Hard Line Twisted Searching for Thread

[Dyn Blin]

Good evening.  While I was swapping out the rear left drum cylinder,  I managed to mangle the line trying to loosen the flare nut even after soaking it PB Blaster all morning.

I thought I recalled a recent thread or post on fabbing up hard lines, but now I can't find it.   Does anyone remember it?

Trying to find the name of the non-steel line soft enough to flare and bend for this brake line fabbing neophyte.

Thanks all.

[Frank Wyatt]

It's a nickel steel line but if it were me I would get a short piece of pre-flared line of the correct size and a tubing cutter if you don't have one. Cut the line to length needed and connect the new to the old with a tubing union. That other line may be just fine but you would still need to do a proper double crimp. The patch will get you going without waiting on an order to come in. You can get a reasonably priced double crimper and practice on some left over tubing from the quick repair. It's not that hard to do with a little practice.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The cupronickel line is dead soft and bends easily.

As Frank said you'll need a double flare tool, but it will never rust because there's no iron to rust.

I can buy footage off the roll at my hometown NAPA.
Beware of the differing size tube nuts at the splitter on the axle vent block

[Rembrant]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I can buy footage off the roll at my hometown NAPA.
Beware of the differing size tube nuts at the splitter on the axle vent block

I believe the left side of the block has the bigger of the two fittings. I ran all new steel lines on mine, but I have a flaring tool and a tubing bender, so it wasn't bad. Time consuming yes, but difficult, no. We can't buy the raw soft Cupronickel lines up here. It has supposedly been outlawed, however it is still available in prefab lengths with fittings already on them.

[ArdWrknTrk]

It has a TUV in Europe.
Do you know why?

This is likely the result of incompetent s encouraged by some YouTube hype to test their work on public roads.

If there were industry lobbying, it never would have been legal to begin with

[Dyn Blin]

Thanks, all.  It indeed was the Copper/Nickel I was trying to remember.  My racer neighbor offered to lend me his Eastwood tool, so I'll jump in tonight with some line I picked up from the local NAPA this morning.

Cory- That's the one.   Your bends look good.  (Did you keep the Monroes on your rebuild?)

Jim- When I picked up the line, there were an assortment of nuts.  I could remove the inner, but I have it folded over to keep the rest of the fluid from leaking out.  I picked up  couple of 3/8.  Are you thinking it's a  1/2"-20 or 9/16"-18 SAE at the splitter?

Frank- Are you referring to the flareless "bite" type union for a temporary repair?

All the feedback is appreciated, thanks again.

[ArdWrknTrk]

As I recall the left side nut is 7/16-24

I know Dorman makes an adapter bushing for the regular 3/16" brake line.

[Rembrant]

Dyn Blin wrote

Cory- That's the one.   Your bends look good.  (Did you keep the Monroes on your rebuild?)

I was pretty careful with all of my bends and measurements. I was trying to make them look like factory run lines. I was a little more fussy than usual on the rear axle only because people have a tendency to look under there...lol. The one running left to right under the engine did not get as much effort.

Yes sir, same shocks are still on there.

[Frank Wyatt]

Yes on the union. It has some ferrules that make the leak proof seal once tightened down. I've had to make temporary repairs before on lines that got holes in them from rubbing where they shouldn't have. One time on a transmission line. They have worked well for me.

[ArdWrknTrk]

This kit has the required 7/16-24 tube nuts for the left side.
25' of copper/nickle tubing, and other assorted nuts too.

4LIFETIMELINES Copper-Nickel Brake Line Tubing Coil and Fitting Kit - 3/16 Inch, 25 Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BMZ5FV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BgDrEbYNZNRK9

[Dyn Blin]

Thanks Jim.  That's about a buck cheaper per foot than what I paid at the the local Napa, &the nuts are a bonus.  

I ended up picking a handy little double flare tool by Titan.  It worked really well.   If I had that first,  I likely could have fixed the mangled line while leaving it on truck.  It fits in the ammo-can toolbox behind the seat:

https://www.titan-us.com/default.aspx?itemcode=51535&Page=item+detail

[ArdWrknTrk]

You're welcome.  

I ran into it while taking a deep dive into my Amazon purchase history looking for the OBS door locks I installed in my truck.

Since I had it right there, I decided to hit the share icon and drop it in this thread for anyone who may read this in the future.