Builds 86 Xtra Cab Build (4Wheelunderground 3 link front, 4 link rear and 3.4 swap)

[ntsqd]

The Roll-Flare tool is nice that it is all one piece - no separate parts floating around, but compact it is not.
The thickness of the dies gripping the tube for flaring are an issue for all flaring tools. I find that I'm having to plan out the whole tube if a bend or bends tight to the tube nut are required. When tight to the tube nut I sometimes make the flare first, then bend it. If it is looking like it is going to be tricky or is a risk to an already partly bent & fitted tube I will make practice flares and bends in sacrificial piece(s) of tubing to work out what the sequence needs to be.
Other times I use this tool when it is 3/16" brake tubing: 44150 3/16" Tubing Bender Pliers - https://www.lislecorp.com/specialty-tools/3-16-tubing-bender-pliers They work surprisingly well. I also will sometimes start a bend going in one direction and then finish it by reversing the tube in the bender. Doing this occasionally means that I'm pulling the tube nut down onto the bending die and every so often I have to slip a little more tube past the hook to get enough bend in the tubing.

AN tubes have an advantage over inverted flare in that the tube nuts can slide around the bends. Just have to plan on the tube sleeve, because it won't. Fortunately they are shorter than an inverted flare tube nut. I modified my 3/8" bender to clear a tube sleeve between the hook and the bending die. I made a tool that inserts into the tube about as far as it can go without interfering with the bend. The bender's hook cams over the body of this tool "extending" the tube for that tight up against the sleeve bend.

 

[mustcamp]

Well I couldn't wait until tomorrow so I rigged up a bicycle pump and pressure checked it.

I had two leaks. The flange gasket for the sender and a bolt on the fuel neck. I just didn't have the sender tight enough and just snugging up the bolts a little fixed it. I just used an 8 mm socket on a screwdriver handle.

The leaky bolt is because I didn't have any o-rings on the bolts. Any of them, and only one leaked. I don't really like having an o-ring just compressed between the bolt flange and a flat surface. The bolt won't be torqued, just snug enough to prevent a leak. I'm concerned about it drying out or shrinking and causing a fuel leak over time.

The flange gaskets work well. The leak is at the bolt threads. I'm going to try this stuff on the threads. Anybody have any experience with it? It's fuel "resistant" so IDK how it is with constant exposure to gas. The bolts are small 10-32 so it's not a lot of surface area.

I used Permatex Aviation sealant and Indian Head Shellac successfully in the past on fuel tanks in boats but I had leaks develop with today's ethanol gas.

View attachment 3561283

I have used this other Permatex product with great results on the bottom of an FJ40 stock tank

 

[aztoyman]

My parts were delayed and sometimes that's a good thing. It gives me time to take another look at some of my work.

This hose for the front brakes didn't look like this when I was cycling the suspension to check the hose position. I only looked at max up and max down. Sitting in this position doesn't look good. It made me think of bending a piece of metal back and forth until it breaks.

 

[aztoyman]

I will have the shocks and tires off so I can paint the shock resi tabs so this is a good time to change that.

I decided to basically copy the rear setup that goes over the lower link mounts. Easy access on either side if I had to change the hose and long enough to minimize flexing of the hose. I can make both hoses the same length too.

You can see both front and rear in this pic. Front is in max droop and the hose has enough arch to clear everything.

 

[ntsqd]

Another option would be to move the tube flare to the other side of the U-Bend and have the hose make that bend. Could possibly make them the same length if the bend radius is large enough?

 

[aztoyman]

I did have to make a new tube for the upper link. I shortened it so I had better access for link adjustment. I had leftover 3/16" tube and the SS spiral cover and just reused the AN fittings.

The hose has more arch when at full stuff but it doesn't get higher than the top of the frame. This is much better I think.

 

[aztoyman]

@ntsqd, I just decided to get that clutter out of that location. I noticed it because I had forgot to weld in a tab for that bulkhead fitting.

I also found a drip from the fitting at my passenger side caliper. It's not the hose, it's leaking from the AN adapter not seating in the caliper. I have to pull it and take a look. I had to return a caliper a while back because of a really rough seat down in the port.

Edit 03/13 @ntsqd, after looking at this again it would have been easy to just run the hose direct from the bulkhead fitting on top of the frame.

 

[ntsqd]

I had a similar leak on one of the V6 calipers that I put on Patch. The AN adapter wouldn't seal in it. Too long ago, don't recall what the fix was. Possibly it was an adapter with longer metric threads.

 

[Diesel-Runner]

I really need to do a similar front brake routing, its hard keeping 2 lines happy with 16" of travel and out of harms' way.

 

[aztoyman]

The AN adapter is long enough to seat. The seat is no bueno. Are these seats removable or machined into the casting?

I might be able to make a copper 45 degree flare and cut it off the end of the tube to use as an insert?

 

[aztoyman]

I might have another option. If it works the fitting will be tucked in closer.

If I can smooth out the surface of the casting around the port, I can try these banjo fittings. I bought these back when I ordered all my brake fittings.

 

[aztoyman]

These both fit and tuck in way better than what I have now.

 

[aztoyman]

What I have now. Thoughts??

 

[aztoyman]

Here's a couple better pics of the two banjo hose ends.

Plus the two bolts for them. If I trim the longer one it would tuck everything in even closer.

 

[Diesel-Runner]

I think if your AN adapter wasn't steel it would seat but steel on cast makes for a hard seat to get a mate. Banjo looks like the ticket.

 

[aztoyman]

Tomorrow I'll pop off a caliper and see if I can spot face around the port.

My first try to make a copper insert.

 

[ntsqd]

In master cylinders those cones are usually an insert and can be removed by tapping their hole. Sometimes just bottoming the tap and continuing to spin it will pull the insert, but better is to use a screw. Would suck to break a tap off in there.

Not sure that is the case in calipers, they've always looked to me to be part of the caliper body. Can buy 37° copper sealing washers. Perhaps try one of those? Am going to guess that a -3AN will fit. If you haven't done it in the past, annealing copper is really easy. Heat it until it nearly glows. I drop copper banjo bolt sealing washers that I anneal into a red Solo cup 1/2 full of water afterwards. That last step is not needed for the annealing, I do it because it speeds up the whole process. I've never tried it, but I assume that any other color Solo cup will work, but you're on your own there.

All of that aside, I like the banjo fitting solution better. Those sealing washers should be dead soft or close to it, but I always anneal them anyway.

 

[Broski]

Here's a couple better pics of the two banjo hose ends.

Plus the two bolts for them. If I trim the longer one it would tuck everything in even closer.

View attachment 3581543

View attachment 3581544

View attachment 3581545

I vote for picture # 1

 

[aztoyman]

I pulled the passenger side caliper this afternoon and smoothed the surface around the port. All I really needed to do was knock the rough spots down with a file. Then I went over it with a couple grits of credit card diamond hones I use for my lathe tools. Didn't take long at all.

 

[aztoyman]

The banjo bolt was a little too long to tighten against the crush washers. I chucked it in the lathe and all it needed was .025" shaved off.