I will be putting a new rear end in my car soon. The brake lines on the new rear are shot and have to be replaced.

My question is about the ISO or "bubble" flares. How do you make them? I have heard a few different opinions. Some people say you need a special flaring tool, others say that a standard double flaring tool will work, if you stop after the first step. Then there are some that say just buy adapters to convert to double flare.

So any opinions on how to do this? All my experience has been with double flared lines. Any input you might have would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Brian

 

to make a bubble flare you need a bubble flare tool, to make double flares you need a double flare tool, not the same and not interchangeable. if you buy an adapter to go from bubble to double all you need to do is buy a ready made bubble flare line and reflare one end to double flare. i'd buy the adapter.

 

Where can the adapters be found? Sounds like those would come in handy just in case I have to re-route my brake lines! Thanks!

 

bought them from napa and local parts stores here, never tried auto zone

 

I put a new car quest special brake line in my car but had to reflare the end to use the old fitting into the prop vavle. I needed both the metric flaring tool kit AND the standard kit. The bubble was made with one while the standard block was needed to hold the standard sized line. WTF did I just say? Borrow BOTH kits from somebody, cuz you never know.

 

ok...i'm bringing this one back

I need some help

I am re-routing the brake lines in my engine bay. The flares outta the proportioning valve are the bubble flare

Now i cut and spliced in some 3/16" brake line for the front and just double flared them. I used -3an tube sleeves/nuts to connect them

are you telling me that this isn't going to work?

Also, i had to make a new brake line for my rear end. It went from the distribution thing in the middle to the driver side caliper...i only double flared that as well. You are telling me that wont work either?

i'd rather do this correctly the FIRST time than have it all together and it all start leaking

 

What do you mean by "spliced" new brake lines in? Are we talking about compression fittings? Though I've never heard of a problem with it, that's not exactly DOT approved, but I'm sure you already knew that.

Getting down to business: What I did is to buy all new brake lines from front to rear. I had to cut off the end of the new line and reuse the fittings out of the proportioning valve since it seemed they were almost impossible to find. I then used both a standard and a metric flaring kit. The standard was used for the 'block' to go around the new NAPA brake line, since it's outer diameter was standard line size. The metric was used purely for the 'bubble flare' end tool to make a new flared end.

As far as a new line from the rear 'T' to the caliper, you should be able to find an exact fit replacement without a problem at NAPA, Autozone, Checkers, etc.

Hope that helps out.

 

I've never been able to find an exact fit replacement from Autozone, or O'Rielly. All they sell is a straight line that you've got to bend yourself and cut to fit. NAPA may carry it, but something tells me they dont.

Scott

 

i didnt use compression fittings

i cut the line and put in some new brake line, i used some -3an tube nuts and sleeves and double flared them

i'm going to a friends house sometime soon to take the brake lines off his parts car to replace my "spliced" ones

probably going to just buy a replacement one from inline tube for the rear