4 replies to this topic

[tractor]

Hi all

I've been out and bought myself a brake flaring tool but I just wanted to ask some advise on using it properly,

I'm starting from scratch here and I've got no old pipes at all for reference, the biggest thing I wondering is what finish I need to flare in to the end of the pipe


So here's the set I've got



Then I put the appropriate die (?) into he end and clamp it down






This is the flare it produces




Then if you take the die thing out and wind the screw down into the end of the pipe it gives a flare that looks like this, I think its called a double flare



So my question is am I right in thinking the first type of flare is for a male fitting and the second type is for a female fitting?

Have I got this completely wrong? How do I know which flare I need to put on the pipe end?


Any help is gratefully received

Trac

[tractor]

So I've been reading up on this since I posted this earlier

The confusion about single and double flares comes in because some people refer to resultant wall thickness of the flare and some people refer to the amount of actions need to achieve the flare

It is possible to just drive the cone of the tool down into the pipe creating a single wall Y sectioned flare, this is commonly known as a single flare

What is also known as a single flare is flare number 1 above because its only one action needed with this tool to create it, however it's also referred to as a double flare because this single action created a double wall thickness

Flare two is also known as a double flare because of the double wall thickness and also because of the two actions required with this tool to make it.

Confusing? A load of tosh if you ask me, the bottom line is the two flares pictured above are the best and most common with flare 1 being mostly for male unions and flare 2 being mostly for female unions

How do you make sure what type you need? Have a look at where flare will be seating, if there's a cone surface going away from you, for example in most T piece connectors, you'll need flare 1, if you fitting a female union to receive something like a flexi pipe that has a pointy end to it so you'll need flare 2 above so they seat properly together

I've proberly not explained that in the clearest terms but I think what I was guessing earlier was right it's just the terminology that's confusing it.


Does someone want to confirm what I'm saying or put me straight?


Trac

[Ethel]

You've both got the right idea, the bottom photo is wrong, as you say.

 

I dunno if it's worth pointing out that some components designed for flexible hoses seal on the shoulder, rather than the end of the male fitting, and that metric 10x1 unions are close enough to confuse for 3/8unf - but aren't interchangeable!.

[tractor]

Thanks Ethel

By similar do you mean in diameter? If I just try to thread the union into where its going before I put it on the pipe I should be ok? I doubt a 3/8 unf will thread into a metric m10 thread and vice versa

And a top tip I've just read dab a bit of break fluid on the pipe end just before you flare it, it helps lubricate it

Trac

[tiger99]

A single female flare is unsafe, and will rapidly fail. It must never be used anywhere on a brake system. The proper single flare is the "bubble flare", which has a male cone on the sealing surface, as the tube is effectively only bulging outwards, the very end is not stretched.

A double flare is made by using the other tool to push the sealing face of the single flare inwards, so that it becomes a female cone. What makes it stronger than teh single flare is that there is a fold of metal around the edge, which has been stretched, not just the edge of a single thickness, which would rapidly crack.