just stay away from the cheap ones made in China.
flaring tool help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: Horicon Wisconsin
flaring tool help
So Im in need of a flaring tool to do a few brake lines and fuel lines. Theres alot of kits out there and was wondering what does everyone use? What should I look for when buying a kit?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
I was happy with the Rigid model. You want 45* double (inverted) flare. Well made, comes with a tubing cutter and a case. I got it at Graingers. (The other common angle you don't want is the 37* flaring tool that would be used with AN fittings.)
Last edited by 70Speedray; Apr 21, 2012 at 12:30 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,244
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
I bough a house model from Car Quest that was totally useless. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep a line clamped down hard enough to screw the flaring tool down onto the end of it without the line slipping through before a flare was created. Threw it (literally) into the garbage.
Then I bought a K-D tools 2199 and have been 100% happy with it. After the debacle with the Car Quest tool, this one actually made flaring brake lines fun!
Then I bought a K-D tools 2199 and have been 100% happy with it. After the debacle with the Car Quest tool, this one actually made flaring brake lines fun!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
make sure the one you get is long enough so you can clamp it in your vise as oppose to hold it in your hand.....it just has a
longer bar stock for this
longer bar stock for this
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
From my experience it's best to spend the extra money and buy a quality kit. The bits on the foreign made kits will bend and be useless after you've made a few flares. Or just plain wear out with a minimal amout of use. All the other guys have made great suggestions on brands. I'd try to stay with american made. 
