Re: Copper Nickel Brake Line

Posted by HH56 On 2021/5/30 16:06:10

Flaring takes a good quality tool and some skill to do a proper job with the double flares used on brake lines. So far making a decent flare even with a pro flaring tool has not been one of my skilsets but maybe you will have better luck.

I did use Cupronickel tubing on a new fuel line and while it does bend easier than steel, it still requires some work and finesse.

Rather than tempt fate flaring brake lines I chose to join a couple of lengths to make the long run to the rear. Napa and most parts stores have or at least did have any number of different lengths of coated steel lines. On the 56, brake lines run on the frame but up close to the body. I used two lengths to reach the back and sized them so the inline tubing connector that would join the two lengths fell almost in line with a body outrigger. I was able to position the connector above an outrigger where it is almost invisible and the few extra inches I had to absorb to get that position were taken care of with a couple of creative or slightly generous bends at the ends.

On the 47 I used a premade set of stainless lines supplied by the vendor Kanter uses. As you mentioned, those are a real pain to bend. There are some spots that is very hard to work a length of tubing through when trying to feed the prebent shape around or thru items if the body is on and keep it more or less the same shape. Some hard to remove component -- mostly in front and suspension related -- bolted on the frame will invariably be in the way. It was definitely easier to work and bend the regular straight steel as needed rather than try to unbend and rebend stainless.