Fuel Line Tips n Tools

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seabee

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Hi Gang, hope all is well.

I'm looking to make some new steel fuel lines (send and return) and want to DIY it. Any flare tool brands/tips I could get before I start?

Thanks-

Seabee
 
My "information" may be out of date, but the go-to flare setups used to be brand names like Imperial Eastman with double flare adapters. I've seen some, here and there, that are MUCH more expensive yet perhaps easier to use.

If you use this old type it is imperative you do a couple of things........carefully file the end nice and square, IE do not attempt to double flare after just cutting it with a tube cutter

If you "mess up" you must cut it back behind the tool marks where the tool clamped. You'll never flare it in that area

Do NOT get lazy and single flare it.

Get in your head, IE learn the difference between inverted flare (45 deg flare) and conventional SAE (normally copper/ brass) which are also 45 deg, and so called AN or JIC which are 37 1/2 degree flare, that is, you need a different tool.

What this means is, if you go AN (JIC) you should stay "all" AN and not mix up inverted and SAE with the AN stuff.

All traditional "real" tool brands like KD and many others do or used to offer tools similar to the Imperial design.

m2_3HKhqX2EqyRG6hrcmZqw.jpg
 
The info above is more then I could provide.....I have a decent flaring tool, but haven't done any lines in years.:D

I'm just glad to see you back on the site. Hope thing are going well and the family is doing good. :thumbrig:
 
I'm real fond of Parker benders and they are expensive but, you can count on a nice job, from them. Look on Craigslist and find some used ones.
OR, do what I did and buy pre-bent lines, in stainless, then leave them sit for 6 months before you change 'em!
 
I'm real fond of Parker benders and they are expensive but, you can count on a nice job, from them. Look on Craigslist and find some used ones.
OR, do what I did and buy pre-bent lines, in stainless, then leave them sit for 6 months before you change 'em!

Some of the parker benders are similar to some other brands (Imperial) etc that I have IF we are talking about a similar design. These indeed do a great job. I used to use them doing refrigeration work

There are similar, and cheaper, designs that do a good job, and some will bend multiple sizes. I have (somewhere) LOL a KD or Lisle that wasn't very expensive, I think it does 3/16 1/4 and 5/16

Tri-Tube_Benders_Primary_735x480-735x480.jpg


This is a Sears, but similar to what I'm thinking

2903618303
 
Some of the parker benders are similar to some other brands (Imperial) etc that I have IF we are talking about a similar design. These indeed do a great job. I used to use them doing refrigeration work

There are similar, and cheaper, designs that do a good job, and some will bend multiple sizes. I have (somewhere) LOL a KD or Lisle that wasn't very expensive, I think it does 3/16 1/4 and 5/16

Tri-Tube_Benders_Primary_735x480-735x480.jpg


This is a Sears, but similar to what I'm thinking

2903618303

That is what I use for tube bending, nice tool.
 
I made these fuel lines from 10mm alloy tubing using a bender and flaring tools like the ones mentioned before.
This is the second atempt....the first one wasn't quite right.
 

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I can't add much to the tools as the one's mentioned above seem top notch. One tip I used on bending my fuel line on the car was to mock up the pieces using mechanic's wire to the shape that I needed and then bend the fuel line on the bench to match it. It saved me a lot of time leaning over the fender after each adjustment of the bends.
 
Thanks everyone. I'll update with progress when I get started.

I'm just glad to see you back on the site. Hope thing are going well and the family is doing good. :thumbrig:

Thanks Rick, I hope all is well with you and yours too. Been on a "car break" for quite a few months while getting ready for a new addition. Now that he's big enough for the hands-free device I plan on getting back to it!
D708AA22-3E3E-43C2-93B5-844FDC321C5B_zpsa5g0xme0.jpg
 
Bending fuel line is really very easy. I used to think there was voodoo and black magic involved until a really cool old mechanic gave me this tip. Mock up all your line in coat hanger wire first. Get it as perfect as you can. Then use that as a template when you bend the line. Works every time for. Been doin it that way almost thirty years and never had a problem. It makes bending the most complex bends very simple.
 
Congratulations! Lets just hope he ain't got as goofy lookin face as you do. LOL


Thanks everyone. I'll update with progress when I get started.



Thanks Rick, I hope all is well with you and yours too. Been on a "car break" for quite a few months while getting ready for a new addition. Now that he's big enough for the hands-free device I plan on getting back to it!
D708AA22-3E3E-43C2-93B5-844FDC321C5B_zpsa5g0xme0.jpg
 
Bending fuel line is really very easy. I used to think there was voodoo and black magic involved until a really cool old mechanic gave me this tip. Mock up all your line in coat hanger wire first. Get it as perfect as you can. Then use that as a template when you bend the line. Works every time for. Been doin it that way almost thirty years and never had a problem. It makes bending the most complex bends very simple.

X2! great way to do it!
 
And one more thing. Practice, practice and then more practice. You will learn and get use to the tool. I just have Lisle $35-40 bucks but, I made all my brake lines for my project truck.
 
I like Imperial-Eastman or Rigid dedicated, single size benders. I've never been happy with any of the 3n1 benders that I've used. Not the lowest cost option, but once you've used one enough to understand the advantages you'll never go back.
 
at one time i had charts to calculate the bends. so you can measure the length and the bend with a tape measure. and bend the tube on the bench, and fit great first time.
 
Lots of good advice and tools here, I never used to or new to file after cutting the tube but I heard about filing it like 67Dart273 said, and now the flares come out perfect.
 
at one time i had charts to calculate the bends. so you can measure the length and the bend with a tape measure. and bend the tube on the bench, and fit great first time.
this is built into the Rigid and Imperial-Eastman benders. Mark on the tube where the bend needs to start or end and align that with a appropriate witness mark on the tool.
 
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