How Hard Is It To Bend Brake Lines?

smokin joe · Feb 10, 2016

I recently bought a complete 97 Cobra rear end and it has no brake lines on it. So what I need to know is:

1. How hard is it to bend my own brake lines?
2. How do I attach the brake lines to it?

Joe

2000xp8 · Feb 11, 2016

It's not hard to do brake lines. Go to the auto parts store get a cheap bender (although you may not need it) and a cut and flare kit.
It's easy to attach, there should be little clips across the top of the axle tubes.
Make sure to take the soft lines with you so you buy the right fittings.

Watch some youtube videos on cutting and flaring.

CarMichael Angelo · Feb 11, 2016

smokin joe said:
I recently bought a complete 97 Cobra rear end and it has no brake lines on it. So what I need to know is:

1. How hard is it to bend my own brake lines?
2. How do I attach the brake lines to it?

Joe

Simple stuff. Get the good bender ( you'll have it for life) a small tubing cutter, and a double flare kit.

* Insider tips

After you cut the tube off, get a cordless drill with the appropriate sized bit and run the bit into the end of the tube you just cut off. The bit will in effect ream the burrs off of the cut end, and insure that there aren't any raggedy fragments inside.

Get the two piece, articulated tubing bender for brake lines. Practice on a scrap piece and place a mark at the start of the bend and see how much the bend took away/ added to your length ( only important if you're gonna get all anal about perfect structure)

When you seat the little pin into the tube to begin the first bubble part of the flare, be sure you square it on top of the cut, and check to make sure it stays that way as you compress the the thing. If it gets cocked sometimes it'll break the pin, or it'll just be a pain in the ass to remove. Also, a cocked bubble will make a wonky second taper flare.

Don't forget to put the end on the tube before you flare it.

See,....easy.

Noobz347 · Feb 11, 2016

madmike1157 said:
( you'll have it for life)

This guy is even older than me. He knooooooooows....

BMW Rider · Feb 11, 2016

The actual bending is easy with a good tubing bender, You can also get bending pliers which will allow you to make much tighter bends when needed in tight spots or close to the end of the tube. The tricky part of making your own lines is figuring out where to bent to get the best fit. I prefer to buy a roll of tubing and the nuts separately to make my own rather than modifying the pre-made lines. Tubing is pretty cheap and you'll have extra tubing to work with if you bend one wrong. Its usually easier to start over than try to straighten and re-bend. I usually get the line bent to fit with an inch or two of extra length at each end, then trim and flare the ends last, though sometimes you need to make a final bend at the end last if it is too close to the flare leaving you with not enough straight tube to clamp in the tool.

It was mentioned that you should deburr the end of the tube before flaring, for best results with a double flare, you should do both the inside and outside of the end. A tubing cutter works by displacing the metal and always leaves a raised ridge around the tube which will affect the quality of the flare produced if not removed. Usually if you are getting misshaped flares, it is because of the burr on the outside of the tube.

srtthis · Feb 11, 2016

bending it is easy... flaring it on the other hand can be a bitch from time to time.

Mustang5L5 · Feb 11, 2016

Like said before. Bending is easy. Flaring is the PITA.

Invest in a GOOD flaring kit. A cheap one from harbor freight won't cut the mustard

2000xp8 · Feb 11, 2016

madmike1157 said:
Don't forget to put the end on the tube before you flare it.

See,....easy.

This is a lesson that may have to be learned more than once. I've forgotten to put fittings on and even put 2 fittings on by accident. If I liked my pick up truck more I probably would have take the extra one off, but it's a dodge so it's still on there.

srtthis · Feb 11, 2016

and make sure they are the right direction also...

RangerJoe · Feb 11, 2016

All good advice. I did several lines on my car. The drill bit idea works well. In addition, I used a file to make sure my cuts were flat before using the bit. As stated abkve, YouTube is your friend.

Joe

Noobz347 · Feb 11, 2016

Find out if she can make smamichez before you marry her.

smokin joe · Feb 11, 2016

Thank you everyone for the advice. I'll give it a try.

revhead347 · Feb 11, 2016

You got to stick it in your mouth. I have never had luck with tube benders, always just did it with a pair of wrenches. Before you bend, stick it in your mouth and blow through it. Then blow through it again after you bend, and use your lung calibration to determine if you have bent in a restriction.

Kurt

stykthyn · Feb 11, 2016

revhead347 said:
You got to stick it in your mouth. I have never had luck with tube benders, always just did it with a pair of wrenches. Before you bend, stick it in your mouth and blow through it. Then blow through it again after you bend, and use your lung calibration to determine if you have bent in a restriction.

Kurt

So much material to run with here....

How Hard Is It To Bend Brake Lines?

smokin joe

2000xp8

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

BMW Rider

Mustang Master

srtthis

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

2000xp8

srtthis

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

RangerJoe

I leave the horn on while driving

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

smokin joe

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

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How Hard Is It To Bend Brake Lines?

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Mustang Master

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

I leave the horn on while driving

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

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