Fuel and Brake Lines

**Blocker** · 06-10-2010, 02:58 PM

I'm about to embark on removing all my lines from the chassis and am in the mood to rebuild them all from new components.

Any tips and tricks would be helpful about now so that I don't waste time and money, I'm not really fussed if I go to original materials if newer and better techniques are available at a reasonable cost.

What experience/dramas have you had that you can pass on to a young buck who will do this for the first time?

I've got access to a flaring tool kit so that's covered, but as for bending lines what's the best method?

**ozbox** · 06-10-2010, 03:04 PM

on my gto i took samples to the local brake guy and he made them put some of the tighter bends in and i did the rest...ask him for tips on bending..solid round things are very good..

**playwme** · 06-10-2010, 11:25 PM

I saw a very reasonably priced tool for bending brake lines in a catalogue the other day. It was a sort of handheld version of the benders they use for exhaust pipes. Can't remember what catalogue though, we get so bloody many of the things. Might pay to ask at a few of the auto parts stores.

**Absinth** · 06-10-2010, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Blocker

I'm about to embark on removing all my lines from the chassis and am in the mood to rebuild them all from new components.

Any tips and tricks would be helpful about now so that I don't waste time and money, I'm not really fussed if I go to original materials if newer and better techniques are available at a reasonable cost.

What experience/dramas have you had that you can pass on to a young buck who will do this for the first time?

I've got access to a flaring tool kit so that's covered, but as for bending lines what's the best method?

Andrew, make sure the flaring tool is a brake line flaring tool.... brake lines need to be double flared so you need a double flaring tool.

Double flaring takes a little practice to get right so buy some extra tubing to practice on first, once you get the knack of it it's a piece of cake.

There are two types of tubing benders..... one is as mentioned and just a smaller version of exaust type benders, stick the tubing in the slot and pull it around the radius with the handle... if you have some tight bends to do these benders sometimes aren't suitable as the radius is too large. The other type is a tightly wound spring around a foot long that is flared out at one end... you slip the spring over the tubing to where you want to bend it and bend the spring either by hand or around a piece of appropriately sized pipe... the spring stops the tubing from kinking. The springs come in different sizes to suit the size tube you are bending. I have a couple of 1/2 and 3/4 inch ones for bending copper pipe and a 6mm one for copper gas lines which also does brake lines.

Brakes are a very important part of the car and not something you want to fail when needed the most.... As a suggestion if you are not confident in making new lines take your old ones for a pattern to a brake shop and get them to make up new ones for you.

**HK1837** · 07-10-2010, 08:03 AM

Dr Terry can make them all up for you, including new rubber hoses with original fittings for the calipers and the diff. You just have to get your originals to him.

**Blocker** · 07-10-2010, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Absinth

Brakes are a very important part of the car and not something you want to fail when needed the most....

Out of the whole forum, this made me laugh the hardest. I have a brake line flaring kit rather than a regular flaring kit. Thanks for the tips.

I spoke with a couple techo's at work yesterday to get some information, they were serviceing hydraulic lines on one of the hornets... maybe I should get some milspec parts for my Sandman.

**HK1837** · 07-10-2010, 01:43 PM

Blocker

Now that in itself is funny! Getting aeronautical blokes to build brake parts. You'll end up with reverse thrust on your V8 and a big flap on the roof to bleed off road speed!

**Blocker** · 07-10-2010, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by HK1837

Blocker

Now that in itself is funny! Getting aeronautical blokes to build brake parts. You'll end up with reverse thrust on your V8 and a big flap on the roof to bleed off road speed!

Nothing like overkill when it comes to military equipment. The old Hornets we have were ordered straight off the back of the US Navy orders. So unlike some other countries we have carrier qualified landing gear on our versions. I've only briefly looked over the new F/G models but these have come straight from Boeing so they could be different.
Sorry I have strayed off topic.