Are bubble flares just the first step of double flairs ?
Are bubble flares just the first step of double flairs ?
Nope.
In reply to stan_d:
It worked for me on the Vette(much to my surprise) based on the recommendation someone else here made. Quite honestly, they were far from "good" bubble flares. Complicating matters, I was using metric line, with an SAE flare tool, so the "bubble" ended up off-center and crooked. No leaks yet though.
FWIW it's on my rear circuit, so it doesn't bother me quite as much as if it were the fronts.
I have done it "wrong" with my double flair tool more than twice. It worked fine for me. you need to be very accurate when cutting the tube. It has to be square and completely deburred on bothe the interior and exterior of the line and then make sure to blow out the line with air if you can to get any metal bits out of the line. Other than that it is pretty strait forward.
Or just buy preflared line sections from the local parts store and save the hassle.
einy wrote: Or just buy preflared line sections from the local parts store and save the hassle.
Or the 50 ft roll of "NiCopp" or whatever line. You still need to cut and flare it, but it is MUCH easier to work with than stock line and won't rust away.
The correct answer is that half a double is not a bubble. But it sure has worked for me a bunch of times.
Be aware that British Bubble and ISO bubble are not the same thing. A tool that does the Brit bubble is a rare thing. Once again, the ISO bubble seems to work more often than not, but it might not be any better than a half a double flare when it comes to being the "right way"
How many lines do you need to do?
Ni-cop is nice, but poses some challenges when flaring. You need a gentler hand and preferably a decent in-line flaring tool. The cut has to be perfectly square, I use the backside of the flare tool and a file to get it perfect. I also grease the tube and the mandrel.
Buy pre-made lines and cut one end off, that saves half the job.
If you dont want to do any flaring, buy pre-made lines and figure out the effect of a single "Speed loop" so you know how many to put in a line to make it the right length.
I use welding rod to figure out the line contours and transfer that to the brake-line.
This $32 kit makes good ISO bubble flares.
But you gotta get a square cut (use a little brake line radial cutter; it looks like a tiny pipe cutter); use oil; and you gotta de-burr the inside AND de-burr and chamfer the outside. This tool is the easiest way I have found to do both those right every time:
There are a TON of internet posts out there hating on sub-$100 brake line flare tools. But I wonder how many of them would do a good job with a perfectly prepped line cut and a little light oil on the die.
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