eeyoreish Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 I have the need for a pipe flaring kit to fix a broken pipe on a project car (not Lotus) and, since I tinker with cars quite a bit, I thought it would be a good idea to get something for the workshop. Many years ago I used an old friend's kit to do a couple of pipes on the Esprit but haven't ever done much pipe flaring so I'm at sea with what to get. I see mention of different materials (brass, copper, aluminium, cunifer, steel) as well as things like DIN, SAE and different pipe sizes (3/16", 1/4" etc)... I'd like to get something that's not rubbish but at the same time this will be for 'occasional use' so I don't want to break the bank. Any knowledge/guidance/recommendations out there please? Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 If you can get one of these (2nd hand they're not too bad on price), it will make the end result quite consistent, and the kit can be expanded by the purchase of additional parts. https://sykes-pickavant.com/products/braking-tools/pipe-flaring-tools/554 Re the materials: My thoughts. brass, Brass is brittle and I don't think I've ever seen it used as pipe material, people have probably mistaken Kunifer as brass. Brass fittings are however excellent but very pricey (c10x the cost of passivated steel fittings last time I looked. copper. No, No< No. It's not ideal, it has to be supported far more frequently (shorter distance) than other viable options, else it moves and work-hardens then fractures. It's not even road legal in some countries. Some people do try and sell copper pipe as Kunifer aluminium, cunifer, Actually it's Kunifer, aka Kupro Nickel alloy. Yes, use this. It's soft enough to work with but firm enough to hold shape and doesn't work-harden and fracture. It needs a lot less support than copper. steel. That will be coated steel, and is used by car manufacturers as original. It's fine for that, but a pig to work using hand tools, let alone the shaping for curves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillidoggy Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Brake-Burning-situ-16-SAE/dp/B01M4RC2YW/ref=asc_df_B01M4RC2YW?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79852089215476&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583451665509006&psc=1 There are different versions, DIN and SAE. Later Esprit’s use DIN single flare, but check yours first. Cunifer. Cu Ni Fe - copper, nickel, iron. Forget copper and steel pipes, this is the best for making replacement brake pipes. Tougher than copper, and it doesn’t rust like steel. Quote Margate Exotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Barrykearley Posted June 16 Gold FFM Report Share Posted June 16 1 hour ago, eeyoreish said: I'd like to get something that's not rubbish but at the same time this will be for 'occasional use' so I don't want to break the bank Get a decent hydraulic one. You can flare anything with those including steel. It’s not worth scrimping. Quote Only here once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 I need one like this but for 1/4" pipe, any pointers please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillidoggy Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Titan-51515-4-Inch-Double-Flaring/dp/B084L1RF8D 1 Quote Margate Exotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 Thanks Ian, now I need to check if I need a DIN or SAE, I should have been more specific before. Oh and can you find one for less than a queens ransom please. 😱 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillidoggy Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 Google is your friend. Use it! Quote Margate Exotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreish Posted June 16 Author Report Share Posted June 16 OK, so cunifer/kunifer is the way to go if I need to make up any new pipes. What's the deal with DIN/SAE and the different pipe sizes? Does that vary by vehicle/country/age? I'm mainly working on 90's and older cars of varying makes so do I need something that can do different pipe sizes and flare types or are they all likely to use one size? Sorry for the 'basic' questions but, like I said, I haven't delved into brake pipes before so it's a bit of a new world for me... Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 (edited) DIN / SAE are conventions of pipe flare shapes just google for the different flare shapes and compare to the existing ones, the pipes are the same ((for the given sizes). so depends on the application. 4.775mm is just another term for 3/16 , it's not exactly the same but that's just notational difference not actual different size pipe. Edit: Added link to show flares https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/1198261-brake-line-flares-iso-din-v-sae.html Edited June 16 by andydclements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreish Posted June 16 Author Report Share Posted June 16 So could I find either DIN or SAE on any given car? Is 3/16 pretty much standard size for brake pipes or do i need to consider other sixes too? Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 3/16 will be almost exclusively what you encounter on cars. Generally yes, any given car will either have DIN or SAE when it left the factory not both, unless somebody has been a muppet on a previous pipe change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreish Posted June 16 Author Report Share Posted June 16 Thanks Andy. Sounds like I need something that can do SAE and DIN flares on cunifer 3/16 pipe then in order to cover the most likely scenarios I’ll encounter. Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 3 hours ago, Chillidoggy said: Google is your friend. Use it! Ok, your first comment was helpful, this one less so. I've spent soooo much time searching for components that this one hit a nerve. 🤪 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172126665162?hash=item28138c79ca:g:4E4AAOSwv9hW3xh6 Does it have to be that type? That one can do on=car situations but so can others (ones like these do lots of sizes) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172126665162?hash=item28138c79ca:g:4E4AAOSwv9hW3xh6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 I still need to check but I think it is a DIN type which is why the search is hard. However, if it is SAE I'm going to be eating a lot of humble pie. ☺️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillidoggy Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 9 hours ago, cweeden said: I still need to check but I think it is a DIN type which is why the search is hard. However, if it is SAE I'm going to be eating a lot of humble pie. ☺️ You need to pin that down first. What’s it for? Clutch? Quote Margate Exotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreish Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 Found this one on eBay. Looks good enough and flares DIN and SAE. Plus it can do ‘on car’ which will be handy. British made too… https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175189708696?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Dnm2AaYhQpK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Spej2dd8Rwe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=EMAIL Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 But doesn't do 1/4" tubing which is what is used for the clutch on my V8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonwat Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 Machine Mart Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 2 hours ago, Chillidoggy said: You need to pin that down first. What’s it for? Clutch? Its DIN, and yes for the clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 If you don't need to do it on the car then some garages and some car parts stores (round here Wilco do it) will make up thee pips for you, save buying a machine for one job. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreish Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 2 hours ago, cweeden said: But doesn't do 1/4" tubing which is what is used for the clutch on my V8. But suitable for most of my general/mixed car make workshop requirements? Covers SAE and DIN so looks adaptable. 1 Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cweeden Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 Hi @eeyoreish I'm sorry for hijacking your thread, for the brake pipe work which is all 3/16 the two tools you found on ebay are the same or similar to the ones I've been using successfully (I think, not pressure tested yet) so you should be fine. 🙂 cheers -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeyoreish Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 No problem Chris, I'm glad it's a subject other people are interested in! I'm going to order the eBay one as I think it should suit most of my needs, including the immediate need for a new clutch pipe on the Marlin kit car I've recently bought. Quote Not worth starting anything now...🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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