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[aaronjb]

Ruddy poxy cheap tool, mutter mutter, squishy copper, mutter mutter, not my fault, mutter mutter..

Just my luck I got a brake pipe to the perfect shape and length (for the kit car) and can I form a decent flare on the end? Can I balls.

I blame the poxy Sealey flare tool, not my inability to work it, honest guv.

</rant>

.. I wonder if Webby's garage has a flaring tool ..

[Nick W]

The Automec vice mounted one is excellent and affordable. Never had a bad flare off it yet. I bought it to replace the complete Sykes Pickavant set that was stolen out of the garage.


Buy the Automec  bending tool as well, it effortlessly puts perfect tight bends right up to fittings.

[aaronjb]

I have both their bending tools actually (arrived today); both far, far better than the ropey old one I was using (and easier than using a socket, definitely!) 

The flare tool I have is this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/191166728991

So shite, I suspect, that Sealey don't even seem to sell it anymore

I did look at the Automec tools but they range from £180 to £520 and I didn't think I could really justify that kind of price! I'd need to make a lot of flares to justify that, and I only have four to do

[aaronjb]

BTW, these are the flares that Automec made (half the pipes are from a ready made kit):



And these are the ropey looking ones I made:


(Click for giant versions)

[Nick W]

I paid about £90 for mine; I hadn't realised how much they had gone up    I would buy another though, unlike the Sealey one you showed which I rarely had any luck with.


THIS is the bending tool, which looks useless but works superbly. I do still form large radius bends by hand when necessary.

[Webby the Bear]

I have the sealey kit Aaron. The key is to have approx 3mm sticking out before you press the 3/16 bit in.

[Webby the Bear]

Ps, the garage do have a strap-on kit. Ironically I've never got on with it. But feel free to pop over on lunch and we'll make them up. Pm if needed mate. Only on moulton park 

[Nick W]

I have the sealey kit Aaron. The key is to have approx 3mm sticking out before you press the 3/16 bit in.

I found it difficult to clamp the the pipe reliably unless the tool was clamped in a vice. Then it isn't easy to use. I lent it out, and wasn't too bothered when he lost the flaring die.

[Webby the Bear]

I have the sealey kit Aaron. The key is to have approx 3mm sticking out before you press the 3/16 bit in.

I found it difficult to clamp the the pipe reliably unless the tool was clamped in a vice. Then it isn't easy to use. I lent it out, and wasn't too bothered when he lost the flaring die.

That's a good point. I forgot to mention u need a vice otherwise I imagine it'd be bloody difficult.

Also try and keep the wind in tool (which I believe is "op 2" for double flares) as straight and true as possible.

[aaronjb]

That's the second flare I made with the Sealey tool - the first one was as wonky as a dogs .. was even wonkier I think my problem is accurately judging the 'stick out' from the tool (I have it in a vice etc).

Thanks for the offer Webby, might end up taking you up on that (Sorry I didn't make it to the dyno btw!)

Nick - that's the same bending tool I bought Cheap, neat, works like a charm.. I'll take a picture of the rest of the pipe that I used that tool on tonight - it turned out very nicely. Shame it'll probably be too short after I've chopped the bad flare off again!

<insert pause here>

Ah sack it.. bought myself the Automec flare tool better hide the box from the missus or tell her it cost a fiver when it arrives

[Marks DTM Calib]

I wouldn't get to overly concerned with the shape of the flares as once they are clamped up they form to the fitting shape anyway.

[aaronjb]

That's what someone else said to me, too  Which makes total sense really..

It would be nice if I could rig up some way to pressurise the lines to test them before the body goes on (while it's nice and easy to get at everything!) but I'll probably just fit, tighten and cross my fingers for later 

This weekends jobs are to finish the brake line first-fit, battery cable (ran out of P-clips), set the rear toe, front camber, caster & toe, handbrake mechanism, callipers and final-fit the rear hub nuts if I can put 220lb/ft through them! And then it's ready for the body to go on (which sounds quick but sadly involves putting it on, measuring stuff, taking it off, prepping surfaces, putting it back on again and riveting it on, so will probably take a weekend all to itself)

[Viral_Jim]

That's what someone else said to me, too  Which makes total sense really..

It would be nice if I could rig up some way to pressurise the lines to test them before the body goes on (while it's nice and easy to get at everything!) but I'll probably just fit, tighten and cross my fingers for later 

This weekends jobs are to finish the brake line first-fit, battery cable (ran out of P-clips), set the rear toe, front camber, caster & toe, handbrake mechanism, callipers and final-fit the rear hub nuts if I can put 220lb/ft through them! And then it's ready for the body to go on (which sounds quick but sadly involves putting it on, measuring stuff, taking it off, prepping surfaces, putting it back on again and riveting it on, so will probably take a weekend all to itself)

What handbrake kit do you get with the DAX? my car has Cortina rear hubs and its hell's own job to tweak it to get enough Handbrake force to pass the MOT. I fitted a Jag handbrake lever to provide more leverage (bloody thing is on top of the transmission tunnel so no leverage from the drivers' seat). But I think the root cause is the wide rear wheels, am thinking of getting a set of steelies to MOT the car on - this will also save the perennial discussion about the legality or otherwise of the spinners  .

[aaronjb]

The rear end is all XJ40 based so it's drum-in-hat on the outboard disks and straight off the Jag (different handle in the cockpit and cable to the balance yoke, mind) and fortunately generally works quite well (unlike the earlier XJ6 Series stuff on the inboard disks where the handbrake calliper is a nightmare to adjust and the brake pads come unglued after spirited driving! ).. once I manage to stuff all the mechanism back in there, that is

Actually mine is X300 vented outboard rears but the handbrake bit is the same

[Kevin Wood]

It would be nice if I could rig up some way to pressurise the lines to test them before the body goes on (while it's nice and easy to get at everything!) but I'll probably just fit, tighten and cross my fingers for later 

Can't you build it up to a rolling chassis, fit the master and slave cylinders, bleed it and jump up and down on the pedal a bit? .. or does the body have to go on before that?