Brake Fittings...

[Crash_AB]

I need to replace some of my wrecked lines and I will be building them all myself - the steel ones anyways. I don't like the NAPA fittings as the threads are too short and just grind the hex head into whatever they are going into. So, i will be heading off to fairview fittings here in town to get some that are better suited to the task.

Without pulling one of mine and taking it down there to compare [while leaving the truck leaking on the street] does anyone have dimensions for the brake line fittings? I've tried searching - couldn't find anything...

Thanks,
Crash

 

[CRZA1]

I bought a bunch of steel lines at auto zone. The tube was 3/16th and the fittings 10mm inverted flair.

 

[boots4]

Factory fittings on an FJ60 are 10mm and the hardline is the same as 3/16". Are you going to flare the hardline yourself?

 

[Crash_AB]

Thats the idea - double [bubble] flare everything with new fittings.

So, 10mm is the bolt size and the tubing dia. is 3/16" - thanks. Any idea on thread / length? I'll be going to a industrial fitting manufacturer, so I dont know if they will have any data on hand.

 

[boots4]

They might only come in one length but they are usually about and inch or a little less long including the head. My advice is to practice flaring first before cutting a section to length and then keep chopping off the end because the flare didn't come out right. It'll take a couple tries to get it right. I found that a perfectly straight cut made a big difference in how the flare turns out. So use a little pipe style cutter if you have one or get really good at cutting and filing it flat perpenticular to the line. Happy flaring.

 

[Crash_AB]

You sound like you've done this before...

I'm picking up a cutter this evening - I've seen 2 styles, the normal pipe cutter style that bears a strange resemblance to a C-clamp, and the little "line cutter" thats a whole lot smaller and boxier. Is one of these better than the other?

 

[Spike Strip]

Boots,

What kind of Double-Flaring tool did you use? (and cutter?)

Thanks --

 

[Mace]

The flare is not a Double Bubble, it is double inverted..

Japaneese, not German

 

[Spike Strip]

The flare is not a Double Bubble, it is double inverted..

Japaneese, not German

Any Recommendations on a Brand or tool? -- I've never made brake lines before, either, and I'd like to get the correct tools first.

So Japanese do it differently than the German style ?

S.

 

[Crash_AB]

So, bubble is rounded, whereas the Inverted has the 45 degree chamfer?

.I______I ...... I_____I
(_______) vs. /______\

Is it the same process with the double, just with different mandrels?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Just a thought...Toyota still carries most of these hard lines and they are $14 or so each. That's a pretty sweet deal and they fit like they were made to. I've replaced several on my FJ60 using genuine Toyota.

I made all new lines for my FJ40 using bits from Classic Tube. Their fittings are top notch, you just need to double flare the lines.

 

[Downey]

Regarding length of thread, Toyota has two different lengths of male threads, consequently not interchangable with their two different lengths of female threads. I don't recall the exact Toyota lengths, too many years since I measured them, but what we did do a thousand years ago is make a male fitting that perfectly splits the difference. We have this male fitting built onto all our brake hoses, fits either of Toyotas female fittings. The length of our male threads is .430".

 

[boots4]

Did a quick google search and found this article with pics.

Flare a Brake Line

I used the loaner tool from autozone and it looked just like the one in the article. A pipe cutter like that is what I was talking about. Nice cuts.

A single flare is
I____I
/____\

Double flare is more like
I____I
//___\\

and is two steps using the flaring tool. First flare is pic #3 and the second step is pic #4 on that article above.

 

[87 HJ60]

Here's another article regarding how to flare brake lines

Brake Line Flaring - 1