cut end is 100% square and filed smooth helps alot , use a spot of brake fluid to lube the tool

 

No.

 

Hell no!!

 

Why bother, just buy a decent set of flaring tools and benders, they arn't that pricey. I always go by the saying you get what you pay for, buy shit and end up with a shit result.

 

Never...

 

With the temps what they are all across the country I'd say they're already HOT AS HELL!

 

Heating and slowly cooling can anneal metals to make them softer and easier to bend. Of course this only works on metals that are not already soft or already annealed.

Steel is pretty temperature sensitive, meaning that it is more flexible warm than cold (even under ambient "natural" temperatures), so I guess heating it up may make flaring it easier.

Never did it, though. Never saw the need.

 

I never found the tubing cutter to be an issue, if you double flare the tube end. The flare portion is downstream far enough to not be work hardened.

 

Never heated the tubing but maybe I should try.....

 

Room temp.... Because it's always worked.........

4TTRUK

 

K.I.S.S. .....never neded to. I use the cheap flaring tools, never had a problem yet.
Just because it costs more doesn't mean it's better, it just means there is less money in your pocket.

 

Who sells the imperial Eastman i got one
that i bougth used ages ago and the blocks
that holds the tube are showing some wear
so i soon have to buy new ones

 

I can tell you, I have been having the hardest time getting 1/4" steel brake line double flared. i dont know if it is just the 1/4 inch of it being a bear or the combo of it being steel and 1/4". i have been thru a couple new bar style flare tools and used one from long ago and it worked a lot better than the new ones. I have been banging my head against the wall for several days,weeks,months............. Hell, I lost count over 1/4" brake line and double flares. I bought a much better tool for flaring it but it gets here Tuesday (day after tomorrow) for the same price as this junk pos I got from a store. I've run out of money and I have 1 line to finish this system. I put my master under the dash on my 65 c10 because it has twin turbos and 1 is right where the master goes, it has disc front and drum rear, i put in a combination valve PV2 an thought i was saving money keeping it 1/4" but with all the crap flares to several tools and all the line wasted and time wasted from precise cuts to fit then a crooked flare the piece is garbage I must have wasted over $100 in just tools and line. I now am going to get some NICcad line (nickle/copper) for another $60 for a 25' roll vs. $40 for steel so that way I know I have enough to finish it. if the tool dont screw me that is. It would be easier if I had a vise but it is on the wish list. Maybe the girlfriend is listening lol. GOD there has to be another easier way hence me looking up heating the lines. I was thinking it would flare easier lol. ya I am really reaching for a life vest on this damn truck.. hopefully it will get one today. MAYBE!

 

You must be missing something in the process; it is not really very hard to double flare steel brake line.

 

I think one of the key points to a good flare is making certain that the cut you make in the tube before you flare it is at a 90degree angle to the line. Make sure the cut is smooth and perpendicular.

 

Never hears of heating the brake lines, I use a SK double flaring kit that has worked well for more than 40 years, I use a tubing cutter and rarely do I have a bad result.

There is no reason in my mind to change the way something as traditional as making my own brake lines needs heat to make the lines more malleable, it's a simple task and like most things associated with building hot rods or customs it is a part of the process that becomes easier the more you do it. HRP