How To Bend Brake Lines Without Kinking

Whether you are building a new project or just replacing some worn out parts, brake lines have long been a source of frustration for DIY mechanics. While it may seem that there is an fine art to bending metal lines, it is really a very logical skill that anyone can learn. There are 2 processes that create headaches when making restriction lines – flaring and bending. This commodity focuses on the task of bending brake lines and fuel lines. The level of complexity depends on the length of line y'all are working with and the called material. Short lines are much easier to work with than long lines. Regardless, the procedure is the same. So here'south what you need to know about bending brake lines.

Brake Line Types

When shopping for brake lines there are four types of hard line used for braking systems: steel, soft steel, stainless steel, and nickel-copper alloy. Each has it's benefits and drawbacks.

Steel – The nigh mutual blazon of hard line is galvanized mild steel. This is what the factory uses for all of the brake lines. Steel is affordable, durable and easy to come by. The drawbacks are that steel rusts, and it is hard to bend. The rust is the biggest issue here. Restriction fluid is extremely hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water easily. Fifty-fifty though the system is sealed, at that place is still moisture available at the top of the reservoir that is open to the air. As the brake fluid ages, it becomes more and more saturated with water. Water and steel equals rust. The absence of may oxygen slow down the corrosion process, but not completely. This is what leads to ruined restriction calipers and bike cylinders. To fight this, the steel is galvanized to protect the surface. The issue of bending the restriction lines tin be overcome with bending tools, since steel tubing is not readily bent by hand.

Even a brand new raw steel line can have rust on information technology.

Soft Steel – The more exotic tubing options are costly, whereas steel is cheap. Where regular steel lines are hard to bend and decumbent to rust, at that place is another solution – Poly-Armour®. This type of restriction line is the most commonly sold at parts stores, including all NAPA Car Parts Stores. Poly-Armour® is made of low-carbon steel, making it easier to bend. To protect against corrosion the steel is coated with Polyvinyl Fluoride (PVF), which is a plastic coating, that is baked and cured to the steel line. Unlike galvanized steel, the PVF blanket does not flake or flake, leaving the steel substrate protected against rust, to the tune of 30% amend than galvanizing. Many new vehicles are beingness congenital with Poly-Armour® lines.

These two lines are both steel, but the pinnacle line is Poly-Armour® soft steel, which bends and flares very easily and resists rust.

Stainless Steel – For the ultimate in hard lines, stainless steel is the solution. Stainless steel lines are impervious to rust, so they last forever. Peachy, problem solved. Hold on there buddy, stainless lines have a few drawbacks – namely, the cost. Stainless steel lines are expensive, 3 to four times more than regular steel lines. Stainless steel difficult lines are not too hard to bend, but flaring them is. You demand a really good flaring tool to make skilful quality double flares with stainless steel tubing. For show cars and street rods, the polished wait of stainless steel is unmatched.

NiCopp® – In use since the 1970s, nickel-copper hard lines accept the strength of steel, are rust proof, and piece of cake to bend. Considering the lines bend so easy, they can exist snaked through the chassis hands. Made of xc-10 copper to nickel, NiCopp® lines are reasonably priced besides. The biggest drawback of NiCopp® lines are availability, equally they may be difficult to find locally.

Pre-Bent Or Curve Information technology Yourself?

There are several ways to replace a bad hard line on your vehicle. You could order a pre-aptitude line from your local NAPA store, or you lot can bend one yourself. Pre-bent lines are great when the application is bachelor and you lot just desire to bandy out the part and move on. Pre-bent lines are also available in different tubing materials. Unfortunately non every application has a pre-bent line available. There's likewise custom piece of work. For those that need to curve a line yourself, the best solution is Poly-Armour® sticks. These are pre-flared lines that come up in different lengths, with varying sizes and types of fittings. Poly-Armour® can be bent past hand or with bending tools.

The top line is the original fifty-year old steel line, the bottom line is a pre-aptitude stainless steel piece.

Tools For Bending Brake Lines

There are several types of tools available, from simple radius tools to more accurate lever-action benders. While in that location is an onetime fob using sand to bend lines past hand, there'southward really no demand when there are tools readily available on the market. The key to using a bending tool is to get a quality tool that won't kink the line. While Poly-Armour® lines resist kinking (unlike manifestly steel), it is notwithstanding possible to kink the line.

This unproblematic bender will work okay with Poly-Armour®, but harder lines volition most certainly be more hard and are likely to kink.

Uncomplicated Bender – These tools are unmarried piece and apply a claw-blazon latch to lock the tubing in place. You apply one mitt to concur the line and tool together, while the other hand bends the line. These tools are fairly cheap but have a fairly high chance of ruining a piece of tubing. They don't secure the line and so complicated bends can hands go out of line, where your bends don't match the direction they need to exist. While they may help y'all get the task done in a compression, this is not a skillful tool for bending tight bends on pocket-size line.

Lever-Activity – This type of tool uses mechanical advantage to make bending lines easier. While the tubing tin can still rotate (allowing complex layouts become out of line), it is easier to manage with a lever-action bender. Lever-type benders typically accept multiple diameter positions, and marker for varying degrees of bend. Most of these tools are designed for specific radius bends, there are tools for tight bends, tools for large bends. You can dispense this to a caste by repositioning the line, making a larger radius, but yous tin't make a smaller radius than the tool you have. Side note – the cheap version of lever-action benders that have an interchangeable die do not work very well, they will usually just kink your line.

Bound-Type – This is a very bones bender meant mainly for copper and aluminum tubing. There are two types, internal or external. Both prevent the tube from collapsing and kinking while hand bending. All-time for gentle, large diameter bends.

The superlative two tools are lever action. The top tool is the best, every bit you lot accept more command over the bend. The middle tool is really only expert for large radius 90-degree bends. The lower tool is a spring-type bender.

Bending Brake Lines

Once you accept the proper tools, you lot tin become your parts ready. If yous are replacing a line, then you lot should have the existing line to utilize as a reference. When picking a length of pre-flared brake line round upwards so you don't end come up up short on reaching your connection.

Start at one terminate, and re-create the line bend for curve. Y'all can even add some tape as y'all go to continue the bends in line. If you are creating a new line without a reference, you lot should make a reference. Bailing wire works really well for this task. Information technology stays bent, and y'all can apply it just like you would an existing line. Plus it is actually cheap and has a thousand other uses around the store. Yous tin also use a wire coat hanger that has been straighten out.

Using bailing is a cracking way to figure out the correct bends without wasting tubing. Hither, we started with the wire in the distribution block for the brakes.

Side by side, we completed the bends until it reached the master cylinder.

Using the lever-action bender, the new steel line was formed to match the guide. The result is a perfect match.

The about important factor that y'all need to continue in mind when bending brake lines- don't forget the flares and fittings. Even seasoned pros sometimes to forget to slide the plumbing equipment all the mode to the flare before angle the line, which means you have to either straighten the line or cut and reflare the line. Y'all can always apply a piece of tape to concord the fitting at the end of the line  by the flare just in case. Too, when making bends almost the end of the line, if yous need to add a flare, do information technology Earlier angle the line, your flare tool needs room ahead of the curve, brand certain you have plenty.

Tight bends and short leads to the flare tin can brand for some frustration. Make sure you map out your bends and don't forget the nut earlier flaring the line!

Bending brake lines is non hard, just it does take a little practise to become proficient at information technology. If you really want to principal this skills pick upward a roll of brake line and spend some time worknig with it in various shapes. You'll start to get an idea of what you tin can and can't practice with information technology. Whether you are plumbing in your brakes, a transmission libation, or hardlining your air-ride system, bending tubing is required. With a little practice, you will exist able to master the art of bending brake lines and fuel lines.

Check out all the tools & equipmentbachelor on NAPA Online or trust 1 of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more than data on bending brake lines, conversation with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS shop.

Jefferson Bryant View All

A life-long gearhead, Jefferson Bryant spends more fourth dimension in the shop than anywhere else. His career began in the motorcar audio industry as a shop manager, eventually working his way into a position at Rockford Fosgate equally a product designer. In 2003, he began writing tech articles for magazines, and has been working as an automotive journalist ever since. His work has been featured in Machine Craft, Hot Rod, Rod & Custom, Truckin', Mopar Muscle, and many more than. Jefferson has also written four books and produced countless videos. Jefferson operates Cherry Dirt Rodz, his personal garage studio, where all of his magazine manufactures and tech videos are produced.

Source: https://knowhow.napaonline.com/tips-for-bending-brake-lines-and-fuel-lines/

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