flaremaster joining brake pipes

I have a bit of a prob, I need to join two sections of 1/4 brake pipe.

no one seems to do steel connectors foe 1/4 inch pipe only brass ones and I am sure that I have been told not to use brass fittings on high pressure brake lines.

so has someone fed me rubbish about brass?

is it possible to connect the pipe using a female and a male nut, if so what flares do you use? sae double flare on the male and din on the female?

I have an sp flaremaster with din and sae bits for both 3/16 and 1/4 pipe

Left to me, I'd put the double flare on the female and the single or "bubble" flare on the male end:-



OK, I know that this picture shows brass fittings, but the same would apply to steel fittings too.

brian47 said:

Left to me, I'd put the double flare on the female and the single or "bubble" flare on the male end:-

View attachment 120797

OK, I know that this picture shows brass fittings, but the same would apply to steel fittings too.

Click to expand...

+1 - did this on my D1 for the last but one MOT - when I didn't have enough cunifer in stock ), and needed it through its test - still there, no leaks, no BS from the tester either.

thanks chaps, that looks like the way to go

In addition to the picture I've shown and the comments by @Disco1BFG, I would advise, but it's only my personal opinion that you should only have one such fitting in a length, any more and I would suggest that you should be considering a complete new length of pipe.
Regarding brass fittings, I don't see that a car's braking system is going to be such a high pressure that brass couldn't be used, however being a softer material than steel, there is a greater risk of damage to any such unions being caused by possible cross-threading or over-tightening.
Remember too that there is a possible increase in weight at the point of the joint which could lead to additional vibration damage occurring over time, so take time and care to secure the joint down to the vehicle after the joint is made.

brian47 said:

In addition to the picture I've shown and the comments by @Disco1BFG, I would advise, but it's only my personal opinion that you should only have one such fitting in a length, any more and I would suggest that you should be considering a complete new length of pipe.
Regarding brass fittings, I don't see that a car's braking system is going to be such a high pressure that brass couldn't be used, however being a softer material than steel, there is a greater risk of damage to any such unions being caused by possible cross-threading or over-tightening.

Click to expand...

Agreed. I thought I was being "cheeky" joining a pipe - But I know that the normal D1 front to rear pipe(s) have a join in them under the NS footwell. My joint is in the NSR rigid pipe on the (rear) axle...

I also agree about brass - there are so many grades, that I much prefer steel fittings and copper grease them for corrosion protection.... steel fittings are also cheaply replaced.

honolulujoe said:

I have a bit of a prob, I need to join two sections of 1/4 brake pipe.

no one seems to do steel connectors foe 1/4 inch pipe only brass ones and I am sure that I have been told not to use brass fittings on high pressure brake lines.

so has someone fed me rubbish about brass?

is it possible to connect the pipe using a female and a male nut, if so what flares do you use? sae double flare on the male and din on the female?

I have an sp flaremaster with din and sae bits for both 3/16 and 1/4 pipe

Click to expand...

Never seen 1/4" brake pipe on a car. Always single flare on male and double flare on female. 1/4" steel fittings are about look on Ebay.

wammers said:

1/4" steel fittings are about look on Ebay

Click to expand...

I did, no one has a steel two way connector either double male or double female. well there is one advertised but it says in the description that the photo is for reference, what actually turns up is two female nuts

an amazon seller had a steel double male for 1/4 pipe but when i ordered he found that he didn't actually have any so had to cancel my order.

there are some 7/16 1/4 pipe brass connectors which I had seen but not ordered having been told in the past not to use brass. I might get some now to have around given brian47s' and disco1BFGs' comments but as I have steel female and male 7/16's to hand I will use those on this job.

all my chevy's have 1/4 pipe atop the chassis rails reducing to 3/16 before the back axle.

brian47 said:

you should only have one such fitting in a length

Click to expand...

thx for the tip, hopefully the rest of the pipe will last a few more years its solid apart from one end. luckily too where I have cut it is by a clip on top of the chassis rail so it should be supported once done. cutting off the end would be a lot easier than replacing the whole pipe as the connector ( males into double female so someone used to make them) at the other end is difficult to get at and threading a long pipe down the chassis looks like being a pita

@honolulujoe
When you cut the pipe ready for flaring, make sure that the cut is absolutely square otherwise the flare will be off-centre and sort of skew-iff. If you have one, use a pipe cutter rather than a hacksaw.

Yes, I'd always rather try to replace a complete length rather than join brake pipe if I can. After all, you're not running a pipe down to the garden shed, it's only the length and width of a car that needs to be covered. I've come across quite a few brass fittings on car braking systems over the years, chiefly on non-servo drum-braked vehicles. Really old ones sometimes have BSP threads too. So maybe pressures were lower in the old days. Yes, try and use a pipe cutter with a wheel rather than a hacksaw if one is available - I'm always scared of swarf and sawdust going up the pipe!

brian47 said:

@honolulujoe
When you cut the pipe ready for flaring, make sure that the cut is absolutely square otherwise the flare will be off-centre and sort of skew-iff. If you have one, use a pipe cutter rather than a hacksaw.

Click to expand...

yes I have a "proper " cutter I shall take a bit more off and try and get it so that the end of the join is at the clip. I generally agree with the doing a whole length of pipe comments but the rest of the pipe is in such good nick it would be a shame to swap it out as well as a pita to do.