Brake lines. Bend or buy?

[Slowtruk]

Hey fellas, I'm kinda worried about the brake line aspect of my build. I see cats like Delmo and others bending theirs and looking pro, but Im not sure I could come up with the same results.

I am an IBEW electrician and am good at bending conduit with footbenders, chicago benders and sidewinders/one shots but have never learned the ways of the instrument guys and their stainless line bending techniques. I do have 5 or 6 pairs of different sized tubing benders, good quality ones too.

My question is this. Can you purchase all new lines for a 65 Chevy C-10, pre bent and flared? Pricy?

Or should I catch on of those instrument guys at work and make em teach me how to bend tube? Where would one find such tubing, and what size?

I do consider myself very mechaniccally inclined and everything I try turns out real nice eventually. But is it worth it to figure it out myself or just buy them?

Thank you for any replies, this site hss been so helpful as I start about a thread a day and this site and its members resolves every problem every time.

[markeb01]

I’ve been bending my own since the 1960’s, and consider it part of the art form I enjoy. By doing it yourself you can mount components where ever you want, and make it look custom for very little expense (once you acquire decent benders and flaring tools). I’ve never done much research on prebent lines, but understand many of the longer pieces are folded in half for shipping. I wouldn’t want to deal with trying to make the fold look straight again, especially for the price. For really intricate pieces I bend a model out of wire coat hanger, then match that bend for bend to make sure they all go in the right direction.

The two biggest failings in bending your own lines are 1 – forgetting to slip the fitting on before forming the flare, and 2 – bending the turn backwards. After messing up a few pieces, the learning curve gets much easier. I also don't care for the "green" or "black" lines carried at most chain stores. I seek out the earlier galvanized type. The green stuff is claimed to be hand bendable, which is probably how it should be used. After decades of making perfect flares and bends with commercial tools, almost every bend on the green stuff folded over ruining the tube, or formed the flare off center. Others claim it's great, but not in my experience.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Buy a good bender and a good flaring tool and id save the $...

[Slowtruk]

I have several professional quality tubing benders or various sizes, but Id need a flare tool and am not afraid to buy the best.

So I guess it looks like I'll try it myself...couldnt be any more difficult than bending conduit, just miniature.

SO whats the best type tubing to use and where do I buy? size?

[Slowtruk]

Now that I look at my collection of tubing benders, they all look large, except the small one

[TrucknAndy]

Due to a newbie mistake on my part I ended up replacing a short section of tubing that goes from the flex hose junction at the rear diff. to the passengers side wheel cylinder. While I didnt have to flare the section (bought a straight section with the fittings already on it). I bought a bending tool, and replaced it myself. Had to go along the axle tube, and square it around the leaf perches, and get the angle just right to mate the fitting to the wheel cylinder. Haven't studied the other hard sections on the truck, but it seemed to have the most bends, and I came out alright. I made the mistake of making a bend without the fitting at the end of the line once...and only once. It was cool to do something new, and would do it again. The only thing I didnt like were the marks(light tool marks) the tool left on the tubing.

Andy

[towersddg9]

I went with in line tube, but make em if you can, I was happy with the kit fit great

[Slow Build]

You Tube can give you a pretty good idea on how it's done.

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ing+brake+line

[k1rodeoboater]

do yourself a favor...don't buy a prebent kit. I have one for my front disc conversion, and frankly if it didn't cost me so much money I'd have thrown them in the trash a long time ago. I would have rather have learned to bend my own.

[Slammed50]

I have cutters, a couple benders and a single and double flare kit from Mac and Matco tools. They are very nice and work great but since it is your first time and generally unless you work at an automotive shop it would be pretty hard to get Mac or Matco, I would suggest looking at sears. Their craftsman bender and flare kit should do the job just fine.

Craftsman 45 deg. Double Flaring Tool
Sold By : *SEARS
Item# 00947075000

Superior Tool 3-In-1 Lever Tube Bender
Sold By : *SEARS *and*
Item# 00977252000

**
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[T2vigil]

If you have no issues making offsets, three and four point saddles, you won't have any problems. Just make sure you get a scrap piece to check the gain and back to back measurements. Good luck.
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[kieth]

Originally Posted by Slowtruk

Hey fellas, I'm kinda worried about the brake line aspect of my build. I see cats like Delmo and others bending theirs and looking pro, but Im not sure I could come up with the same results.

I am an IBEW electrician and am good at bending conduit with footbenders, chicago benders and sidewinders/one shots but have never learned the ways of the instrument guys and their stainless line bending techniques. I do have 5 or 6 pairs of different sized tubing benders, good quality ones too.

My question is this. Can you purchase all new lines for a 65 Chevy C-10, pre bent and flared? Pricy?

Or should I catch on of those instrument guys at work and make em teach me how to bend tube? Where would one find such tubing, and what size?

I do consider myself very mechaniccally inclined and everything I try turns out real nice eventually. But is it worth it to figure it out myself or just buy them?

Thank you for any replies, this site hss been so helpful as I start about a thread a day and this site and its members resolves every problem every time.

If you have a O'reilleys auto parts store you can rent all the tools for free, I bought all my brake lines new in lengths, bent them flared them and then returned the tools to O'reileys. Why buy when you can rent, it works with women also....ha ha.. Kieth

ps We never got to the skill level that we could bend those perfect circles below the master cylinder though.....