Brake line flaring

[static74]

So I'm trying to flare my brake lines in the engine bay and I'm running into an issue with the tool slipping. I'm using a snap on metric bubble flare tool, see here. The tool, despite stripping the plastic coating off, just slips on the line. We've tightened the wing nuts as much as possible, to the point of bending the wings, and still slipping. Anyone have a better suggestion on a tool?

 

[EB85]

The only ones I have ever seen work is the pneumatic ones. They are $$$, though, and unless you're doing a lot of it, kinda hard to justify in my book. I do agree, however, that the handheld ones SUCK to use at times.

Edit: Eastwood makes one that looks nice. Being Eastwood it's naturally not cheap.
http://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html

 

[cj428mach]

I just have a decent auto store one, maybe a lisle.

Home flaring has always been hit or miss for me. I ve heard the way to get a nice flair is to really clean and file the line smooth at the cut before flaring.

 

[SlowSVT]

The plastic coating is probably what's causing the tube to slip in the jaws of the flair tube. Buy a section of uncoated brake line form a local parts store and see if that works with your flair tool. If it grabs the tube firm you've found your problem.

 

[static74]

The plastic coating is probably what's causing the tube to slip in the jaws of the flair tube. Buy a section of uncoated brake line form a local parts store and see if that works with your flair tool. If it grabs the tube firm you've found your problem.

The plastic was stripped from the line, You can actually see in the line where the tool has scored the line from slipping.

 

[SlowSVT]

The plastic was stripped from the line, You can actually see in the line where the tool has scored the line from slipping.

Did the flair tool strip the coating or was it stripped beforehand? The polymer will fill the serrations preventing the jaws from getting a good bite into the metal. Cheap flair tools usually don't gab the tube very well but this is not something I would expect from Snap-On.

 

[static74]

Did the flair tool strip the coating or was it stripped beforehand? The polymer will fill the serrations preventing the jaws from getting a good bite into the metal. Cheap flair tools usually don't gab the tube very well but this is not something I would expect from Snap-On.

Good advice. I'll give that a try. I had left the plastic on the line because I didnt notice it was plastic at first.