How to Flare Brake Lines

When you need to replace a section in your brake line tubing, you will to cut a section out of your brake lines. This could be due to a brake line tube being too long or simply that you have made a recent moderation to your brakes. Brakes are a highly vital part of your vehicle and should be tended to and repaired correctly.

Step 1 – Measurements and Cutting

Measure each section of line and a few extra inches before you cut each piece. It is better to leave it a little longer so that after you make your bends you can cut once more instead of coming up short. This works in a very similar way to a copper pipe cutter, used in plumbing work. Place the pipe cutter on the brake line where you need to cut it. If you need bend the pipe slightly to get the cutter in place, do not worry. You can loosen one end of it if you need to. Using the pipe cutter, place it on and spin it around. Tighten the nut on the cutter gently and then spin the cutter around the pipe a couple of times. Tighten the nut a little more and repeat until the brake line breaks into two pieces.

Step 2 - Burring

Take care to get the edge as flat as possible. If you need to use a burring file, then use that to flatten them out. Then, once you have completed your line cut, replace the fitting immediately, as this cannot be done later. Use a counter sink drill bit inside the tubing to make a cleaner hole.

Step 3 - Tubing

It is extremely important that you clamp the tubing at the exactly correct length, for the flare to come out right. Place the anvil until it is flush with the clamp. Adjust the tubing in the clamp until they are even and then tighten the wings nuts on the clamp. Tighten them as much as possible to ensure that the tubing does not move while you are creating your flare.

Step 4 - Sizing

Once you have inserted the die into the tubing you can screw the cone on the cutter until the die becomes flush with the tubing bar.

Step 5 - Flaring

Remove the die once it has been completely inserted into the tubing. Next, screw the cone into the tubing directly. This creates your flared brake line.

Step 6 - Lengths

To maintain a correct length work from one end of the line to the other and with every flare and bend, remember that you are making your line shorter. So, be aware of this before you start and you can allow plenty of length for the bends. Make sure you learn to use the tube bender correctly, otherwise you will end up with kinks rather than bends in your brake lines.