Thread: Brake Lines

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Yesterday I went to move the old '90 F150 and the brake pedal went to the floor and I found a pinhole leak in one of the hard lines feeding the RF caliper - rusted thin, and blown out. The truck is too dangerous to drive as it is (with that line fixed), and it's time to replace all of the brake lines.
I'm looking for a really good flaring setup, along with a good bender. Seems to me that I've seen recommendations here before, but searching for specifics, well

Also any tips on fitting/flare types used for that era? I'm a flaring rookie, for now.

Most all I've ever used were Ridgid brand. Both for bending and flaring. Not the cheapest, but they work as they should. My 45* flaring tool is one that my Dad picked up somewhere in the 60's and I can't remember the brand. My 37* tool is Ridgid.

The more expensive bending tools usually have a tighter radius bend. I've used a cheap HF bender on occasion, but they make a large radius bend that might not fit some places. About the only time I use the HF tool is when I'm bending 5/16 tubing for transmission lines. The HF bender is the only one I have in that size. To save some money, I use a 1/4" tool for both 1/4" and 3/16". This hasn't caused any issues.

The Ridgid flaring tools have a slip clutch so that you don't over flare. The idea is to form a seat, but some folks crank the tool down and deform the flare.

Get a decent tubing cutter and be sure to deburr the cut end. I have found that a cheap HF step bit in a cordless drill works great for deburring. You will most likely need a 45* double flare for your truck.

Make sure the flaring tool you get does double flares. This takes additional double flaring spuds to form. Generally the thickness of the flange on the spud is used to measure how far the tubing sticks through the flaring tool. The spud is used to form a swell on the tube and then the spud is removed and the flare folded back into itself. A small drop of oil on the underside of the spud makes the forming go a little easier.

Also, when you are test fitting 45* double flares, don't tighten the fittings up. Just snug them finger tight. The tiny double flare seat in the female part is usually brass and easily damaged. Save the tightening for the final assembly.

Iv'e got the Eastwood flaring tool as mentioned by Denny. I love it, the best I have ever used!
Imperial are great benders, top quality.

Rich

Originally Posted by RichB

Iv'e got the Eastwood flaring tool as mentioned by Denny. I love it, the best I have ever used!
Imperial are great benders, top quality.

Rich

Thanks, Rich. I'd seen the Eastwood tool, but didn't want an OUS POS that turns good tube to scrap. Thanks too, Hotrod46 for all of the tech tips!

Roger, somewhere along in that era, they started using bubble flares instead of 45 double-inverted flares. The bubble flares require a little different setup unless you get a tool that does both. I ran into this drama when installing the '92 8.8 disc brake rear under my truck. I saw a youtube video showing how to make bubble flares with a standard tool but I had no luck with that. I ended up buy a few lines with bubble flares then cutting them to length and doing a regular flare on the other end when mating the older stuff to the newer stuff.
I also have a Rigid flaring tool with standard U.S. sizes. It doesn't hold the metric lines very well at all. I don't know if your truck has metric or standard but you'll probably want to sort that out before purchasing.

I have this tool below and really like it. Too bad I paid a lot more than this for it. The body style ford pick up I think you're working on, I've seen them use standard lines but metric tube nuts so watch for that too.


https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...mxs8nuwi_b_p19

Cal Van Tools inline flaring tools. The kit is like $50 but you can buy single die kits cheap if you only need one or 2... Does metric or standard, double flare or bubble flare

I had a '96 F150 and as far as I remember the brake lines were standard. I don't know about into the ABS systems. Those systems were not built by Ford and probably overseas so they might be bubble flare or metric.

Oh and Nicopp lines. You can't screw up a flare with nicopp, and with it your doing the job once because it will never rust out.

Take the old line off the truck and measure it then auto parts store-they have lengths of tube alrady flared with whatever fittings you want---------that way you won't have to spend $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on stuff you don't use every week

I did what Jerry did. My double flare tool was hit and miss on my last project. On the 53, I went to Carquest and got pre made brake line in the closest length that would work and if necessary I would buy a union. It was cheap and easy, I don't think I spent $50.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

I did what Jerry did. My double flare tool was hit and miss on my last project. On the 53, I went to Carquest and got pre made brake line in the closest length that would work and if necessary I would buy a union. It was cheap and easy, I don't think I spent $50.

That's probably the smartest way to do it, and I have used the pre-mades before. The OEM lines have all kinds of kinks & bends to them, some of which are not really needed, and if the line's 8" too long a couple of zig-zags takes care of the extra. It's just an ol' beater truck to use on the property at this point, so I don't need for the runs to look pretty. It'll likely be quicker too.