CK5
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Brake fuel line ?
- Thread starter dangerdog
- Start date
I haven't put any on my vehicles yet,but a friend who runs a auto repair shop loves the stuff..he does a LOT of brake line replacements every month,goes thru at least two rolls of the 3/16 and 1/4" stuff if not more in that time period..I like it too,and feel its worth the extra $$$ ,especially if your planning on keeping the vehicle,and you don't want to repeat the job ever again..
It flares much easier and is less likely to kink or break when you bend it..he stated his hands would be "dead" after using the double flaring tool to do all the flares on a typical vehicle--often he ends up replacing every line from the master cylinder back on vehicles,because they all have at least one rusty spot that looked risky to leave intact..
The only drawback he has noted with the copper/nickel line is once you torque down the nut fitting,the tubing compresses into the nut and if you try unscrewing it later to replace a wheel cylinder,or other part,it tends to wind up and twist off the line rather than spin freely in the fitting..so you leave a little slack in case it needs to come off someday,and a new nut flared onto it..no big deal,because steel lines rarely ever unscrew after they have been on awhile without doing the same thing..
I bought two rolls of the green coated brake line tubing in 3/16" and 1/4" from a flea market vendor for $14 and $16 each this past year,and used most of the 1/4" roll to replace the long rear brake line on my '81 G-10 van in one piece,my '85 K-10 Burb needs that one done now,it popped last time I moved it..
If I hadn't already bought those rolls,I would have gone for the copper/nickel stuff,the guy started selling that at the flea market not long after I bought the green coated rolls...
In the past I just put those ready made brake lines with the fittings already installed on my vehicles,but they rot thru in so short a time ,I feel its not worth using them--they cost more,and flaring your own lines isn't that hard,but they are "convenient"...I did all the lines on my '82 GMC in late 2011 and they are getting scary looking in places --I have had them pop in less than 2 years before ..(usually in the middle of winter,of course)..
The bulk rolls of tubing are thicker walls and resist rusting better,but even the coated ones rust thru around here in 5 years or so--the copper/nickel ones will likely outlast the vehicle,or the owner..
I say it every time--it should be law that all vehicles should have either copper/nickel or stainless brake,fuel,and transmission cooler lines,especially where road salt is used..I dont see how they get away with using the recycled steel crap they put on at the factory..
It flares much easier and is less likely to kink or break when you bend it..he stated his hands would be "dead" after using the double flaring tool to do all the flares on a typical vehicle--often he ends up replacing every line from the master cylinder back on vehicles,because they all have at least one rusty spot that looked risky to leave intact..
The only drawback he has noted with the copper/nickel line is once you torque down the nut fitting,the tubing compresses into the nut and if you try unscrewing it later to replace a wheel cylinder,or other part,it tends to wind up and twist off the line rather than spin freely in the fitting..so you leave a little slack in case it needs to come off someday,and a new nut flared onto it..no big deal,because steel lines rarely ever unscrew after they have been on awhile without doing the same thing..
I bought two rolls of the green coated brake line tubing in 3/16" and 1/4" from a flea market vendor for $14 and $16 each this past year,and used most of the 1/4" roll to replace the long rear brake line on my '81 G-10 van in one piece,my '85 K-10 Burb needs that one done now,it popped last time I moved it..
If I hadn't already bought those rolls,I would have gone for the copper/nickel stuff,the guy started selling that at the flea market not long after I bought the green coated rolls...
In the past I just put those ready made brake lines with the fittings already installed on my vehicles,but they rot thru in so short a time ,I feel its not worth using them--they cost more,and flaring your own lines isn't that hard,but they are "convenient"...I did all the lines on my '82 GMC in late 2011 and they are getting scary looking in places --I have had them pop in less than 2 years before ..(usually in the middle of winter,of course)..
The bulk rolls of tubing are thicker walls and resist rusting better,but even the coated ones rust thru around here in 5 years or so--the copper/nickel ones will likely outlast the vehicle,or the owner..
I say it every time--it should be law that all vehicles should have either copper/nickel or stainless brake,fuel,and transmission cooler lines,especially where road salt is used..I dont see how they get away with using the recycled steel crap they put on at the factory..
Ned Kelly
1/2 ton status
Great stuff. Used since the 1970's on many high end European cars.
It is rated for both fuel and brake line use. Longevity is not an issue.
Very easy to work with.
http://agscompany.com/product-category/brake-fuel-transmission-lines/nicopp/
On a side note, my friend did all his brake and fuel lines in stainless steel....he was crying by the time he finished. Even with quality flaring and bending tools...he said he'll NEVER use stainless again! That stuff is so hard to work with, makes steel line seem easy.
It is rated for both fuel and brake line use. Longevity is not an issue.
Very easy to work with.
http://agscompany.com/product-category/brake-fuel-transmission-lines/nicopp/
On a side note, my friend did all his brake and fuel lines in stainless steel....he was crying by the time he finished. Even with quality flaring and bending tools...he said he'll NEVER use stainless again! That stuff is so hard to work with, makes steel line seem easy.
Yes,stainless is brutal to flare,and you cant really "bend" it much either,before it cracks in half...a friend once bought stainless steel brake lines for an old Nova ,that came "folded up" in a short box for shipping purposes--most of them broke when he went to straighten them out to install them!..and he was being as gentle as possible..
He ended up having to splice them together with a coupler nut and he said "flaring that stuff is brutal"..had to put the tool in the vise,and use a cheater pipe on the flare tool handle to get it to flare,and it didn't come out perfect and wanted to keep oozing fluid out until he tightened the hell out of the line nuts..stainless may be "permanent" but it does have its drawbacks too..one is the price,the other is its a bitch to install "OEM" looking lines without taking the body off the frame on most vehicles..
I recall another friend buying a 1973 Volvo 140 decades ago,it was almost 30 years old,yet the original "Terne" brake lines on it still looked like new..they looked like they were dipped in lead,and there was no rust on them anywhere...
He ended up having to splice them together with a coupler nut and he said "flaring that stuff is brutal"..had to put the tool in the vise,and use a cheater pipe on the flare tool handle to get it to flare,and it didn't come out perfect and wanted to keep oozing fluid out until he tightened the hell out of the line nuts..stainless may be "permanent" but it does have its drawbacks too..one is the price,the other is its a bitch to install "OEM" looking lines without taking the body off the frame on most vehicles..
I recall another friend buying a 1973 Volvo 140 decades ago,it was almost 30 years old,yet the original "Terne" brake lines on it still looked like new..they looked like they were dipped in lead,and there was no rust on them anywhere...
Thanks for the feedback. I have started to run my break lines with it. As far as flaring it. I bought a hydraulic flaring tool. Works awesome. I was told not to let anything rub on it as it will rub thru pretty easy. Still not decided whether I am going to use it for fuel or go with braided.
Steel lines will rub thru fairly quickly too,if they are up against something --my 5/16" tranny cooler lines didn't last long after they were touching the front drive shaft on my truck,I happened to notice them being rubbed almost completely thru when I was under the truck adjusting toe in after replacing the tie rods..
They didn't leak until I brushed against them,the metal was paper thin and ruptured as soon as I moved them!..was glad I spotted that then,instead of having them pop on the road somewhere..
I'd use the nickel/copper or plain copper tubing for the fuel line,not rubber or braided hose..ethanol eats all rubber eventually and swells it up or turns it gooey,even hoses rated for it I have seen go sour..
I have used 3/8" copper tubing on my diesel pickup's fuel line and used only short rubber sections of hose to connect it to the fuel tank and filter up on the firewall...the engine has started much better since I "deleted" the OEM steel lines that looked like they were coated with barnacles and weepy...air was probably getting in thru the porous areas of the original line..copper wont rust,but it does turn green fast--looks scary,but it doesn't affect its function..
I sprayed some clear enamel over the copper before I installed it ,it helped delay the green stuff from forming,but didn't last all that long..
They didn't leak until I brushed against them,the metal was paper thin and ruptured as soon as I moved them!..was glad I spotted that then,instead of having them pop on the road somewhere..
I'd use the nickel/copper or plain copper tubing for the fuel line,not rubber or braided hose..ethanol eats all rubber eventually and swells it up or turns it gooey,even hoses rated for it I have seen go sour..
I have used 3/8" copper tubing on my diesel pickup's fuel line and used only short rubber sections of hose to connect it to the fuel tank and filter up on the firewall...the engine has started much better since I "deleted" the OEM steel lines that looked like they were coated with barnacles and weepy...air was probably getting in thru the porous areas of the original line..copper wont rust,but it does turn green fast--looks scary,but it doesn't affect its function..
I sprayed some clear enamel over the copper before I installed it ,it helped delay the green stuff from forming,but didn't last all that long..
