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Re: Brake Line Fabrication From "Brian St. Jacques"

To: skippers@mail.clipper.net, datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Brake Line Fabrication From "Brian St. Jacques"
From: Alex Avery <aavery@rica.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 14:45:35 -0400
>Ken wrote: Brake lines are made out of stainless steel 
>or at least steel and the connection ends are
>double flared. You can't make these ends with common tools.
>       A metal brake line should be strong enough not to flex under high
>pressures and the end flares must be free of microscopic cracks. If either
>of those requirements are violated you will experience catastrophic failure
>under braking pressures.
>       Forming double flares on stainless steel is, at least, a roll-forming
>operation. Single flaring tools simply stretch malleable metal over a mandrel.

Aw, come on Ken--your being a bit extreme here.  Making brake lines isn't
that hard, nor that exotic.  I've done bunches of them with a simple,
relatively inexpensive (but well made) brake line flare tool from the local
auto parts store.  

What is the huge difference between stretching the malleable metal
by"roll-forming" as opposed to "stretching malleable metal over a mandrel"?
 Have I just been cheatin' death for the last 5 years, 'cause I just know
I've pushed my 280Z's brakes pretty hard--an they aint let go yet!  (that's
my thick Virginia accent you're reading--more clutter)

At 10:56 AM 10/17/00 -0700, skippers@mail.clipper.net wrote:
>Jeez
>       I usually don't say anything, but this is dangerous stuff. 
>       Copper lines? C'mon. Single flared? Use them to go directly to your 
>local
>auto parts store. While your there, stock up on generic brake parts or,
>like in the case of front caliper lines, call someone who makes and bends
>brake-lines-to-order and use the money you saved from dropping your X-treme
>life insurance to pay for them. 
>
>Ken Spurling
>68 1.6


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