[Cragar]

I purchased a set of pre-bent brake lines but they were way off due to a disc conversion. As they are flared with fittings I’d like to use them if possible and I’ve rough shaped them to see if they might work - I now need to fit them to the car.

Best tools and method to straighten these brake lines?

The line is flared with a fitting so not sure if the multi rollers tool will work (due to the fitting and flare).

If I could lower the line for access, correct in shorter runs and not remove it from the car to straighten it that would be ideal.

 

[ExcellenceAuto]

I am going to make some brake lines soon. I will be looking to yootoube for tutorial videos on bending lines.

 

[39 master]

Quality tools is the key to doing brake lines. First is a flaring tool that can do double flairs. Next is a bender for the size brake line being used. I can't stress enough that quality tools will make the job much easier with NO leaks. Now for a little secret to do the job. Use the new style brake lines. They are nickle/copper and look like copper tubing but is approved for brake lines. It's sold by just about any auto parts store. This new brake line is a dream to work with. It's much softer making double flares easy and bending a breeze. When buying the line make sure you get the SAE version and not the metric. They look about the same but the metric nuts are a different color and the metric is a bubble flare. On line instruction and practice will bring you up to speed making new lines. Stopping is mandatory.

 

[joe_padavano]

I bought a brake line straightener from Inline Tube. I love it. Works great. I'm not a fan of the NiCopp tubing. Get quality tools and steel or stainless brake line can be bent and flared just fine.

 

[Paulz]

You can make a tube straightener pretty cheap with some flat stock and sliding patio door wheels. Works just fine on 3/16" and 1/4" stainless.

 

[kso]

For the OP I would pull out that mess and start fresh. Brake lines are too important, and too inexpensive to do properly. You can hand bend what you have to as close as you can in-place, forgetting about all the little kinks, then pull them out and duplicate them with appropriate-length pre-flared lines from the parts store if you don't want to do flaring, using a cheap bender, and do a nice job.

If you screw it up, try another. Again, the stuff is not expensive considering the job it does.

How I straighten coiled line: Pull it straight over a straight 2x4 a couple feet long, using that for a mandrel. The line will spring back to a lesser curve. Trace that curve onto the 2x4 and cut the wood to that. Now you can pull the coiled line over the curved 2x4 and it will wind up straight. Put the piece of wood on a hook on the wall for next time.

 

[RODSRUS]

Quality tools is the key to doing brake lines. First is a flaring tool that can do double flairs. Next is a bender for the size brake line being used. I can't stress enough that quality tools will make the job much easier with NO leaks. Now for a little secret to do the job. Use the new style brake lines. They are nickle/copper and look like copper tubing but is approved for brake lines. It's sold by just about any auto parts store. This new brake line is a dream to work with. It's much softer making double flares easy and bending a breeze. When buying the line make sure you get the SAE version and not the metric. They look about the same but the metric nuts are a different color and the metric is a bubble flare. On line instruction and practice will bring you up to speed making new lines. Stopping is mandatory.

Quality brake tools, particularly the correct flaring tool, cannot be emphasized too strongly. Your life depends on it. Thanks for posting that.

 

[RODSRUS]

You can make a tube straightener pretty cheap with some flat stock and sliding patio door wheels. Works just fine on 3/16" and 1/4" stainless. View attachment 629183

Quality brake tools, particularly the correct flaring tool, cannot be emphasized too strongly. Your life depends on it. Thanks for posting that.

I love the ingenuity. I bought one on-line. They won't work close to bends or ends but otherwise work very well. I used the screen rollers to make a brake line bender. Too bad these days sometimes you can find more things you can use at Home Depot that at the current "auto parts" store.

 

[Cragar]

For the OP I would pull out that mess and start fresh. Brake lines are too important, and too inexpensive to do properly. You can hand bend what you have to as close as you can in-place, forgetting about all the little kinks, then pull them out and duplicate them with appropriate-length pre-flared lines from the parts store if you don't want to do flaring, using a cheap bender, and do a nice job.

Good advice, I think this is exactly what I will do……..

 

[Eduramac]

I bought a brake line straightener from Inline Tube. I love it. Works great. I'm not a fan of the NiCopp tubing. Get quality tools and steel or stainless brake line can be bent and flared just fine.

I agree with the stainless steel.

 

[alwill923]

I have found using a piece of tig welding rod (coat hanger) to layout the routing and bends works better than trying to bend the tubing as you go. It is easy to bend the wire as required. You can re-bend the wire and get it perfect then bend the tubing to match. Tig wire is 36" long so you will have to do the wire in sections as you go. I know that doing it the first tine on the tubing does not work for me as I have managed to bend the tubing in the wrong direction, especially as the tubing gets long.

Also, keep joints to a minimum. Sometimes for complicated bends do it in sections and use a coupling but keep this to a minimum.

 

[Cragar]

I am going to make some brake lines soon. I will be looking to yootoube for tutorial videos on bending lines.

Let us know which ones are the best.

 

[MikeTudor]

I purchased a set of pre-bent brake lines but they were way off due to a disc conversion. As they are flared with fittings I’d like to use them if possible and I’ve rough shaped them to see if they might work - I now need to fit them to the car.

Best tools and method to straighten these brake lines?

The line is flared with a fitting so not sure if the multi rollers tool will work (due to the fitting and flare).

If I could lower the line for access, correct in shorter runs and not remove it from the car to straighten it that would be ideal.



View attachment 629175

It's called a tubing bender for pretty bends. I think brake lines have copper in them to make bending easier even by hand.

 

[RODSRUS]

I have found using a piece of tig welding rod (coat hanger) to layout the routing and bends works better than trying to bend the tubing as you go. It is easy to bend the wire as required. You can re-bend the wire and get it perfect then bend the tubing to match. Tig wire is 36" long so you will have to do the wire in sections as you go. I know that doing it the first tine on the tubing does not work for me as I have managed to bend the tubing in the wrong direction, especially as the tubing gets long.

Also, keep joints to a minimum. Sometimes for complicated bends do it in sections and use a coupling but keep this to a minimum.

For me years ago I got a piece of insulated copper wire (about whatever 1/8" gage is) at Home Depot. You can get whatever length you want.