MG MGB and MGB GT Tech Talk
I would like to know where I can purchase the proper flare tool for the 5/16 in and the 1/4 in clutch and brake lines. I believe they are called "inverted flare" My vintage VW has similar lines, although metric, but they call them "bubble flares".
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Joe
I just made some bubble flairs for my 66 bug using a flairing kit I rented from O'Reilies auto parts. Rental was approximately $50 I got it all back when I returned the tool. If you don't return it in a week, you own the kit.
Advance & AutoZone both have the tools you need for free,,,,, and you get 90 days to return them...
Inverted are double flairs I believe & bubble flairs are simply the first step to making a double flair
Autozone charges you the retail price of the tool and then refunds it upon the return of the tool. Of course if you choose not to return it, you bought it.
John
you can buy a double flaring tool at lots of places. Amazon.com, Harbor Freight, etc. Anyplace that has tools. Be careful to read the instructions and practice on a piece of junk because it is easy to goof up and make a bad flare, breaking off part of it even.
When I first bought my B in the USA I didn't know US brake flares were different from European flares. I bought a Craftsman flaring kit and replaced a couple of brake lines using some beautiful double flares.
That was 5 years ago, many very hard miles later and they are still working just fine.........
Very divergent experiences here, makes me torn with indecision! lol
Joe
The bubble flare & the first step of the double flair are not exactly the same.
see here: http://store.fedhillusa.com/technicalhelphowtopdfs.aspx
Also, your brake & clutch lines uses a mixture of bubble & double flairs.
Steve: I see what you mean, it apprears the clutch line is double flare while the brake lines are bubble. Is this what you meant when you when you said it is a mixture? Also the "fedhillusa" pdf was most valuable, thanks.
Joe
I've been able to make a reasonable bubble type flare using a standard double flare tool but it takes a bit of alteration to the step by step. First on the tubing clamp you have one side that has a chamfer around the holes and the other side will be flat. For a bubble flare use the flat side. Then elevate the tube about twice the distance above the tool as the depth of the shoulder on the double flare instert tool. Then use the insert tool to start the tube to collapse, the design of the insert tool will keep the end of the tube from spreading. Once you get the base flattened a bit on the clamp then remove the insert and use the tapered end of the tool to bring the tube end down a bit more to form the bubble shape. With the correct backing nuts, those are absolutely necessary, I haven't had any problems with leaking connections. As shown in the fedhillusa link the backing nuts have to be the correct type or the flare will not be properly supported and may collapse under pressure.
years ago I bought a kit by Brembo I think, that has a simple tool for making the correct british flares for brake lines. The key is to use a line that isn't too awful hard.
Hap (aka Speedracer) turned me onto the black metal lines at Autozone. They flare very nicely, and are a good product. I just bought the longest straights they had, which were 6' I think, and lopped off the ends and fittings, and used the correct British fittings.
Absorbed all of this, will let you know what i end up doing and how it works. For sure I have to fabricate the line from the master cylinder to the flex hose. The one I got from Moss was WAY WAY too short, more than a foot short. I will use the new fitting on it.
Thanks again
Joe
Just a note. NAPA sells a fitting to screw into bubble flair connections to adapt a regular double flair. I started looking at that when I did my car but because nothing is stock I just used double flair for the entire car.
If you can find a hydraulic brake line flair tool they are a 1000x better then fighting the cheap generic flair tool.
I bought a Rigid double flare tool. It was almost $100 but man, does it work well. I also bought a double flare tool at Princess Auto ($40) because I was in a pickle one day. Surprisingly this tool consistently makes very good double flares.
Tim Seabrook at FedHill sells that tool but its awful pricey.
