Best Fuel/brake Line Tool

Need to buy a tool or kit for bending and flaring brake lines and fuel lines. Which ones are you guys using? I'm not afraid to spend a dollar or two.

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-900318

There is a "brand name" tool very similar. Be sure to buy the tool that fits your lines. This is one size fits one.

 

Here is the tool I use for tight bends.

https://www.amazon.com/T-W-Evans-Cordage-47-011-Clothesline/dp/B00DKA4WBA/ref=sr_1_11?crid=16P67CHE3UFUN&keywords=clothesline+pulley&qid=1650911961&sprefix=cloths+line+pully,aps,93&sr=8-11

 

I slightly modified the instructions and was able to get excellent results on stainless brake tubing using the Titan tool.
I simply added .045 wire thickness to the depth gauge.

 

I built all of brake lines on my cj2a truck conversion from scratch with three tools from summit racing:

1. Bending pliers - part number OTC-4401
2. Double flare tool - OTC-4503
3. Bending tool - WMR-W80675

I used brake like from Orielly and bought extra ends so I could use every extra piece. I thought number 1 wouldn't be that useful, but a must for tight bends where the bending tool bends are too big.

Rick

 

I highly recommend buying brake line in bulk and double-flaring your own. The bending is much less critical when you can perfectly customize the lengths.

 

The bending pliers are a great tool to have in your arsenal. I just learned about them last year and very glad to have them. They work well.

A straightener is on my wish list. Squirrelly lines drive me nuts though there are some on my projects. For now I buy the straight sections at FLAPS where I can use them to make the entire run, thus limiting the number of flares I have to make and utilizing the factory flares.

 

This is an incredibly easy to use tool for flaring break and fuel lines. It’s on the spendy side but the flares have been 100% perfect so far and leak free including the 3/8” fuel line I built for the F100.

ABN Professional Brake Line Flaring Tool Kit, 45 Degrees - Single, Bubble, Double Flare Tool Kit for Steel, Copper Tube https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085TC8G3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HSVH2QN54XZJGKFVHRF0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I have the Titan bender for smaller stuff but if you find yourself bending 3/8” you’ll want to invest in a good bender like the one Earls makes. I needed this due to 3 bent lesser expensive tools or kinked lines. For 5/16” or smaller those lesser expensive bender like harbor freights are fine.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ear-028erl

 

When I was plumbing my brake system, I straighten the roll of steel tubing that I had purchased in the same manner that we used when installing gauge line on the boilers we built and repaired years ago. After unrolling the coil of tubing that I had purchased, I clamped one end in my vice and grabbed the other end with a pair of vice grips. I then with the vice grips pulled hard on the tubing. The slight stretch of the tubing straightened it out.

 

Eastwood has one that will do the job

 

If you want _the_best_ I would suggest the Imperial-Eastman benders and Mastercool flaring tool. I have a Mastercool and a Robinaire bender for smaller diameters, which I like. Pretty sure the Robinaire is NLA. I have an Imperial-Eastman for 3/8" tubing.

If you use the nicopp tubing, you don't really need a bending tool. If you keep tension on the nicopp tubing, you can bend it around a form like a wooden dowel. Gentle curves can be bent by hand. Make a wire mock-up from a coat hanger or other stiff wire. 10 ga copper wire works well, but it's not free.

Stainless is really hard. I would avoid it unless I was building a show car and intended to polish the brake lines.