Does anyone have experience with these two brake tools from Eastwood?

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DavidLee

DavidLee

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Triple Head 180 degree Tubing Bender 3/16-3/8 in

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Eastwood Professional Brake Tubing Flaring Tool

Thanks
 
The bender looks like a Harbor Freight with much beefier handles and padded grips. I like the looks of the flare tool, can it do stainless? HF considers it a hand tool so when I snapped its handle in half, they gave me a new one. I guess it aint made for stainless.....?
 
they flare tool works great. I have friends that have used it also. great tool
 
Have the Eastwood flaring tool here. It works great. Use a lot to do that bubble flare on the end of the lines. Also does a double flare nicely. But it's not a cheap tool.
 
I have a bender VERY similar and I like it a lot. I gotta get me that flaring tool, though.
 
accord to eastwood the bender wil do SS, but i may step up and get a better one from imperial
 
The Eastwood bender does stainless just fine. That’s all I use. It does 3/8” stainless no problem.
 
I didn’t buy it from Eastwood but I have a turent style flaring tool that looks kinda like that one and it works bad ***. If it ever wears out I will buy another one like it
 
I put all new 1/4 stainless brake lines on the power wagon with it. All flares looked nice and nothing leaked. That stainless brake line is tough stuff. Mine says Ktool, KTI-70081. Highly recommend.
 
Devil's advocate here... is the cost of the tools greater or about the same as just buying the pre-bent and flared lines from a restorer company?
I have not priced either just asking.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Devil's advocate here... is the cost of the tools greater or about the same as just buying the pre-bent and flared lines from a restorer company?
I have not priced either just asking.
Click to expand...

Not all brake lines are reproduced. Those are good for stock type restos but if you get into custom brake lines for aftermarket brakes or hot rods, you are on your own. I gave a complete set of brake and fuel lines for a 69 cuda to Finelines about 20 years ago to use as patterns because they didn't have ANY A-body in their catalog. When I talked to them 2 years ago to buy brake lines for my 64 Valiant they told me they were getting out of car lines completely and concentrating on newer trucks. They did not have any early A in stock (I actually went there in person) and would have to bend what they could on a custom order basis. So another source has bit the dust.

I ended up reproducing all the lines for my 64 starting with 25 foot coils of 3/16" tubing. I replumbed my system anyway because I eliminated the factory proportioning/splitter, converted to dual MC and used an adjustable proportioning valve.

I have 3 benders and 2 flaring tools now. But not the big Eastwood.

And...for those who live in the rust belt, brake lines on modern iron seem to start rusting out and leaking after about 10 years. I cut out the rusted sections and splice in new pieces as needed.
 
Look around. That bender is the same design that people like Imperial Eastman have been making since before I was born, and that was 70 years ago.

I can't speak for the flare tool, but again, I'd look around...........
 
Dana67Dart said:
Devil's advocate here... is the cost of the tools greater or about the same as just buying the pre-bent and flared lines from a restorer company?
I have not priced either just asking.
Click to expand...

If you only have one project and the pre-bent lines are available that's the way to go.

But, if you have multiple projects that need brake or fuel lines, or any custom applications, the flaring tool is the way to go. I bought one just because I have a bunch of projects, and pre-bent lines aren't available for all of them.
 
DavidLee said:
also has anyone used Nicopp brake lines?
Click to expand...
I do, 3 of my cars so far. 50' roll through Amazon, dirt cheap, super easy to work with. The last rear end I plumbed took me 2-3 hours, and I'm slow.

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Dana67Dart said:
Devil's advocate here... is the cost of the tools greater or about the same as just buying the pre-bent and flared lines from a restorer company?
I have not priced either just asking.
Click to expand...

Have replaced several complete brake line systems in more modern vehicles. Must be a change in the material they use for brake lines now days from the old days. We found it best to just go ahead and replace the whole system rather than piecing in parts.

The Eastman tool cost us $300 but is worth its weight in gold.
 
The flaring tool will change your life lol.... As for the bender, I have a rigid and a few NOS benders for doing small line for laughing gas lol.....

I madey own tubing straighner. I just make all my stuff now....

JW

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Dana67Dart said:
Devil's advocate here... is the cost of the tools greater or about the same as just buying the pre-bent and flared lines from a restorer company?
I have not priced either just asking.
Click to expand...

my brake system would not have any pre-bent brake lines. going from a Willwood valve with 37 degree an fittings to a line lock. Then entering the wheel well directly.
 
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