Projects Building My First Roadster in San Francisco

Joey, if your brake lines are leaking at br*** fittings, check the fittings. The fittings we are getting now days are not very good. I just did a model A ch***is and several of the new br*** fittings needed to be replaced because they would leak.

 

Thread sealant won’t do any good, if fluid is getting past the line flare it will just come out of the center hole in the nut. The threads are only there to hold the flare ends together. Plus it would look like hack work.

 

Agreed. This is a mechanical seal for a safety system operating at high pressure. Sealant is not advised.

This article, which isn't great does have a good graphic.
https://garagespot.com/how-to-flare-brake-lines/
The sealing surface is the end of the tubing to the fitting. The threads are only there to apply force to the connection, not seal. If the fluid is going past the end of the tubing, you already lost.
All older brakes in the US used the double flare, but this shows many types.

 

When you dis***emble the lines, look for cracks in the flares or other issues that may cause a leak, it's just a mechanical thing

 

I also ***ume you loosened the fittings and re tightened them to see if that sealed them?

 

The biggest mistake I see at work when the newer guys form a flare is that they go whole hog with flare tool when forming the second part of the double flare which risks cracks and fractures. I get it started into shape and let it form the rest of the way when it is installed. I have never done the loosening and retighten procedure though, the initial tightening of the fittings have been leak free in my own experience doing it that way

 

Yeah it is something that is so simple but does involve some feel/ finesse. Once you get the feel for it most rarely have a problem moving forward.

 

@Tim I agree on the loosen/retighten trick. Worked great for me. The only leak I had when I plumbed my brakes was a bad bleed screw. After I replaced that, everything was tight!

 

Maybe thats my problem. haha Does this also apply to the lever flare maker that you put in a vise? Best $200 I ever spent.

Gordy

 

Just form the double flare but don't squish it all of the way down with the tool. Let the fittings finish the form of the tube.

 

Apply a little oil or anti seize to the threads, be sure to use a good flare wrench and tighten the hell out of it. I noticed a little rounding over on one your flare nuts. I am lucky to be able to use my father’s flare wrenches, the ones he used from the fifties up until his p***ing. My old *** has to back it up with a cheater pipe to reach the desired torque. Give-R some UUUMPH.

 

I think of it like this, look at factory flares on premade line. They have to supply product to end users and eat any returns, so they take that into consideration when turning out thousands of lines. Newbies to pros. Match their shape. That's what you want to copy.

Second, I only tighten as much as needed. Yes, it takes some oomph. It should form the end of the line to the fitting. But it also is an area of what, a quarter of an inch by a 16th? The same formulas apply. Pounds Per Square Inch. The area is a fraction of an inch so it doesn't need 100 pounds applied. The thread torque doesn't directly apply to the force at the flare, but you are trying to final form the line to the fitting, not squish the end to half it's' thickness.
I think your pictures show a good example of good (#2) and deformed (#1).

 

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/.../v/a/140775/automotive-suv-2017-dodge-journey

 

Back up to post 5228. West Marine is an excellent source for switches, panels, fuse blocks and instruments used in the construction of hot rods. While costing more, quality makes them a bargain in the long run.Too, the universal fit applications makes them easy to adapt to automotive use.

 

Another consideration is that the flare has to seat against the cone, not the edge. If the flare is too long, the outside rim will seat against the bottom of the fitting and not on the cone, and it will never seal.

 

Joey,
you need to also be looking at and inspecting the end of the tubing or the 'face' of the flare....and your photos don't show that view

my suggestion at this point in time....
compare the finished diameter of flare #1 to flare #2
flare #1 appears to be larger and disfigured from tightening the nut up against it.... see @Weedburner 40 post
flare #1 looks wonky suspect
practice some flares on some 's****' tubing and get them all to look like #2....
pay attention to the protruding length of the tube from the flare block....too long and your flare will look like #2 and it can be a nats *** difference between good and bad
good luck....

 

Yup top one is nfg

 

I got in the habit of inspecting my flairs with a magnifier before installing, adding just a touch of lube, never seize or 3n1 to the male fitting. Had good luck on my lines

 

i have one of those, did my entire ranger in one day master to abs controller to all 4 corners, nary a leak to be had. like you said, best $200 ever spent. never fear a flare again!