DIY: Flaring your Brake Lines Topic is solved

[j-dawg]

I just finished this. This was a hugely helpful post. A few more tips from my experience:

- I bought an 18" tube section, with nuts pre-fitted, from Advance Auto Parts. I wanted to use this to practice flaring, but the coating on the tube made it too fat to fit in the flaring tool and the flares all came out looking terrible. The flares on the factory lines came out looking way nicer.
- Use a steel nut and antiseize, so you'll be able to get these out in 15 years when you need to change the hose again. There's a lot of speculation on the interweb about whether it's okay to use antiseize on brake fittings, for fear of getting the antiseize in the brake fluid. It's fine to use antiseize - sealing happens at the flare, and the threads are outside of the sealed volume. If you're getting antiseize in the brake lines, you're also getting water, dirt, and whatever else you drive through in there.
- Brake fluid comes dribbling out at an alarming rate. Just accept it and manage the flow. Using a rag to direct the fluid into a container, as shown in the first post, is a super smart idea. Do things quickly, but if they're not working out, stop and think instead of panicking. The brake fluid reservoir is bigger than you expect. If you planned your moves before starting to cut, you won't bleed out.
- Keep an extra flare nut on hand for fitup. When unbending the line after cutting, you'll likely need to tweak it a bit to let the nut slide far enough up to fit the flaring tool on. You can grab the extra nut by the threads with a pair of channel-lock pliers, which'll make it easier to tweak the line and push the nut up. Just don't forget to slide a good nut on before flaring.
- Any time you can use the bending pliers to bend, do so. It'll come out a lot cleaner and you don't risk kinking the tube.
- Make sure you bend the tube to its final position after you push the flare nut all the way to the flare.

[JRev]

Just to add to your additional tips. To reduce the amount of brake fluid lost, depress the brake pedal half way to the floor and keep it in that position by placing a pry bar wedged between seat and pedal. That worked for me when I had bled the brake system, only to find out I had to do additional work and remove a brake calliper and re-flare a brake line.

[beigg]

removing the fitting at the master for the line you're repairing and plugging the master with a rubber plug or creating a fitting with a small section of line aiming up above the booster might be practical. Worked for me.

[IronMike]

One thing I do on this job is if I'm committed to replacing the rubber line due to cracks, etc. is to dremel off the rubber lines metal end at the thinnest part just before the nut-end. Then I use a socket on the now exposed "nut" to avoid stripping and to get a good hold.

[IronMike]

BTW, on the XC70 at least, the "pipes" (metal brake lines) aren't too much money. Can get them for under $100 for both pieces, from Volvo. Makes sense to have these on hand before you start the job and even eat a restocking fee if such applies (if you do get the bolts free).

[bw77]

I just replaced both front hoses on my 99 S70GLT.

RF went ok. LF, the tube nut on the top end of the hose broke at the
hex. I cut the line back a few inches, bought a short length of pre-flared bubble
Nicopp tubing, and used a flared SAE union to splice it. Someone earlier did it
that way. I had the SAE flare tool, but not the bubble.

But what I wanted to mention is the flaring tool I used, the Powerhand.
Shown here:


I bought it 3 years ago on ebay from a seller in the UK. Used it on a Honda
for repairing the 2 rear lines, while on the car. Works nicely for on-car flares
and bench flares.

He is out of stock on it now. There is a Trident version of the SAE tool sold
on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Trident-T41370 ... x-O_8K4W8A

Here's the Bubble version:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAKE-PIPE-FLA ... Sw~gRV3Cdn

Eastwood sells a made in Taiwan version of the SAE flare tool for $45.
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-on-ca ... ubing.html
They don't sell the Bubble version.

The Bubble version of the Taiwan tool is sold by a company in Australia.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Metric-4-75-3- ... 2749.l2649

Nice tool for on-car flares.

[abscate]

One thing I do on this job is if I'm committed to replacing the rubber line due to cracks, etc. is to dremel off the rubber lines metal end at the thinnest part just before the nut-end. Then I use a socket on the now exposed "nut" to avoid stripping and to get a good hold.

Totally the way to go here. This leaves skin on knuckles

[abscate]

2019 link to an Amazon ISO bubble flare tool for $22

https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-20657A-Bub ... =8-1-fkmr3

[LOB]

Nice work! Instead of letting brake fluid drip you can push down the brake pedal a few inches (preferably by a stick between the seat and the pedal). This will close the valve preventing any fluid from dripping.

[tardcart]

Nice work! Instead of letting brake fluid drip you can push down the brake pedal a few inches (preferably by a stick between the seat and the pedal). This will close the valve preventing any fluid from dripping.

that's very interesting information I did not know.