I'm putting in a new 3/8 stainless steel fuel line in my Elky and need to put a 37 deg single flare on the line for a -6AN adapter fitting since I'm going to run a braided line to the carb and a braided line at the back to an electric fuel pump on the frame by the gas tank.

How do you flare stainless steel? My cheap flaring tool works fine on the OE steel but isn't working, it keeps pushing the tube out of flaring bar no matter how tight I make it.

Do I need to buy one of the good flaring tools or is there a trick to it?

Jay,
I bought a good Snap On double flaring tool to help a customer put stainless brake lines on his 32 Ford we are doing the engine for. Boy was that stuff hard !!!!!!!! I just about wore myself and the tool out but got it done. No way would my cheap single flare tool even touch it :(

you need a good one, stainless is hard as nails.

you need a good one, stainless is hard as nails.

:noway: they don't make nails that hard!

This is what I use for those, with a turned down 45 degree die to 37 degree. Works great.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=69952&group_ID=18146

Summit Racing has the 37 degree flaring tool that you need! SUM-900311 (ref: $35 in 2004). Check out their site for current price. ZK

That stuff is hard! I think you need the hydraulic Snap on tool to do it but $500 is too much for me. The flare tool I have is the $30 cheapy like the Summit one, it's useless on this stuff.

Maybe I can find a local shop that can do it for me?

That stuff is hard! I think you need the hydraulic Snap on tool to do it but $500 is too much for me. The flare tool I have is the $30 cheapy like the Summit one, it's useless on this stuff.

Maybe I can find a local shop that can do it for me?

I wish you the best .... the hose guy here wants 10 buck per flare on S/S !:eek:

once your over 1/4 inch on S/S its real hard to flare it without a hyd tool !!

I have done it with the Snap on manual tool set but .... its lots of work !!!!

There is a kit from Parker out there I think that is not cheap or as expensive as SO. Had one at work for SS hydraulic lines, and worked well. Someone walked off with the kit so I can,t give you any more info on it.

I made all my fuel and trans. lines out of stainless using a cheep type tool, had no problem at all?
I used the stainless fuel line that Summit sells, mabe it's softer?
Problem I had was getting them to seal, had to be just rite.
T.C.

I wonder if it is possible to anneal the end of the tube to soften it enough to flare it with ordinary tools. I bought a Ridgid flaring tool at Home Depot and it clamps really tight, but I have never tried doing any stainless with it. Maybe you could take a look at one of those as it looks like a pretty good tool and the price was not too bad.

It turns out I don't need to flare the line. The hard line to AN adapter fittings I got from Earl's have a brass ferrule compression ring inside that is supposed to seal it without flaring the line.
We will see how it works; hopefully no leak.

This is what I use for those, with a turned down 45 degree die to 37 degree. Works great.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=69952&group_ID=18146

That stuff is hard! I think you need the hydraulic Snap on tool to do it but $500 is too much for me.
The tool is actually made by Mastercool; p/n 71475. It's available on-line for WAY less than the $530 that Snap-On wants for it.

http://www.mastercool.com/m54.html

Lowest price I've ever seen:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mastercool-71475-Universal-Hydraulic-Flaring-Tool-Set_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ111106QQihZ011QQite mZ320119437309QQrdZ1

I think this is where I got mine:

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/MAS-71475.html

I've never tried to flare stainless with it, though. I did write to them and told 'em they should make dies for 37 degree fittings.

I just did 1/4" stainless brake lines...tried a cheapo double flare tool and it just wouldn't flare right. Ended up using an older american made flare tool and it worked great. It is also important to deburr and slightly file the outside edges after you cit it. If using a tubing cutter make sure you have a new blade, the stainless will eat those blades. The cleaner the cut the easier it will be to flare.

I had the same problems with my cheap 30 dollar flaring tool also. Tried flairing a few stainless steel lines and they ended up uneven, but I did get them to seal. Those cheap tools are certainly not made for flaring stainless steel. Funny thing is, the genious's at the place I bought my prebent line kit also sold me the flaring kit also. Claimed it works just fine, yea right.

That expensive kit that Shrukey posts is about the only kit I know of that will actually do a nice flare on stainless steel. Although I dont have one either and have never personally tried it myself. I do know that that kit is sold under many other brand names also. Still undecided if I should buy one but I have always wanted one.

I seen this video and it seems like it will do the job just right for SS tubing.I am thinking about getting one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhpGIO6HB2Y&mode=user&search=

It's expensive at $174.99 but if it saves me my weekends then i am all for it.

http://www.anplumbing.com/shop/index.php?shop=Tools&dept=Tools

I seen this video and it seems like it will do the job just right for SS tubing.I am thinking about getting one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhpGIO6HB2Y&mode=user&search=

It's expensive at $174.99 but if it saves me my weekends then i am all for it.

http://www.anplumbing.com/shop/index.php?shop=Tools&dept=Tools

Wow, that works slick.

I see a lot of you guys talking about a double flare for AN fittings but I always thought you only needed a single flare for AN, correct me if Im wrong.

Wow, that works slick.

I see a lot of you guys talking about a double flare for AN fittings but I always thought you only needed a single flare for AN, correct me if Im wrong.

You are correct. AN fittings require a 37 degree single flare. Double flares are 45 degrees.

Tom

I seen this video and it seems like it will do the job just right for SS tubing.I am thinking about getting one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhpGIO6HB2Y&mode=user&search=

It's expensive at $174.99 but if it saves me my weekends then i am all for it.

http://www.anplumbing.com/shop/index.php?shop=Tools&dept=Tools


Now aint that just slicker then snot on a doorknob.....:thumbsup: