DOES ANYTHING EVER FIT RIGHT?!!!!:o :o :o :o

3 days messing with these stupid S.S. fuel lines. Bend em, take em back...Have em redone...Oops, need a coupler now. Do it again...Binds on the inside of the frame..Run some Aeroquip through the frame now and use couplers to go back to stainless....Oops, he made the line too long and forgot to bend it.. .Dinged the inside of the flare...#@$^*#$^

Go back tomorrow and do it all over again. THis is getting stupid expensive to get a lousy line to fit "just right". Should be a simple 15 minute job, right? Put them in place, drill hole, screw clamp into frame, NEXT!

They need a reality show of how much a PITA building these things can really be.

Ill be getting loaded in a pine box before I finish this thing, I swear.

Rant off.:(

And you wonder why I drink? Can you believe some guys here actually do this stuff for a living? Good luck my friend!

I feel for you, they can be nasty, so I'll try to help you out.

If you still have some to bend, you could get some #9 wire from a building supply and bend that, then duplicate that on your work bench.

If you don't have good tools to bend them with, thats part of the problem.

Also good flaring tools are a necessity.

Can you bend them out of regular line, then duplicate that in stainless.

Telling you patience, I know what you're thinking, but slow down and go slower, that might help.

I did a jeep 20 years ago, and that was my first experience with bending lines, and a jeep going under the body with three lines side by side and then going all directions, it was nasty.

I fought with it and like you are with yours, so I bought 25 foot rolls of three different sizes, bought the good tools, and said to myself, I will beat this.

When I got done, they were a piece of art, really looked good, now when I do my chevelle, I won't have those problems.

Twenty five foot rolls and good benders are expensive, I know this, but that is a decision you will have to make.

At least you're trying, I'll give you a lot of credit for that, plus asking for help, thats a good sign.:thumbsup:

Question here, why are you using stainless, I think that regular brake line looks better then stainless anyway, if its new.

So slow down, that should help.

Rob

The hardest part of working with stainless is flairing the ends. Best to buy them pre-flaired and bent right. I had my stainless lines pre bent and flaired so I didnt have to mess with most of it. I did bend a few and flair at a few spots due to a dual master cylinder instead of the original single reservior it originally had.

A regular brake line flairing tool will not do stainless steel. It is not even close to being as soft. It was a pain to flair it with a regular tool. I dont know where or whom makes a tool made for stainless. I got my tool from the same place that sold my brake line kit.

I just went out and dug up my flaring tools, it still has a price tag on it of $41.00 from a long time ago, and pretty good ones.

On the front of the box, it says not to be used on stainless, Chris is right on the money here.:thumbsup:

Rob

Did some looking and found this.

Can I double flare stainless steel tube by hand?

Yes, you can double flare stainless steel lines bought from Inline Tube. Our tube is fully annealed and is very easy to work with. We recommend and offer several good flaring tools: Rigid, Imperial Eastman or Blue Point. Carefully follow all the instructions that come with the tool and the tubing, and the flare will be perfect every time.
Rob

You didn't say that flaring was your problem, but this company softens up there stainless, so a phone call to where you got your tubing might help.

I'll leave you alone now.

Rob

Thanks for the tips, rubadub. I had this line duplicated in 1/2" using a repro as a guide. Back to the drawing board tomorrow....Price I pay for getting picky I guess.

You will be glad that you are picky, when its done you can be proud of it.

Rob

I did the brake hard lines on my old GTO. Easily qualifies as one of the worst automotive experiences of my life. Incredibly painstaking ... I just didn't have the patience for it.
d

It could be worse... just imagine doing this with the body on :clonk:

Just built a new steel (not stainless) fuel line for my Elky this way. Actually I still need to finish the custom front forming. And untweak the body mounting :clonk: :clonk:

Ok, its done..Wound up running some Aeoquip push lok hose through the the front subframe, couldnt solve the binding problem no matter how I tweaked the lines...Stopped the stainless just before it goes in thefront and used two AN males and a union. Did leave a 4inch long piece of stainless on the front where it comes into the engine compartment so it still appears to be all stainless.

No way I could have dont this with the body on, I would have given up. I hate working underneath cars.

It alot more easy with the body off the frame. I could not amagine with it on.

Ron, Why you know ax me for help, I tell you I help you and you no call me. Iam glad you got it. Alot of my time on Sat and Sun I look for things to do.
Is this because Iam a hippie.

Mike