Brake pipe tool kits

[DIYspanner]

Is there a good general purpose kit for all cars ? .....albeit we have mainly VW and Ford in our family fleet.

Sadly none of the motor factors now make pipes now so I need to consider stocking up.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Is there a good general purpose kit for all cars ? .....albeit we have mainly VW and Ford in our family fleet.

Sadly none of the motor factors now make pipes now so I need to consider stocking up.

The cheap sets will only flare copper. So no use for flaring on the car to join existing pipes. Ok if you are renewing whole lengths of pipes..

A brake pipe is a brake pipe, not individual to any make of car. The only difference being the unions needed. Mostly standard metric, but not always, especially some Mazda, some older fiat, anything non metric, and larger metric, with standard pipe bore, as used often on abs pumps etc.

Under no circumstances attempt to use compression fittings as some (eBay and similar) suppliers try and sell. They WILL fail MOT tests.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Laser 4048 for example is the "type" of tool you need. Lots of other better priced equivalents available, but generally around £100

 

[Stivino]

I've got a Sykes Pickavant flaring tool which is good for almost everything. It's sometimes even possible to use it to make ends while the pipe is on the car. I've had it a while and didn't pay anything like the £360 it's going for on Amazon.
I've got one of this style, too. I use it to make ends with the pipe on the car, but only if I can't get the bigger one on. It's always made a nice flare.
I've always found these to be not up to par, I don't have one and, I wouldn't recommend them.
Have a look on eBay and Gumtree and you might find a bargain.

 

[cdbe]

I've used this style to join new copper section to existing steel on the car. Practiced on copper and was a bit apprehensive about it working with the harder steel but it was absolutely fine and my first go at it.

 

[Avocet]

The first thing to do is find out what kind of flares your cars have. The two common ones are DIN and SAE. The cheaper tools seem to do SAE. Most European cars use DIN.

Flaring Hard Brake Lines Made Easy

With Some Practice, You Can Flare Lines with Flair One of the most difficult little detail jobs in the mechanics of building a vehicle is creating custom length hard brake lines. For all but the most popular models, you eventually have to custom bend, cut, and flare hard metal lines to plumb the...

shop.wilwood.com

After that, you just have to bite the bullet. I've got one of these:

Laser 6728 Brake Pipe Flaring Tool 5018341067281 | eBay

Hand held brake flaring tool for use on the vehicle. Suitable for copper, copper-nickel & steel brake pipes.

www.ebay.co.uk

(Although I don't think I paid £100 for it!) and it works well. It does copper with great ease and copper-nickel - which it also does quite easily. I've used it once or twice for steel pipe on the car, and that's quite hard work, but it does produce an acceptable flare.

 

[Stivino]

This site also gives a good explanation of the different types of flares, and ends needed.
It explains the differrence between the ends, because although they both look very similar, and have the same thread, one is threaded to the end, and the other isn't.
They are not interchangeable.