Thread: brake sealant and fittings question

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You can borrow a double-flare tool from Autozone for free.

Rigid also makes the best flaring tool I have used.Not cheap ,But it last you forever.

George, you're right....They ain't too cheap..........I have three of them....you know why? Cuz I can't find the previous one I purchased to replace the one I couldn't find to begin with.. One day, I'm gonna have to have a long talk with that boy!. Seriously, everyone needs a good flaring setup and the double flare option is a must in my book.

For those NPT fittings use Loctite 567. It's a PTFE based sealant thats good to 10,000psi @ 205 degrees C. I've used it on nitrogen lines that needed to be tested to 6000psi and on the NPT fittings in my brake system, no leaks at all.....ever.

Look HERE

thanks guys that helps a bunch , most of my fittings that need sealer are on the rear brake area . so at least the fronts arent like that but hey lets be safe all the way around

If you're working with stainless, use compression fittings. It's not worth trying to flare. Swagelock is like the Ferrari of compression fittings. Swagelock compression fittings require no special tools, only two combination wrenches.


Everybody has covered it already, no sealant on flare fittings but you do need sealant on pipe thread fittings. However, I highly discourage the use of teflon tape. Even if you're really careful and don't tape all of the way to the end, when you disassemble you will get strings of teflon tape in the system. Teflon tape can plug up the small orifices often seen in hydraulic systems. I recommend a non-hardening sealant that won't chunk of leave stringies behind. These include Permatex High Tack, #2, and Aviation Form-A-Gasket. Sealant should never be used to seal the threads of a flare fitting. Even if you seal the threads, it will just follow the tube and leak there. The angled faces of a flare are what do the sealing. I have used Copaltite on the faces to seal steam traced flare fittings, but never on the threads.