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Brake Flare Tool Recommendation
SteveWallace - 20/5/16 at 05:14 PM

I'm after a relatively budget brake flare tool as I probably won't use it on more than one or two cars.

At the moment I'm restoring a 1949 MG TC and I want to replace all of the old copper brake lines with 1/4" Cunifer and imperial fittings, using double flares.

What brake flaring tool would the good folk on here recommend?

joneh - 20/5/16 at 05:39 PM

I got the cheap one from Toolstation for £13.50.

You have to be careful ensuring everything is level when winding and use plenty of red rubber grease but otherwise it's done my car OK.

big_wasa - 20/5/16 at 05:45 PM

Sykes-Pickavent Flaremaster 2

But you may not think the £99~£130 is budget

gremlin1234 - 20/5/16 at 05:46 PM

are you going to be using it on the bench, or 'in situ' ie under the car?

Edwardo - 20/5/16 at 05:57 PM

I ended up buying the Sykes-Pickavent £130 jobbie as I couldn't get it right with any of the cheap crappy ones.

You're more than welcome to borrow it. I'm in Rugby (CV21 1JE) if you know anybody passing this way?

Cheers
Tony

[Edited on 20/5/16 by Edwardo]

nickm - 20/5/16 at 06:23 PM

Hi
I have used the portable one from Car Builder Solutions with the red handles bought it years ago (£25 ish). Its always worked for me just leave an extra inch of pipe and if you dont like the look of the flare cut it off and start again. it can be used on the car as well not vice mounted. I always do a practice run if i havent used it for a while.
Alternatively some motorfactors will flare the pipes for u for a price.

Nick M

rusty nuts - 20/5/16 at 06:39 PM

Most of the budget flaring tools I've seen are either rubbish or won't do 1/4" pipe . The SP is a professional tool , expensive but well worth the investment if you are likely to use it a lot but not sure if it's worth it just for one or two cars

Toprivetguns - 20/5/16 at 06:58 PM

When it comes to brakes it's worth spending a few extra quid, after all they make you stop.
Think about if the repairs are in situ or on the bench. I learnt this lesson first hand and vowed never to buy cheap again.

hizzi - 20/5/16 at 07:04 PM

ive had evrythkng from cheap ebay jobs right up to snap on, the two sykes ones are by far the best. buy the bench mounted one you can add dies of different sizes as you need them. the basic g clamp type will struggle with kunifer

mackei23b - 20/5/16 at 07:08 PM

I've used a Draper one OK

http://www.bamfordtrading.com/products/37870-37870---draper-37870-bpfkit-draper-7-piece-brake-pipe-flaring-tool-kit.html?gclid=CPKm1sys6cwCFdS7GwodNsk B8g

Cheers

Ian

daviep - 20/5/16 at 08:29 PM

I've got 2x Sykes (1turret &1 old style), I also have the Draper one above but my favourite for automotive work is this type

flaring tool

Easy to use on bench or insitu

Cheers
Davie

mark chandler - 20/5/16 at 09:05 PM

I,ve got one like that Bond job, it's really good as you can run in the pipes then finish off in situ. I have to practice on a couple of odd bits to sort out the right length before starting and use plenty of lubricant.

britishtrident - 21/5/16 at 05:16 AM

In nearly 50 years I have used a variety of braking flaring tools, for most of those I used a Sykes-Pickavant vise mounted lever press type which produced beautiful flares and lasted a more than half lifetime but just wasn't convient to use so I replaced it a couple of years ago and gave it to a friend who had bought a Sealey hand held type that wasn't up to the job.

These days I used a Powerhand hand held on car type it will easily produce SAE single and double flares in standard steel Bundy brake pipe on or off the car.
This type are available in other brand names on eBay from about £33. A very solid tool and easy to set up it is much superior to the slightly cheaper red handled type.

Brake Pipe Flaring Tool Powerhand PH-BFT-316 3/16"

[Edited on 21/5/16 by britishtrident]

David Jenkins - 21/5/16 at 05:26 AM

That's roughly what I used - my kit is quite ancient and doesn't have the handle - but it would be a lot easier to use with one!

It will produce very good flares (I've never had one leak since installation, 11 years ago) but it does need some practice before using it in anger, especially if the real job involves lying on your back under a car. I'd recommend getting a few spare pieces of tube and making a few test flares until it all makes sense.

rusty nuts - 21/5/16 at 06:07 AM

I have 2 of the Bond style flaring tools metric and imperial BUT as the OP wants to use 1/4" pipe they will be no good for him.

David Jenkins - 21/5/16 at 07:21 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I have 2 of the Bond style flaring tools metric and imperial BUT as the OP wants to use 1/4" pipe they will be no good for him.


Missed that bit!

rusty nuts - 21/5/16 at 12:58 PM

Should have gone to Specsavers!

David Jenkins - 21/5/16 at 01:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Should have gone to Specsavers!


I did... and I won't be going there again! (but that's a different tale, for another time...)

SteveWallace - 21/5/16 at 05:32 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. As usual, this forum is the font of all knowledge.

On reflection, I think that I've made a rod for my own back by going for 1/4" cunifer. If I had gone for copper I could have used one of the cheapo flaring tools, but there's no way that they are going to work with cunifer (I struggled with one with copper on the Viento). However, unlike modern cars, TC's only have a single circuit braking system, so if one bit fails - no brakes - so cunifer is preferred. I've gone for 1/4" for originality of dimensions.

Edwardo - thanks very much for the offer, I might well take you up on that as I do occasionally drive past Rugby myself and I don't actually need to do them for a while. I'll be in touch if I still need one the next time that I'm going to be in the area.

I might also have a word with a couple of local garages to see if they have one that I can borrow, although I suspect that flaring brake pipes is a dying art.

I suppose that I could just by an expensive one myself - I'm probably kidding myself that the last car that I build will be the TC, although I'm going to need a bigger garage as well if my addiction continues as I cannot see myself selling the Veinto

[Edited on 21/5/16 by SteveWallace]

rusty nuts - 21/5/16 at 06:10 PM

If you do decide to get the Sykes tool I believe the basic tool will only come with the dies for 3/16" pipes , the top of the range covers several sizes of pipes . It's possible to update the basic model to cover the pipe size s you need

motorcycle_mayhem - 21/5/16 at 06:31 PM

I have what is often described on Ebay as a 'Vintage Moprod Brake Flaring Tool'.
I purchased one of these in my student days and have used it irregularly ever since over many years. It's light, simple, easy to wield and above all has reliably produced nothing but perfect flares everytime in steel and Kunifer pipe.

If you find one of these for sale anywhere, it would serve you well.

sdh2903 - 21/5/16 at 06:54 PM

I have one of these

Is fine for copper and kunifer although does take a bit more effort with kunifer. Have also used for putting ends on 3/8 fuel pipe again no probs.

NEW Genuine LASER 3434 | Flaring Tool - In Situ

[Edited on 21/5/16 by sdh2903]

daviep - 21/5/16 at 07:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I have 2 of the Bond style flaring tools metric and imperial BUT as the OP wants to use 1/4" pipe they will be no good for him.


Do you mean he can't have yours or that they are not available in 1/4" ????

Hand Held Brake Pipe Flaring Tool For 1/4" SAE Brake/FuelPipes PH-BFT-14/T413701 to ebay £33 inc. delivery seems reasonable to me.

Cheers
Davie

SteveWallace - 22/5/16 at 03:33 PM



Do you mean he can't have yours or that they are not available in 1/4" ????

Hand Held Brake Pipe Flaring Tool For 1/4" SAE Brake/FuelPipes PH-BFT-14/T413701 to ebay £33 inc. delivery seems reasonable to me.

Cheers
Davie


I've just looked at the YouTube video for using this tool in the following thread on here.

It looks like just what I need (SAE double flares) and at the right price, but it almost looks too easy to be true compared to the not much cheaper G-clamp and bar type Draper tools that I've tried to use in the past.

I might well get one and report back. You can't have too many tools!

LCB brake flare thread

rusty nuts - 22/5/16 at 04:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by daviep
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I have 2 of the Bond style flaring tools metric and imperial BUT as the OP wants to use 1/4" pipe they will be no good for him.


Do you mean he can't have yours or that they are not available in 1/4" ????

Hand Held Brake Pipe Flaring Tool For 1/4" SAE Brake/FuelPipes PH-BFT-14/T413701 to ebay £33 inc. delivery seems reasonable to me.

Cheers
Davie


No he can't have mine ! By the time you have brought the Bond type for metric, imperial and for 1/4" your nearly at the price for the basic SP kit and 1/4" dies which will handle steel pipes all day long but not very good for doing pipes whilst on the car .

britishtrident - 22/5/16 at 05:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
I have what is often described on Ebay as a 'Vintage Moprod Brake Flaring Tool'.
I purchased one of these in my student days and have used it irregularly ever since over many years. It's light, simple, easy to wield and above all has reliably produced nothing but perfect flares everytime in steel and Kunifer pipe.

If you find one of these for sale anywhere, it would serve you well.


They were good tools.
The Powerhand/Draper tool is essentially a modernised version of the old Moprod Tool with the handy improvement of having a handle rather than having to fiddle with a second spanner when working under the car.

SteveWallace - 26/7/16 at 08:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by daviep
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I have 2 of the Bond style flaring tools metric and imperial BUT as the OP wants to use 1/4" pipe they will be no good for him.


Do you mean he can't have yours or that they are not available in 1/4" ????

Hand Held Brake Pipe Flaring Tool For 1/4" SAE Brake/FuelPipes PH-BFT-14/T413701 to ebay £33 inc. delivery seems reasonable to me.

Cheers
Davie


Time to report back. I bought one of these and I have to say that its really good and much easier to use than the one that I used to have. Aside from my first couple of practice flares, every one has been perfect, or as near to as makes no difference and that's with cunifer, which is much harder than copper. I found that the secret is to clamp the end of the pipe in the tool the wrong way around first and then file the rough cut end until its flush with the tool. This ensures a nice square end.

The only down side is that it only does one diameter of pipe, but I knew that that would be the case.

micksalt - 27/7/16 at 08:32 AM

I used the Powerhand for 3/16" and every flare including the practice flare was perfect. One of those tools that are an absolute joy to use

mcerd1 - 27/7/16 at 09:11 AM

I've always used my dads ancient Sykes pickavant one (mounted in the vice) it's got to be 50 to 60 years old but has all the bits so can do 3/16" , 1/4" and even 5/16"
It might not be the most convenient thing, but it's extremely reliable

If you're careful about picking one that has all it's bits then you can get these ancient ones in good condition off eBay etc. for about half the cost of a decent modern alternative...