Making brake pipes

[beagle]

Hi again, I am having trouble with my brake lines.

I have just replaced all of the brake pipes on my R4 "Savanne".

When I connected my Easybleed kit, fluid started to drip out of several of the joins! I have made these lines my self with a fairly good quality flaring tool, the ends looked quite good and I am certain I have the correct fittings and flare type.

How tight should they be done up? It gets to a point when you are just squashing the copper flare and I'm not sure if I should carry on. Also do you ever use a plumbing type sealant on the treads?

Any help much appreicated.
Tim

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Tim, what type of flaring tool did you use? Did you use the same flares as on the old pipes? Are the nuts the correct thread?

The nuts need to be quite tight. If tightening a copper pipe with a single flare then you will feel when it has sealed. I have made hundreds of brake pipes in my time and have never had a leak.

 

[beagle]

I'm using one made by lazer it's a sort of middle of the range one. I used it for my landrover and it was fine.

It does seem quite worrying as there must be something quite wrong for it to leak. One thing I did do was cut the pipes using a hack saw and filed them flat as opposed to using a pipe cutter.

I think I'll take them off and start again, this will allow me to reinspect the flares. I'm sure the threads and flares are correct as I took all the compopents into the shop and trial fitted everything. It's the single flare ones at the back causing trouble, esspecially into the brake proportioning valve (very fiddly).

I think I may have overtightened them if that is possible.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

I've never heard of the Lazer tool. I've always used a Sykes Pickavant. If you've used your tool successfuly on the Land Rover then the single flares on the R4 should be ok. It's either that you have not tightened them enough or you are not using male nuts with the correct thread. On my R4 GTL there is a mixture of UNF and Metric so it's wise to double check. I doubt whether you have overtightened the nuts.

I have always cut my pipes with a junior hacksaw, filed flat and removed the burrs from the inside of the pipe.

 

[reidalpine]

Hi Tim! Make absolutely sure the ends are cut nice and 'flat' or the
fittings won't get them tight.

Get rid of any/all flanges,ridges etc. at pipeends before you tighten the fittings.
-use a small round file inside pipe to remove All small parts/debris blow it all out so it won't end up ruining the brakecylinders.Use a flat file at ends of pipes. One such part could be enough to make it leak (use very fine grade files)
-R.

 

[beagle]

Thanks a lot fot the tips, I'll post some pic of the pipes when I get them off. I have a feeling I didn't file them smooth enought. I used a borrowed pipe cutter last time, I have seen some on eBay for only a few pounds has any one had any experience of these cheap cutters?

 

[reidalpine]

I've used a pipe-cutter costing the princely sum of 99.p and it worked
as should. Soft copper-pipes are no problem,just don't screw the pipecutter Too much at once-a drop of oil on the cut will help get it smooth as silk. -R.

 

[malcolm]

I should imagine it's the filing that caused the problem. The cheapest of the cheap works for copper (it's only when you get into cuprinol or worse, steel that they can be a problem).

No ammount of filing can get the mating surface clean. Go with a pipe cutter and after the pipe is touching screw in another turn to make it seal. Also don't use oil on brake pipes. Could contaminate the fluid.

 

[angel]

he threads on flare fittings do absolutely nothing in terms of fluid sealing! It's only the flare's job.
I have also a Laser tool and it has worked fine, however I have noticed that it makes off-center flares if you are too careless. Maybe this could be your problem?

 

[paulandpat]

Well worth buying a pipe cutter methinks. Make the job so much easier, and not so much chance of cutting yourself. I always put the various cuts and grazes down to being left handed, most tools seem only to be designed for right handers!

 

[beagle]

Rate my brake pipes!

Well I took the pipes off and the first picture shows what the problem was. The end of the pipe was actually half way up the connecter. Looks like my flares must have been poor and overtightened.

The next two pics show my second attempt, can anyone see any problems?

Tim

p.s brought a 99p pipe cutter and it broke on the second go. I then splashed out on o £9 sykes picavant one and it's great, looks just the same but works so much better.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

In my opinion your flaring tool does not produce good quality flares and the ridging on the pipe should not be there at all and it appears to make to pipe weaker. I would be very concerned driving a car that had pipes made from this tool.

 

[pepper]

I agree with Steve, I've never seen ridging like that on pipes before!! I always borrow my friends proper flaring tool if I need to redo my pipes, to replace his its over £120

 

[beagle]

Thanks for you opinions guys. Making brake lines is proving to be an expensive hobby. Think i'll look out for a professional tool on ebay. Meanwhile I'll just cut the pipes to length and get my local garage to flare them.