Steel brake pipe flaring tool

[malcolm]

I tried to replace a rusted brake pipe on my Peugeot 406 Coupe today. It was one of the front to rear pipes and it's perfect apart from the rusty bit so my plan was to make a join under the floor and replace only the faulty section.

My ancient Sykes Pikavant flaring tool doesn't fit into the inner bore of the steel pipe even after a lot of cleaning up. Do the steel pipes have a smaller ID than the kunifer I'm using. Or maybe some French metric thing? I only had one fitting for the pipe flarer and I broke it.

Can anyone recommend a pipe flaring kit that would work on steel pipes like these? My use is only occasional but it'll probably pay for itself if it saves a trip to the garage.

 

[scottmk1]

Can you not get different sizes of dies for your flaring tool?

 

[mr haynes]

Single flare the steel pipe

 

[Sergei Slovenija]

IMHO, replace the tube with a copper one. For a steel tube, you will need a hydraulic tool.

 

[Rrobson]

The bore of the steel pipe should actually be larger than kunifer because steel doesn’t need as thick a section to be as strong.
The only flarer I know of that produces decent flares in steel is the Sykes flaremaster 2. You may need a second set of dies though because steel has a tendency to slip back through rather than flare.
In my opinion, and as recommended by others I would just replace the whole section with one length of kunifer. You don’t need as expensive a flaring tool then because even the £10 ones will flare kunifer, and you don’t have any unnecessary joints in the run. Plus the your removing an item that will inevitably rust and need replacement in the future for maintenance free stuff

 

[malcolm]

It was the Sykes Flaremaster 1 that I broke.

It's one of the pair of front to rear pipes and they are joined in awkward places so a heck of a job to replace them. I've asked on the owners club forum if there is an existing join hidden somewhere along the run. Otherwise maybe it is worth a trip to the garage as I need the car next week.

 

[tom2207]

sykes are about the best ,,, some of the steel pipes are hard .. if youve a torch give it one heat and let it cool ,,, shouldnt help in theory but I find it does sometimes.

 

[wyn]

I've used this type of generic hand held thingy for the steel pipes in situ under a land rover.
It worked fine, and on the kunifer that replaced the steel.
They can be had much cheaper than the one linked.

 

[anto44]

Some manufacturers (VAG is definitely one) use a steel brake pipe which has a slightly smaller inner and outer diameter than the standard 3/16 brake pipe, it is possible to flare it using standard 3/16 tools but it's not easy

 

[premmington]

I got Sykes Flaremaster 2. Never had a problem doing steel brake pipes.

I also got bench Sykes brake pipe flarer.

------------

It is doing short pipes on cars - where you need to buy into ebay type ones - and remmeber to grease them up - or they fail quickly.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Richiew]

It is doing short pipes on cars - where you need to buy into ebay type ones - and remmeber to grease them up - or they fail quickly.

Pardon our interruption...

"Special punch grease. Do not eat"

 

[premmington]

"Special punch grease. Do not eat"

Any grease will do it.... (no grease should be ingested except Duck fat on roast spuds)

 

[jgr2015]

I did a couple of steel pipes on the mitsu colt with the Flaremaster2. Didn't seem to faze the thing. I checked with SP before I bought the tool, and they confirmed it as suitable for mild steel, copper and cupro-nickel. They have a different variant for stainless steel.

 

[premmington]

I did a couple of steel pipes on the mitsu colt with the Flaremaster2. Didn't seem to faze the thing. I checked with SP before I bought the tool, and they confirmed it as suitable for mild steel, copper and cupro-nickel. They have a different variant for stainless steel.

I got the alternative Ram and 6mm dies for the Flaremaster2 - to do pipes on the rear of Merc cars.

 

[lotus_esprit_s1]

The Flaremaster 1 is very different from the Flaremaster 2

 

[malcolm]

I've splashed out on a Flaremaster 2. Didn't have all the punches for the Flaremaster 1 and spares look to be more easily available for the 2. Owners club says there is a possibility of an inline connection hidden under a plastic cover which should make things easier. Hopefully I can borrow a ramp to save working outside in the cold and wet.

 

[Wedg1e]

sykes are about the best ,,, some of the steel pipes are hard .. if youve a torch give it one heat and let it cool ,,, shouldnt help in theory but I find it does sometimes.

Maybe on new tube... but I wouldn't go anywhere near an old line still containing brake fluid, with a naked flame.

 

[tom2207]

Maybe on new tube... but I wouldn't go anywhere near an old line still containing brake fluid, with a naked flame.

why not ,,,,

 

[Wedg1e]

why not ,,,,

Errr... because it ignites easier than petrol? Granted not the silicon stuff, but most cars don't use that.
I nearly lost the TVR one night, trying to top up the clutch master cyl in the dark. Spilled a few drops on the hot exhaust manifold and suddenly I had no trouble seeing

 

[tom2207]

Errr... because it ignites easier than petrol? Granted not the silicon stuff, but most cars don't use that.
I nearly lost the TVR one night, trying to top up the clutch master cyl in the dark. Spilled a few drops on the hot exhaust manifold and suddenly I had no trouble seeing

not in a pipe thats sealed , never had a bother with it at all ,, few drops that leak out , but they fall on the floor ,,, it certainly does not burn easier than petrol more like oil and without the oxygen its grand. I keep a wet rag to hand in case though ,,, now if your vaporizing it on a hot manifold things may be different .