Van's Air Force
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%$#@! Brake Lines
- Thread starter BigD
- Start date
Wayne Gillispie
Well Known Member
Contact Bonaco for flex lines and use 5052 elsewhere.
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Is that the whole story, or did you forget to put the nut and sleeve on the line before flaring (like all of us have done plenty of times)? Keep at it, you'll get it right and it will be a source of pride for you.
As for not wanting to "learn" how to properly make a line - would you really tell that to your future passengers? "I couldn't figure out how to flare aluminum tubing, but the rest of the aircraft structure was no problem..."
Really?
Hard to believe an aircraft "kit" used to be a set of plans and a bunch of steel tube and spruce.
As for not wanting to "learn" how to properly make a line - would you really tell that to your future passengers? "I couldn't figure out how to flare aluminum tubing, but the rest of the aircraft structure was no problem..."
Really?
Hard to believe an aircraft "kit" used to be a set of plans and a bunch of steel tube and spruce.
Jamie Aust
Well Known Member
+1, you cant go wrong with Bonaco.
Uh, that would be me. You left out putting the ferrule on backwards, putting on the furrle before the nut, ...
Further Comment
Of course, the picture made perfect sense to me, as I'm the one who forgot to put the ferrule on or got it backwards etc, (3 out of 8 times...slow learner?) so I was really poking some fun at myself and assuming that others had been there too. I ended up using a piece of 8ga bare copper to figure out the bends and then transferred them to the tubing, which didn't save a whole lot of time, but did save some re-bending. The other part that turned out to be a real PITA was trying to get the adel clamp screw in at the bottom of the tunnel with a stubby Phillips. Went to the hardware store and found some socket head cap screws and put them in with an allen wrench.
Even admitting I don't know what I don't know, I'm pretty sure my flares are at least adequate - having made good 90 degree cuts, deburring and smoothing the end, and using a good tool; then mic'ing the flare to check size. Still won't know til brake pressure is applied. My plan for the rest of the brake lines (outside the fuse) is for pre-made flexible ones.
Of course, the picture made perfect sense to me, as I'm the one who forgot to put the ferrule on or got it backwards etc, (3 out of 8 times...slow learner?) so I was really poking some fun at myself and assuming that others had been there too. I ended up using a piece of 8ga bare copper to figure out the bends and then transferred them to the tubing, which didn't save a whole lot of time, but did save some re-bending. The other part that turned out to be a real PITA was trying to get the adel clamp screw in at the bottom of the tunnel with a stubby Phillips. Went to the hardware store and found some socket head cap screws and put them in with an allen wrench.
Even admitting I don't know what I don't know, I'm pretty sure my flares are at least adequate - having made good 90 degree cuts, deburring and smoothing the end, and using a good tool; then mic'ing the flare to check size. Still won't know til brake pressure is applied. My plan for the rest of the brake lines (outside the fuse) is for pre-made flexible ones.
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Your assumption is correct! We've all been there.
...and let me guess, it was a very complex set of bends and was otherwise perfect...
...yes, that's the way it usually goes.
Based on you pictures, it looks like you got lucky and your "fix" was to simply re-terminate the ends. It appears that you used the normal tube cutoff tool which can't quite get up next to the flare due to the shoulder on the tool. To save a little bit of material, you can simply cut off the flare only using a dremel or hacksaw, then file the end square. Sometimes that little bit of material you save is the difference between scrapping the whole line or not.
BillL
Well Known Member
Or you take the sin snips and carefully cut the flare off and square it. A little spiral cut. I did that twice and still used the line.
My sympathies to the OP as I just spent the whole day yesterday installing fuel line. How could anything so simple looking be such a PITA? I haven't done the "leave the B nut off" thing yet, but I've burned through many feet of tubing trying to get it right and in the end had to use a union to finish the job. It's safe, installed correctly, but I'm still not happy about the process or having to use a union...
