I'm not a mechanic, but I enjoy learning new things. Your videos are great. It's always nice to see how the repairs are done by someone who knows what he's doing. I can't wait to see the final product of all this work! Have a great day!
Although that is a slick flaring tool, it's $300 in Canada. The other one is $35 and if you place it in a vise I can make the same flares as that tool all day long. The problem with the more affordable one is people try to hold the tool in their hands while tightening to make the flare, resulting in off center flares, split flares and broken dies. If the tool is used properly, admittedly it's not quite as fast but it works equally as well. After 40 years of custom brake lines and nitrous systems I wore out the first tool and am on the second. So after my $70 investment over my career, I and made thousands. As many lines as I have done the Turret tool would be worth it but when I started there was no such thing and if there was most mechanics couldn't afford it. lol
I hear you! I've used the same cheap flaring tool for years and just never seemed to get the hang of it, no matter how hard I tried! I'm happy now, even with the expense, knowing that my brake line flares' quality is as good as I can make them.
I like that tube flare tool. I bought one from Harbor Freight that was better than the cheap one you showed but not as nice as yours. I ended up making some that were okay but bought others off shelf. The trouble with buying them from shelf is that they may be a little long. I had a 53 F-100 panel truck, now a 66 F-100 pickup, same brakes as your 50 except the 66 is self adjusting. Good video.
Thanks for the comments and the kind words! I shake my head every time I remembered struggling with those other stupid cheap flaring tools. The F-100 is another one of my favourite Ford trucks
I just started on a 52 F-1 project. I intend to restore mostly as original, including the flathead and three speed column shift. I will consider a brake modernization though. It would be nice to have a two chamber master, but most that I can find need a new location and pedal modifications, and are mostly designed for disc brakes (front) and power boosters. I owned and drove one of these 40 years ago, and don't recall the brakes being particularly weak. I won't be hot-rodding this, so how relevant is a modern disc brake conversion? Also not sure the disc conversion will fit inside the original steel wheels which I plan to keep using. Any recommendations on this? As for the $200 flaring turret tool, I see that I can buy a five piece hard line set in stainless for less $$. However, the truck I have is from a dry climate, and the current hard lines still look usable. Is there a way to test the lines, or determine if they are sound enough to continue using? Do they rust from the inside and harbor weaknesses unseen from the outside? I will definitely be replacing all the cylinders, flexible lines, and pads regardless. And I'm pretty sure I'll need new drums all around. Do you have a good source for new brake drums for a 1952? Thanks, Matt
I 100% agree with you! I have a late 60's Mustang dual circuit master cylinder waiting for me to install after I get the truck through inspection. I also have 3-point modern seatbelts that will go in as well. This F1 also only came with the driver's side windshield wiper (passenger side was an option). I may put in dual wipers as well.
I could, but for a couple reasons: the longer the flexible hose is, the less rigid it is so the brakes would get 'soft' as the hose expands with brake pressure, and to counteract that, a stainless braided hose would work, like on most motorcycles, but that stuff is spendy and a lot harder to work with.
Sorry, nothing specific, no. I used a vacuum bleeder to do all 4 corners starting at the wheel cylinder farthest from the master cylinder (right-rear). I found what really helped was a small plastic funnel that I was able to thread into the fill port of the master cylinder and keeping that topped up.
I'm not a mechanic, but I enjoy learning new things. Your videos are great. It's always nice to see how the repairs are done by someone who knows what he's doing. I can't wait to see the final product of all this work! Have a great day!
Thank you so much for the kind words! It's really appreciated as I'm trying to make engaging, informative and fun videos!
Awesome
Thank you!
Although that is a slick flaring tool, it's $300 in Canada. The other one is $35 and if you place it in a vise I can make the same flares as that tool all day long. The problem with the more affordable one is people try to hold the tool in their hands while tightening to make the flare, resulting in off center flares, split flares and broken dies. If the tool is used properly, admittedly it's not quite as fast but it works equally as well. After 40 years of custom brake lines and nitrous systems I wore out the first tool and am on the second. So after my $70 investment over my career, I and made thousands. As many lines as I have done the Turret tool would be worth it but when I started there was no such thing and if there was most mechanics couldn't afford it. lol
I hear you! I've used the same cheap flaring tool for years and just never seemed to get the hang of it, no matter how hard I tried! I'm happy now, even with the expense, knowing that my brake line flares' quality is as good as I can make them.
I like that tube flare tool. I bought one from Harbor Freight that was better than the cheap one you showed but not as nice as yours. I ended up making some that were okay but bought others off shelf. The trouble with buying them from shelf is that they may be a little long. I had a 53 F-100 panel truck, now a 66 F-100 pickup, same brakes as your 50 except the 66 is self adjusting. Good video.
Thanks for the comments and the kind words! I shake my head every time I remembered struggling with those other stupid cheap flaring tools. The F-100 is another one of my favourite Ford trucks
I just started on a 52 F-1 project. I intend to restore mostly as original, including the flathead and three speed column shift. I will consider a brake modernization though.
It would be nice to have a two chamber master, but most that I can find need a new location and pedal modifications, and are mostly designed for disc brakes (front) and power boosters. I owned and drove one of these 40 years ago, and don't recall the brakes being particularly weak. I won't be hot-rodding this, so how relevant is a modern disc brake conversion? Also not sure the disc conversion will fit inside the original steel wheels which I plan to keep using. Any recommendations on this?
As for the $200 flaring turret tool, I see that I can buy a five piece hard line set in stainless for less $$. However, the truck I have is from a dry climate, and the current hard lines still look usable. Is there a way to test the lines, or determine if they are sound enough to continue using? Do they rust from the inside and harbor weaknesses unseen from the outside?
I will definitely be replacing all the cylinders, flexible lines, and pads regardless. And I'm pretty sure I'll need new drums all around. Do you have a good source for new brake drums for a 1952?
Thanks, Matt
I will try and keep as much originality to a classic vehicle as possible but will always replace a single brake master cylinder to a dual. Safety!
I 100% agree with you! I have a late 60's Mustang dual circuit master cylinder waiting for me to install after I get the truck through inspection. I also have 3-point modern seatbelts that will go in as well. This F1 also only came with the driver's side windshield wiper (passenger side was an option). I may put in dual wipers as well.
Why can't you use flexible hose the entire way instead of hard line?
I could, but for a couple reasons: the longer the flexible hose is, the less rigid it is so the brakes would get 'soft' as the hose expands with brake pressure, and to counteract that, a stainless braided hose would work, like on most motorcycles, but that stuff is spendy and a lot harder to work with.
Do you have a video of you bleeding the brakes? I own a 1949 and the master is empty
Sorry, nothing specific, no. I used a vacuum bleeder to do all 4 corners starting at the wheel cylinder farthest from the master cylinder (right-rear). I found what really helped was a small plastic funnel that I was able to thread into the fill port of the master cylinder and keeping that topped up.