What brake line is best?

[Wollfen]

I am going to be making up new brake lines for my cars as an ongoing project, so I am going to be buying coils of brake line, my question is this. What is best? Zinc plated or Copper Nickel plated? And do I use the 3/8ths tubing? I think that's the size used originally.

 

[67-Fury]

If you don't have a good flaring tool get one I bought some China made piece of S@%T and the flares came out all oblonged.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675506&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Wollfen]

If you don't have a good flaring tool get one I bought some China made piece of S@%T and the flares came out all oblonged.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675506&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Yes the flaring kit is definately worth making sure you get a good one with. Im told the US made one available at Advance Auto is good too.

 

[78Brougham]

I think you mean 3/16th's or 1/4. I think 3/8ths is for fuel line. Do yourself a favor and buy the snapon. If you're going to be making a lot of flares you'll save yourself a lot of aggravation.

 

[Yatzee]

Cupro-Nickle is the best you can buy - the price reflects this fact. The best and simplest flaring tool to use is the one at this link. Pricey yes, but a lifetime tool for every purpose:

http://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html

Does absolutely every type and angle of flare. Supper easy to use and flawless in results regardless of line material.

 

[Wollfen]

Oops I meant 3/16th yes. So copper nickel is best?

 

[bluefury361]

Oops I meant 3/16th yes. So copper nickel is best?

Never - ever use copper tube for a brake line. Vibration will crack it, high pressure will expand it.

Stainless. It's a little harder to fare and bend but is forever. Good tools such as a snap on faring tool and a rigid bender will help.

 

[78Brougham]

Never - ever use copper tube for a brake line. Vibration will crack it, high pressure will expand it.

Stainless. It's a little harder to fare and bend but is forever. Good tools such as a snap on faring tool and a rigid bender will help.

I agree, The Snapon Flare kit is like 70 bucks vs 219 for the Eastwood. I'm not saying the Eastwood isn't a good tool but with the generation of cars we have its very unlikely that you would even use half of that tool. If you want to go all out get the hydraulic Master Cool flare kit... but again you probably would never use 1/2 of it. Snapon/BluePoint has a real nice tubing bender also, I believe its a TBS300 it fits 3 sizes of tubing for making very tight radius bends and keep it looking professional. Here is a link to some pics of the benders they have.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...7575EA0DFDF9CFEC6C058A99BE0C4&selectedIndex=6

 

[1966newport]

the cooper nickel he refers is made and approved for brakelines

 

[Big_John]

I use the green stuff that NAPA sells.

 

[bluefury361]

the cooper nickel he refers is made and approved for brakelines

True. I just mentioned the copper brake line taboo in case someone miss understood that.
The copper protects the steel line from corrosion, a magnet will verify.

 

[1970cat]

I use the green stuff that NAPA sells.

x2 gentle curves can be bent by hand

 

[Fury440]

I used double wall copperized steel with galvanized zinc brake line from JEGS. Mine is black powder coated. The stuff is easy to use, flares easily and looks very nice in black.

 

[67-Fury]

You should use some of this shielding to rite? or don't you half to.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/summit-racing-armor-line-guards

 

[67-Fury]

You ever try these guys? would save some trouble.

http://www.sstubes.com/fine-lines-brake-lines#/specFilters=43m!#-!619!-#!24!#-!238!-#!25!#-!350