good brake/fuel line bender?

[toadster]

I've never done brake/fuel lines prior to the FFR school - so a new area for me, what's everyone's take on a good "bang for the buck" tool?

I know Eastwood makes good stuff, does this bender work well? seems to be like many available out there... but $19 seems like a great deal!

Eastwood Triple Head 180 Degrees Tubing Bender 3/16-3/8 in. Tool Supply Imperial Roto-Lok Tube Bender
51DEVJWOtfL.jpg

[GoDadGo]

Eastwood Triple Head 180 Degrees Tubing Bender 3/16-3/8 in. Tool Supply Imperial Roto-Lok Tube Bender
51DEVJWOtfL.jpg

I used a similar unit and it worked great.

If you put a little grease on the lines when you bend them it really does an even better job without any marring of the tubing finish if you are using conventions bi-metal lines .

The Eastwood Flaring tool is a tad more expensive, but it really is a huge time and foul word saver.

https://www.eastwood.com/professiona...SABEgLBRfD_BwE

https://youtu.be/ftYuP-5jj4o

[erstanl]

I agree with GoDad, but in tight spaces, I have been using these.
https://www.amazon.com/Gino-Developm...5922832&sr=8-5

Once I filed out the ridges in the 3/16 groove, they worked really well to get tight bends. I only use these when a bigger bender just wont fit, or I need to bend something on the car.

I also invested in one of these, its been amazing, havent jacked up a single flare yet. I also got the 37 degree dies for AN lines. Its awesome!
https://www.amazon.com/TGR-Professio...5923046&sr=8-2

[Avalanche325]

That one looks to have a really short handle on the bottom part. There are dozens of triple benders out there (likely from the same factory) that have a longer bottom handle.

Where you want to spend a little extra is on flaring tools. Stay away from the $30 and less kits that you can get everywhere. Even with steel tubing, they slip on anything over 5/16" from my experience. Rigid makes a good flaring tool that won't break the bank too much. Everyone that has the Eastwood flare tool likes them, they are just a bit pricey. Keep in mind that automotive (45*) and AN (37*) are two different angles, so two different tools, or a different die set for the Eastwood.

[edwardb]

For bending tools, I started out with that Eastwood triple head bender on my first build. I didn’t feel like it worked all that well. At least for me. The handles are pretty short, so for 3/8 SS I was using for fuel lines was literally almost more than I could do to bend. I’ve since settled on these three dedicated size benders. All work very well. Ridgid provides decent benders that are better IMO than the average run-of-the-mill benders. Not Swagelok quality, but a fraction of the cost. I use a Ridgid 36097 3/8-inch, Ridgid 36117 3/16-inch, and a smaller 3/16-inch bender from InLine Tube. It does an even tighter radius when that's needed. All highly recommended. Here are pics of each and the bends they make in SS. Huge fan of the Eastwood flaring tool. Used on all my builds. Not a fan of the pinch type benders. Have one (came as a set with the Eastwood triple header) and used it once. Has a purpose I guess, but knicks up the line so not my preference.

[lgordon]

I completely agree with others recommendation to use the relatively expensively Eastwood flaring tool. I wasted a bit of money and way too much time trying two different more basic flaring tools.

Where I saved some money was on tubing benders. Harbor Freight sells a small and larger bender that worked well for me. However I was using NiCop tubing which is relatively easy to bend. For SS which is much harder to bend something along the lines of Edwardb’s recommendation would be needed. https://www.harborfreight.com/tubing-bender-3755.html

I also found the pliers style tubing bender mentioned above very useful for tweaking bends on partiality installed brake and fuel lines.

[initiator]

We use the Ridgid tools that Paul showed in our lab, with excellent results.

[toadster]

For bending tools, I started out with that Eastwood triple head bender on my first build. I didn’t feel like it worked all that well. At least for me. The handles are pretty short, so for 3/8 SS I was using for fuel lines was literally almost more than I could do to bend. I’ve since settled on these three dedicated size benders. All work very well. Ridgid provides decent benders that are better IMO than the average run-of-the-mill benders. Not Swagelok quality, but a fraction of the cost. I use a Ridgid 36097 3/8-inch, Ridgid 36117 3/16-inch, and a smaller 3/16-inch bender from InLine Tube. It does an even tighter radius when that's needed. All highly recommended. Here are pics of each and the bends they make in SS. Huge fan of the Eastwood flaring tool. Used on all my builds. Not a fan of the pinch type benders. Have one (came as a set with the Eastwood triple header) and used it once. Has a purpose I guess, but knicks up the line so not my preference.

awesome! Rigid seems to have anything from mild to wild!

where do you need the smaller .5" radius on the InLine Tube unit vs the 5/8" radius from the rigid 36117?

[Murd]

I tried a couple options, at least two cheap versions of the Eastwood bender pictured. I couldn’t get it to bend 3/8 fuel line without kinking it. Nicop lines and being very careful was finally the solution. Not sure if the ones I had were just no good or I was doing something wrong.

[rich grsc]

awesome! do you happen to know what part#s those are? Rigid seems to have anything from mild to wild!

If you read the post, the numbers are right there. wth

[toadster]

If you read the post, the numbers are right there. wth

whoops my bad!

Paul - where do you need the smaller .5" radius on the InLine Tube unit vs the 5/8" radius from the rigid 36117?

preference to the look? or physicality?