Last summer I did some minor brake line work and used one of these cheap ebay kits:
I ended up taking the lengths to a garage as the kit just could not produce a clear flare. I have a feeling that I am going to encounter a few other corroded brake lines so wanted to buy a more reliable piece of kit that could ideally work in situ as well.
Can anyone comment on the following item found on ebay:
3/16 is the correct size but it doesn't matter which flaring tool you use the results depend on prepping the pipe correctly once cut. The pipe needs to be deburred before the flare is made and this will produce a clean flare nearly every time.
Those cheap kits are fine - but they won't do steel pipe well. The flares on kunifer/copper are easily and reliably formed. I just replace the pipe to a junction rather than mess about with joining pipes.
I used a silverline kit that looked the same, apart from box colour for my Corrado.
I tried a few before hand, but when I fitted them, they fitted perfectly and have never leaked since. I was very pleased! I think practice is the key - a better took won't make up for lack of practice.
Actually 3/16 is not correct...and neither is SAE...the vans are German...metric...and the pipes are 4.75 mm...the flares are DIN spec which is very similar to look at but has a flat back...rather than a bubble...SAE will work...but technically incorrect and coupled with a cheapo nasty flare tool may result in a leak..while on the subject...copper is best avoided...actually illegal in Australia I believe...kunifer or cupro nickel is a much better material all round but harder to bend by hand if your bodging pipes in...steel is preferable but as we know it rusts...however fittings tend to stick more on kunifer so despite a good pipe you may not be able to undo the ends....I use kunifer, and a proper Sykes picavant DIN flare tool...why compromise on brakes?
With regard to the tool at the top of the page...last resort only...soft pipe tends to get pushed out of the tool...and hard pipe may break the tool...second tool is quite good exept that's the wrong size ( imperial ..need metric) but it will work generally...also most pipe Ckold sold tend to be sold as dual size but be wary with steel pipe as it can stick in the tool..or slide out if it's not correct..
God brake lines are an art form...bad ones are an eyesore!
Excellent advice guys thank you. I will get a DIN version of the second image I posted, although they do not seem to do the DIN version that makes single or double flares, will this be an issue?
This is the one I think I will get now. Will this be fine with all the fixing on my early van?
bmouthboyo wrote:although they do not seem to do the DIN version that makes single or double flares, will this be an issue?
I can't think of a time when I have need a double flare on VW's, the only time I've used them is on old Lockheed brakes.
Make sure you get the correct DIN unions, using SAE unions with DIN flares is a no no.
1982 Camper 1970 1500 Beetle Various Skoda's, Ariel Arrow
Only time the double comes in is if a pipe join is made...but that's best avoided anyway and if done use a female-female joiner...and male pipe nuts with a din "bubble".
