Anyone know what a good brake pipe flare should look like?

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thetim

Well-Known Member
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379
I'm attempting to learn to form brake pipe flares, courtesy of an ancient Sykes-Pickavant flaring tool and a friend's pipe cutter. Does this look a) good, b) good enough, c) good gracious no?
Thanks in advance.
upload_2017-6-17_10-29-17.png

upload_2017-6-17_10-29-50.png
 
I've got to forget it at least once - it's a rite of passage, no?
Here's what my male flare looks like:
upload_2017-6-17_10-50-52.png
upload_2017-6-17_10-52-8.png
 
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What @jamesmartin said, not bad at all .. at least they're even, unlike most of mine and I ain't had a flare go wrong yet. I guess there's a lot of leeway, the flares being made from relatively soft materials that will conform to each other when tightened into the joint.
 
That's really encouraging - there's some margin for error. I think I'll make sure my pipe runs have a bit of slack in them near the end, just in case I have to cut off and remake.

Finally, here's what the male looked like once I'd tightened it down into the fitting on a brake caliper. It's totally reshaped to match the cone angle on the caliper, not surprisingly. Is this the normal way to create this profile?

upload_2017-6-17_11-40-24.png
 
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thetim said:
That's really encouraging - there's some margin for error. I think I'll make sure my pipe runs have a bit of slack in them near the end, just in case I have to cut off and remake.
Click to expand...

If you do "over-cut" to allow for a few mistakes, make sure that when you fit the new pipe you take extra care to strap the excess down securely. Many brake line failures have been due to vibration causing metal fatigue at the end fittings.

Flossie said:
Thems luvley.
Are you using a bit of brake grease (red) on the tool?
Click to expand...

As @Flossie has already asked, "Are you using a brake grease on the flaring tool?" When I first bought a flaring tool, it came with a small tube of a special grease, I think it was white, but the colour is of no consequence as long as it's a grease especially for this job and any excess which might be left on the pipe will mix with and not damage or degrade the hydraulic fluid when the brakes are repaired.
 
Noted re: the grease and the excess length - thankyou. On these practice flares on pipe offcuts, I've used the lightest smear of old engine oil. I'm off out to get some supplies (the welder didn't quite run out of gas this morning, but only because it ran out of wire first) so I'll see if I can get some suitable grease while I'm at it.
 
thetim said:
That's really encouraging - there's some margin for error. I think I'll make sure my pipe runs have a bit of slack in them near the end, just in case I have to cut off and remake.

Finally, here's what the male looked like once I'd tightened it down into the fitting on a brake caliper. It's totally reshaped to match the cone angle on the caliper, not surprisingly. Is this the normal way to create this profile?

View attachment 125769
Click to expand...
id say thats been over tightened
 
Yes, they just need enough torque so that the elasticity of the metal pipe is providing the seal, a bit like with compression joints on domestic plumbing. That's why a soft metal like copper is often preferred (yes I know a lot of people on here sing the praises of cunifer, but that's fairly soft too). Fill the system and try the brakes and you can always tighten another half a turn or so if need be. Brake fluid has evolved over the years so as to flow very readily through small spaces so it will creep out wherever it can. The other thing I try to watch out for is swarf finding its way down the tube - I prefer one of those tube cutters with a little wheel in it rather than a hacksaw.

They certainly look like perfectly adequate flares to me. Looks like a decent professional tool rather than the cheap Machine Mart ones that tend to chew the pipe up a bit.
 
Flares look good. As others have said the caliper formed one has been overtightened.

I've had good results using Ceratex grease on mine when forming them
 
thetim said:
That's really encouraging - there's some margin for error. I think I'll make sure my pipe runs have a bit of slack in them near the end, just in case I have to cut off and remake.

Finally, here's what the male looked like once I'd tightened it down into the fitting on a brake caliper. It's totally reshaped to match the cone angle on the caliper, not surprisingly. Is this the normal way to create this profile?

View attachment 125769
Click to expand...

Think you may have over tightened that a little.:D:D
 
Thankyou all - and yes, I tightened it to death until it wouldn't compress any more! I've made my first pipe now and was a little more circumspect with it.
 
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