[Mini] Fwd: Brake Flaring Tools

[Dr John C Bullas]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Lock Horsburgh <lock at lomondhills.plus.com>
Date: Mon, Jul 6, 2020, 12:40 PM
Subject: Brake Flaring Tools
To: john.bullas at gmail.com <john.bullas at gmail.com>


Hi John,

I am unable to post to or login to the Yahoo group, but I still see your
emails.

I use, and am delighted with, this tool
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Brake-Burning-situ-16-SAE/dp/B01M4RC2YW/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=brake&m=A10QL4DLSICX54&qid=1594028307&s=merchant-items&sr=1-1


This was recommended by my MOT man.
It is the best tool I have used, much better IMHO that the kit with the
sold as laser and several other brands, it handles single and double flares
on copper, kunifer and steel pipes. The only one I have used that works on
steel pipe. Works for imperial and metric unions.

It's reliable, but take care not to cross-thread the spacer (the short
bolt) or the punch in the two halves of the block, when setting up.

Note that the version sold for DIN flares just does male/single flares, not
double/female flares - and the Suzuki I am working on has mostly male
flares, but female flares with 10mm unions to the brake hoses..

It's the only one I have had that could flare steel pipes properly, so on a
modern car (e.g. 20 year old micra, fiesta, ka) where most of the pipe
under the floor is covered in plastic, but the last bit under the is bare
metal and rots,  you can cut the pipe,   clean the plastic and the paint
off for a couple of inches, flare the end, and add a short length to
connect to the brake hose without having to take taking the tank off and
struggling to fit pipes through the engine compartment.


Pipe - These days I use copper pipe, which is readily available and the
easiest to work with - it's easy to bend to shape under the car. I have
bought it from local factor, from amazon, and from Halfords and
Eurocarparts, no problem with any of the suppliers.
20-30 years ago I used kunifer - copper nickel alloy - which is much easier
to bend and flare than steel pipe, not as soft as copper. Copper-nickel is
used by some upmarket car manufacturers rather than steel. 0

You can get kunifer on amazon, but factors don't stock it nowadays, the
trade seems to use copper.

Copper and kunifer pipes don't rust.

A disadvantage of copper that I have experienced is that if you need to
disconnect the pipe after a couple of years, e.g.  to change a wheel
cylinder, you may find that the union has a tight grip on the pipe, and
starts to twist the pipe when you undo it. You might have to replace the
pipe, or part of it. But hey, you have the technology for that. A bit of
grease between the pipe and union when fitting may help, kunifer is less
prone to that problem. I have seen ads for copper pipe and brass unions for
classic cars; dunno if that is for practical or cosmetic reasons.

HTH

Lock
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