Brake lines

[A Levreault]

Replacing all brake lines. What’s the best and easiest?

[Nmbr1GMfan]

https://www.eastwood.com/professiona...caAuK-EALw_wcB

Add the 37 degree flare head if you want a JIC style fitting.

[A Levreault]

What material is easiest to work with and safe?

[Nmbr1GMfan]

I used stainless lines, only thing I wished I had done was also used stainless ends not coated steel ends.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by A Levreault

What material is easiest to work with and safe?

Earlier this year I made new brake and fuel lines for an older street strip hot rod type car I had building for too many years. I used the Ni-Cop tubing, which is a nickle copper alloy. It flares and bends easier than the typical steel tubing, costs a fair bit more than the bulk steel rolls, but the cost was worth it to me, due to the ease of forming. On my car, I did not remove the body from the frame, so installing ,bending, and flaring the lines meant working in some fairly tight spaces. I also used an inline flaring tool, which was nicer to make good, consistent double flares than the older multi hole bar style, plus the inline flaring tool is more compact, for trying to make flares in tight quarters. I did install rubber lined ADEL style mounting clamps every 8 inches or so along the lines.

[CMcAllister]

The best all around choice is the zinc coated steel line, typically called "bundyflex" in the old days. NAPA keeps it. Some of the others may or may not have it. Comes in a 25' roll at the auto parts. Roll it out and cut it to length. Better than grabbing a bunch of lengths and splices and cobbling it all together. Stiff enough that it holds it's shape when bent or straightened. Cheaper than stainless. Plenty adequate for what we do.

The green and the copper stuff is intended to be corrosion resistant for areas where they use salt on the roads. It is soft and easy to bend so DIY guys rolling around in their driveway replacing rusted brake lines can get it installed with minimum tools and effort.The problem with that is, it's soft. It's flimsy and won't hold it's shape well as you bend it or try to form it to look nice..

Stainless is nice, but overkill IMO, unless you are going to polish it up. And it is harder to work with.

Unless you are on a tight budget, everything gets done with 37* AN sleeve and nut hardware. Bulkheads to go through panels and tabs to hold it in place and provide a connection for hoses. Tees, bulkheads, adapters available for anything you may need to do. Just all around better than the auto parts SAE stuff. -3 Teflon hoses and steel or stainless ends for flex connections.

On a stock body restomod, S/SS type deal, I like to run everything inside the car as much as possible. Less clutter under the car and it's protected from damage. 3/16 cushioned clamps can be hard to find. I like a quality nylon clamp. Less bulky than a cushioned style steel clamp.

The Mastercool hydraulic flare tool with 37* tooling can't be beat. Other less expensive tools work fine. Get one that is for 37 degrees flares. The trick to nice flares is the prep before trying to flare it. Cut square and deburred inside and out with a little lube on the dies.

[Kenney Kelley]

I thought Brake Line Flares are 45 Degree AN fittings are 37 degree.

Kenney Kelley

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Kenney Kelley

I thought Brake Line Flares are 45 Degree AN fittings are 37 1/2 degree.

Kenney Kelley

SAE auto parts stuff is 45. JIC/AN aircraft type is 37. If you're building it from scratch, you can make it whatever as long as you use the correct hardware.

[SSGT Mustang]

I use -3 AN nuts and ferrules on the ends and a Rigid 377 flaring tool. That flaring tool is awesome.

[CMcAllister]

The Ridgid 36177 3/16 tube bender is a great tool to have as well.