Date:         Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:13:35 -0700
Reply-To:     John Anderson <wvukidsdoc@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Anderson <wvukidsdoc@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Brake line fittings
Comments: To: Jay Brown <badkarma@TTLC.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

They are standard M10 brake line fittings, most good FLAPS will have them, but may only have a longer length which can be annoying at times (if any require close tight bends adjacent a fitting) and many FLAPS will only have 4-5 of them laying in a drawer if the do have them.  And of course, I'd pull for the cunifer line personally as I've recently mentioned.  Flaring steel line with hand tools is not nearly as easy as one may think, particularly either ISO or douple flaring.  I've done several vehicles, I'd say I have about a 7-8 in 10 good rate, which is real, real stinking annoying at times, for instance if you've blown 30 minutes bening a line up perfect on the car and are trying to put the flare on it at the final end, and botch it.  A good FWIW is that if you clamp the flaring block together adjacent to where the yoke is with a good C-clamp? to help hold, you will have MUCH better luck.  I actually use a little Starrett hand vise for this when
 I'm doing on down on the vehicle, which is even better, or I put the block in a real vise right up adjacent to where you are using the yoke to flare.  Holds better, flares better.  The cunifer is much easier to work compared to steel, and is all of $2/ft.  As I've also mentioned personally I HATE the poly armor line.  With non hydraulic hand tools it slips in the die block, gets the "poly" scraped off it, and then it just rusts.  If I didn't go cunifer, I'd go with regular ole zinc plated (looks galvanized) lines.
 
I'm sure YMMV
 
John

--- On Thu, 9/10/09, Jay Brown <badkarma@TTLC.NET> wrote:


I am getting ready to replace all of the brake lines on my '87 Wolfsburg in
the next week or two.  I am planning to use 3/16" Poly-Armor hard lines and
stock flex hoses.  I have the ISO bubble flare tool ready to roll as well.
Does anyone know off the top of their head what size fittings will be needed
as well as a total quantity to do a complete hard line replacement?