Brake lines (1 Viewer)

[bryancostanich]

i'm redoing my brake lines, and i'm trying to find the tubing. the lines on my FJ55 are 3mm, but when i went looking online i found lots of 6mm tubing, but no 3mm.

is there a disadvantage to moving to 6mm? i'm going to use the swagelock connectors so i don't have to go through the flaring exercise.

if so, where can i find 3mm lines?

 

[Poser]

i'm redoing my brake lines, and i'm trying to find the tubing. the lines on my FJ55 are 3mm, but when i went looking online i found lots of 6mm tubing, but no 3mm.

is there a disadvantage to moving to 6mm? i'm going to use the swagelock connectors so i don't have to go through the flaring exercise.

if so, where can i find 3mm lines?

If you think that flaring brake lines is an exercise you need to avoid, then please do not work on any part of your brake system.


Properly flaring brake lines is not some daunting task. With an hour of practice, you can be making great flares, as long as you have a quality double-flaring tool. The more joints/unions you have in a system, the more opportunity you have for leaks/failures.

3/16 steel brake line can be had at most decent auto parts stores and depending on the year of your 55, can be purchased with the correct metric fitting already on the line.

 

[robtackett]

go to carquest and they have straight pieces of tubes I am sure they probably got the size you need. Just take some old stuff and compair. You can get a fairing tool from Summit for cheap and I think since it came from factory like that then you should put it back like that. I redid my back brake lines and I just bent by hand and got new tubing at CQ

 

[bryancostanich]

oy. to be clear - i can flare lines. i've done quite a bit of it. but that being said, why bother when there are MUCH better options out there.

thanks.

 

[Poser]

oy. to be clear - i can flare lines. i've done quite a bit of it. but that being said, why bother when there are MUCH better options out there.

thanks.

Please elaborate on these "options"






.

 

[bsmith123]

bending set up

http://www.eaa.org/experimenter/articles/archive_tubing_bending.pdf


Thought this was interesting and some good tips on bending--- overboard for just needing a couple lines but good info


Also if you bend your own lines remember not to make any perfectly straight ---the bends allow them to flex when they "grow" under pressure

 

[bryancostanich]

i found the line. i was looking for 3mm, not 3/16". when i looked for 3/16" i saw lots of it.

 

[bryancostanich]

Options - i'm talking about the swagelock stuff.

 

[bryancostanich]

your link is broken [agh - replied too soon, i see the second link]
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EAA - 404 Errorbending.pdf


Thought this was interesting and some good tips on bending---wya overboard for just needing a couple lines but good info


Also if you bend your own lines remember not to make any perfectly straight ---the bends allow them to flex when the "grow" under pressure

 

[Poser]

Options - i'm talking about the swagelock stuff.

How are these an option for brake lines?

 

[bryancostanich]

you don't have to flare the ends, you can use their couplers and adapters.

 

[Poser]

you don't have to flare the ends, you can use their couplers and adapters.

To what end?


"better options"



So that you can say you have those "kool" fittings on your brake lines?

You have fun with all of that.

 

[bryancostanich]

no, i don't give a s*** if they're cool or not. i just hate flaring. which is why i said it in the first place, why bother flaring, when i don't have to. especially when this option is much more secure and less prone to leaks/screwing up/goblins.

and seriously, the condescension is not needed.

 

[Poser]

and seriously, the condescension is not needed.

Nor are your novelty fittings in a properly plumbed and configured brake system....

 

[bryancostanich]

......

 

[jeffery_1965]

Not that this will change peoples minds, but here's some information that I would like to post, and let others make their own decision.

First off, most OEM brake tubing is made from Bundy tubing, which is actually a thin piece of steel sheet wrapped on itself twice, then brazed. Don't believe me, look here: Bulk double wall steel tubing by TI Automotive and here: Bundy tube - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Next, if you read up on Swagelok's suggested tubing for their fittings, you start to get the idea of all the features needed in the tubing for it to function with their fittings. http://www.swagelok.com/downloads/webcatalogs/EN/MS-13-151.PDF Smooth finish, and appropriate hardness to properly seal against the fittings is required.

My opinion is that I might consider using swagelok fittings on seamless or welded-and-drawn tubing used in a properly designed brake line setup, but I would not bet my life, or anyone else's life on using swagelok fittings on bundy tubing. My call purely, but if you choose to use them on your rig, I wouldn't want to be in your place if you are the cause of an accident. I know, they've been used before, and might work "most" of the time. It would be nice if someone would call swagelok and find out if they support their fittings on bundy tubing.

My $0.02

Jeff

 

[mooker82]

You can find pre-flared brake line with the proper fittings at Advanced Auto Parts stores. I think the lengths run from like 6" to 5'.

 

[shelfboy1]

sad you can got to napa and buy the lines and screw them on or spend a bunch of time messing with something that may not even be legal .in pa you cant use that stuff and pass pa inspection legally .but its your truck so do what ever you want that makes you happy good luck

 

[bryancostanich]

good info, thanks guys.
-b

 

[bsmith123]

DOT

Yeah, that is a point--each state has it's own DOT so it would be good to be sure you are 50 state legal like OEM

For flared lines there are plenty of places that will flare you up some custom lines cheap if you don't like doing it.

In any work your safety and legal protection lie in the fact that the OEM or aftermarket company has engineering work into the product to a legal standard and that it is installed and used exactly as intended---hence the off quoted "off road use only"

Just be sure of your skills to do the work "exactly" as intended

PS

And that advice does not include cost and "PITA" factoring