Hi All, Bought this kit off ebay advertised as brake flaring kit for a various VW including mk2 golf, which i have. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vw-Golf-P...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3371539b6a The brake pipe is, I believe, the correct size (3/16") but the flaring kit I have been sent is metric in mm, I thought if the brake pipe is imperial sizes that surely the flaring kit should be too?? The seller contacted me and says that 5mm is the correct flaring die size for 3/16" pipe (4.76mm). Is this really correct or should I demand a refund or to be sent the imperial flaring kit? Cheers Dan
Let me know how you get on with the flaring tool. I have the same & have been struggling to get a good one!
Also looks similar to mine - do several practice attempts before attempting the final brake pipes. I found clamping the pipe once, loosening, turning the pipe 90 degrees & then clamping again squared the pipe off nicely.
Looks identical to one I bought years ago and still use. It works fine! It 'bites' the pipe a bit where it clamps, that would be my only argument - probably un-avoidable at the lower end of the market.
Anyone got any pics of the end of the pipes you have flared? Want to see if I'm doing it right! Cheers
Ok cheers guys, I guess I will just give the tool a go. Still seems odd to me, using metric and imperial together.... PS - thought it was just single (bubble) flares on mk2 golf lines? Cheers Dan
My bad, it is single for you, one step back from double -the end isn't squashed in Don't know where double came from...
Well I have had a go and it might be crap technique but I can't get it to grip the pipe tight enough and I can't help but think thats because I have 4.76mm pipe in a 5mm hole.....Could you guys above who mentioned you have a similar tool confirm yours are in mm too and not imperial? Cheers Dan
Im not being funny here but I supply BRAKELINES so know a fair bit about them. Those types of hand half kits are at best suitable for a get you home type repair on a track day etc. I certainly would not use one to replace alot of unions on a car I was to do alot of miles in. I have a similair kit that used to be in the tool box when I went off roading to make emergency repairs. They do the job but are fiddly and awkward to use and don't give the best results. I also own a sealey vice mounted duel action set up, I have had this for about ten years and back then it set me back around 130 . Takes me longer to set up than it does to flare an end. As for the flares you should have single flare on male ends and double flair on females And don't worry it is common practice for the pipe to be imperial and fittings metric. In fact I don't think they do metric pipe. BRAKES ARE VERY IMPORTANT DON'T SCRIMP ON THEM
This is totally the reason behind getting the right bit of kit to do the job OR getting a friendly garage to make up the ends. If you are in doubt about what you are doing, it is fine when it comes to some jobs but brakes are far too "mission critical" for having a bash. As has been demonstrated it is all too easy to make up lines wrong.
