Brake Line Flaring

[joelpsmith 1]

I'm was trying to put new compensators on my car today and inevitably the unions wouldn't come undone and the nuts started to round off, despite me going to buy the correct brake line spanner and some plus gas.

 

So my next plan is to get a brake line flaring kit and renew the unions. I have done a search and got a lot of info but i still have a couple of questions.

 

Will it be possible to just do the unions for the compensator while the rest of the line is still on the car? The line was replaced last year at a garage and is still in very good condition. and what type of flare do i need, single or double? a search seemed to return conflicting opinions on this, so does anyone know for certain.

[dani959 0]

Should be possible (although not the easiest job) to do with the line in the car. You might find that it gets too short and you may need to change one of the lines (front or rear of compensator). If you get a pipe cutter (3-4 quid from B Q) makes the job A LOT easier.

 

Single flares everywhere on the 205...

 

Good Luck

[Guest smokinslim]

Was trying to fit compensators to my lines to go with the 1.9 brakes. Tried 3 or 4 different flaring tools, copper and alloy pipe. Whatever i did couldn't get the pipes to seal on the compensators. Was getting well f*cked off with it, went n had some braided lines made up in the end - plug n play pretty much, soooooooo much easier.

[Jrod 7]

You do need practice to make them seal.

 

I spent about 30 mins practicing. When I made mine for real everyone sealed except one, just had to redo that one and sorted.

[joelpsmith 1]

Thanks, i'll have a go at it tomorrow after getting a piece of pipe to practice on first, i've been reading the a few tips like filing the ends and making sure there totally square so hopefully i can get it right. At least its not too expensive to replace the whole line if it all goes wrong.

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

Don't forget to do a double flare not single or it'll never seal.

 

Graham.

[Batfink 201]

the trick is to use new copper pipe as the stuff under the car is brittle with corrosion and does not flair properly. I have never had a problem sealing with any new pipe

[joelpsmith 1]

Single flares everywhere on the 205...

 

 

Don't forget to do a double flare not single or it'll never seal.

 

see what i mean about conflicting opinions. I think the confusion lies with what people refer to as a single and double flare. the instructions that came with my flaring tool detailed 3 different types.

 

1 - Single flare, use use the cone press without any collet.

 

2 - Use the cone press with collet.

 

3 - Use the cone press with collet and then again without collet, to make double flare.

 

I went for number 2 as this created a flare that looked the same as what i took off the car.

I will find out tomorrow if it seals or not as i still have one side to do and then i can re-fill the system.

[Jrod 7]

I do method number 2 aswell.

[ricdat 0]

I do method number 2 aswell.

ditto on the one I did the other day on the master cylinder - because it looked the same as what was there already.

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

With the hand held type of flaring kit you do use method 2 iirc.

 

Basically you want it to look the same as the old pipe you've removed;

 

Graham.

[joelpsmith 1]

yes, that picture looks like what i've done, thanks Graham, i'll see if they've sealed properly later on.

[Rippthrough 98]

Basically you want it to look the same as the old pipe you've removed;

 

Graham.

 

 

now to me that's a single flare, this is a double flare:

 

[Emmy Seize 8]

now to me that's a single flare, this is a double flare:

 

 

to me too ....

[16v205 9]

With the hand held type of flaring kit you do use method 2 iirc.

 

Basically you want it to look the same as the old pipe you've removed;

 

Graham.

 

I was always under the impression this was a single flare or bubble flair as it says on my flairing kit. Thats the style my 205 has throughout.

 

Rich

[joelpsmith 1]

With the hand held type of flaring kit you do use method 2 iirc.

 

Basically you want it to look the same as the old pipe you've removed;

 

Graham.

 

 

Yes, that is what I have done, and it seems to have worked too.

[dani959 0]

A picture is worth a thousand words...

 

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

now to me that's a single flare, this is a double flare:

 

There are two types of single flare, one like I pictured & one that has just a single layer of the pipe.

The one I posted a picture of above is counted as a considered single flare (I used the wrong terminology originally) but calling it just that can cause confusion & leave you with a leaking union which has happened before to people on here replacing brake pipes.

 

Graham.