close quarters/1 hand tubing bender?

[goodO1boydws]

I've seen and used several different STYLES of manual multi-diameter brake line/small diameter tube bending tools, but they have all been types that required the tubing to be either off the vehicle entirely, or have an extreme amount of working room if not.

Yesterday I came across a style of bender that was new-to me.

Its a pliers style, with compact jaws that can bend tubing sideways with respect to the orientation of the tool handles.
My first thought was that in some situations it could possibly be used to tweak the configuration of on-the-vehicle tubing, either to correct a bend in home-made lines that, once installed were not quite right, or to rebend lines to allow better clearance to allow for a slight shape/size change when replacing OEM parts with aftermarket ones.

Anyhow, FWIW, here's a link to the type I'm talking about.
Unfortunately, it only works on 3/16" and 1/4" tubing.

There are a lot of cheaper ones of this style, but this one has what looks to have either very close tolerance cast steel parts or machined jaw faces. Others I looked at appear to have much rougher jaws, and I suspect are made of a lower grade of material, possibly even cast iron.

https://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Forming-Bending-Comfort-Grip-Handles/dp/B07PPHWQWS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=6XBY45QYBWPO&keywords=EAstwood+Brake+Line+Tube+Bending+Pliers&qid=1666719429&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=hi&sprefix=eastwood+brake+line+tube+bending+pliers%2Ctools%2C94&sr=1-2

 

[miesk5]

Yo goodO1boydws,
Thanks!

 

[johnnyreb]

I've seen and used several different STYLES of manual multi-diameter brake line/small diameter tube bending tools, but they have all been types that required the tubing to be either off the vehicle entirely, or have an extreme amount of working room if not.

Yesterday I came across a style of bender that was new-to me.

Its a pliers style, with compact jaws that can bend tubing sideways with respect to the orientation of the tool handles.
My first thought was that in some situations it could possibly be used to tweak the configuration of on-the-vehicle tubing, either to correct a bend in home-made lines that, once installed were not quite right, or to rebend lines to allow better clearance to allow for a slight shape/size change when replacing OEM parts with aftermarket ones.

Anyhow, FWIW, here's a link to the type I'm talking about.
Unfortunately, it only works on 3/16" and 1/4" tubing.

There are a lot of cheaper ones of this style, but this one has what looks to have either very close tolerance cast steel parts or machined jaw faces. Others I looked at appear to have much rougher jaws, and I suspect are made of a lower grade of material, possibly even cast iron.

https://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Forming-Bending-Comfort-Grip-Handles/dp/B07PPHWQWS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=6XBY45QYBWPO&keywords=EAstwood+Brake+Line+Tube+Bending+Pliers&qid=1666719429&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=hi&sprefix=eastwood+brake+line+tube+bending+pliers%2Ctools%2C94&sr=1-2

Kinda high for a pair. hahaha

 

[Motech]

At $32.00, it's a great price if it does what they say.

And I don't doubt it. Eastwood sells very good specialized tools.







I've bookmarked the link and will order one myself.

 

[Motech]

Yesterday I came across a style of bender that was new-to me.

Thank you. I love Cool Tools posts!

 

[johnnyreb]

Thank you. I love Cool Tools posts!

Speaking about tube benders. I don,t see why they won,t allow copper tubeing on brake lines. Its been proven to be as tough and will not rust like steel lines. I have a old 64 Ford pick up. From California, It came hear about 1969. The lines have never leaked or cause any problems, but the steel lines have rusted on other vehicles in awhile.

 

[goodO1boydws]

Speaking about tube benders. I don,t see why they won,t allow copper tubeing on brake lines. Its been proven to be as tough and will not rust like steel lines. I have a old 64 Ford pick up. From California, It came hear about 1969. The lines have never leaked or cause any problems, but the steel lines have rusted on other vehicles in awhile.

Solid copper (copper ONLY) tubing is very easy to work with, and it is cheap, which is why it was used up to WWII for automotive brake lines-when cars were not driven as much. It doesn't hurt that it looks prettier, and is sometimes still used on "trailer queens" or restorations on prewar vehicles that don't get driven.

Unfortunately, because it is so easy to work with, and fittings are readily available at hardware stores and home centers it's still sometimes used by do-it-yourselfers or in shops that should know better, for replacing or patching lines. A quick or emergency fix for replacing a section of a leaking steel brake line is to replace a section with a spliced-in length of copper/nickle alloy line and use brass/copper compression fittings-the fittings (also illegal) then being the weak link.

Copper was one of the materials in very high demand for war materiel during WWII (as was rubber), and car production was halted during the war. The shortage of copper for domestic use during the war is likely at least partially responsible for the switch to steel lines on US vehicles afterwards.

Unalloyed copper is subject to metal fatigue from vibration. It cracks much more easily than either copper/nickle alloy or steel lines would in the same conditions. (This is one of the weakness of thin aluminum as well.)

Unalloyed copper is not as strong as either copper/nickle alloy or steel brake line material, and cannot handle as much pressure.

Weaker areas that provide starting points for failure are created in new copper lines when making single or double flares, as the material is being stretched and made thinner by forcing it into shape, and further weakened by even moderately overtightening connections using flare fittings, and also when compression fittings using "pills" are used.
When copper is stressed by bending it "work hardens" and while stiffer afterwards, it also becomes more brittle-unless the stress is relieved by annealing (reheating) at a specific temperature.

Unalloyed copper is more easily damaged by road debris or from accidental tool impact, such as by a slipped wrench, or from repeated disassembly/reassembly.

Uncoated steel brake line is definitely prone to rusting, which is why in later vehicles the steel brake lines used are usually coated with various materials to protect them from rusting. (Some of the coatings are clear and others look like ordinary paints but are not.)

Here's a link to a short, good article about brake lines.

Copper Nickel Brake Line - Dave's Garage - Vermont Auto Enthusiasts

Progress is great. When a product appears on the market that increases the safety, service life, ease of maintenance, and the performance of our cars, it is a good thing. … Continue reading "Copper Nickel Brake Line – Dave’s Garage"

vtauto.org

 

[johnnyreb]

Solid copper (copper ONLY) tubing is very easy to work with, and it is cheap, which is why it was used up to WWII for automotive brake lines-when cars were not driven as much. It doesn't hurt that it looks prettier, and is sometimes still used on "trailer queens" or restorations on prewar vehicles that don't get driven.

Unfortunately, because it is so easy to work with, and fittings are readily available at hardware stores and home centers it's still sometimes used by do-it-yourselfers or in shops that should know better, for replacing or patching lines. A quick fix for replacing a section of a leaking brake line is to replace a section with a spliced-in length of copper/nickle alloy line and use brass/copper compression fittings-the fittings being the weak link.

Unalloyed copper line is not used in post war cars for several reasons-any single one of which is a good reason not to use it.

Unalloyed copper is subject to metal fatigue from vibration. It cracks much more easily than either copper/nickle alloy or steel lines would in the same conditions.

Unalloyed copper is not as strong as either copper/nickle alloy or steel brake line material, and cannot handle as much pressure.
Weak areas that provide starting points for failure are created in new copper lines when making single or double flares, as the material is being stretched by forcing it into shape, and further weakened by even moderately overtightening connections using flare fittings, and also when compression fittings using "pills" are used.

Unalloyed copper is more easily damaged by road debris or from accidental tool impact, such as by a slipped wrench, or from repeated disassembly/reassembly.

Uncoated steel brake line is definitely prone to rusting, which is why in later vehicles the steel brake lines used are usually coated with various materials to protect them from rusting. (Some of the coatings are clear and others look like ordinary paints but are not.)

Here's a link to a short, good article about brake lines.

Copper Nickel Brake Line - Dave's Garage - Vermont Auto Enthusiasts

Progress is great. When a product appears on the market that increases the safety, service life, ease of maintenance, and the performance of our cars, it is a good thing. … Continue reading "Copper Nickel Brake Line – Dave’s Garage"

vtauto.org

 

[johnnyreb]

Well looking at the copper line. Still on after 50 years with no BREAKS OR CRACKS ANY WHERE. Proves to me its pretty strong.

 

[goodO1boydws]

Just keep your fingers crossed.

 

[johnnyreb]

Just keep your fingers crossed.

With the steel lines. I have had them rust and the salty roads don,t help anything.

 

[goodO1boydws]

The fact that steel brake lines rust doesn't negate the reasons why unalloyed copper brake lines should not be used on vehicles for safety.

If automakers could get away with using cheaper-to-manufacture unalloyed copper brake lines and not have their vehicles be subject to recalls and themselves to product liability lawsuits, they would.

I suspect that a large % of people on this site with older Ford vehicles (and other makes too) have had a steel brake line rust-through leak-especially on high mileage vehicles and those driven by people in the rust belt states (where we used to live).

I've been having much better luck with Ford steel brake lines since we moved to Tennessee-in an area where salt is seldom used. My 1989 Crown Vic had its first brake line rust through leak just last year. (42 years ain't bad!) And that only happened on a single line-at the point where the line was actually pressing against a raised seam on the underside of the driver's footwell-where it should not have been touching.

Given the luck you're having with that pickup's 50+ year old copper brake lines, maybe I should have you buy lottery tickets for me.

 

[johnnyreb]

The fact that steel brake lines rust doesn't negate the reasons why unalloyed copper brake lines should not be used on vehicles for safety.

If automakers could get away with using cheaper-to-manufacture unalloyed copper brake lines and not have their vehicles be subject to recalls and themselves to product liability lawsuits, they would.

I suspect that a large % of people on this site with older Ford vehicles (and other makes too) have had a steel brake line rust-through leak-especially on high mileage vehicles and those driven by people in the rust belt states (where we used to live).

I've been having much better luck with Ford steel brake lines since we moved to Tennessee-in an area where salt is seldom used. My 1989 Crown Vic had its first brake line rust through leak just last year. (42 years ain't bad!) And that only happened on a single line-at the point where the line was actually pressing against a raised seam on the underside of the driver's footwell-where it should not have been touching.

Given the luck you're having with that pickup's 50+ year old copper brake lines, maybe I should have you buy lottery tickets for me.

what percentage will you pay me of the winnings ? hhaha--sorry I don,t play the lottery,but I do crawl under the vehicle(s) and check things out.

 

[Superduty 66]

I've seen and used several different STYLES of manual multi-diameter brake line/small diameter tube bending tools, but they have all been types that required the tubing to be either off the vehicle entirely, or have an extreme amount of working room if not.

Yesterday I came across a style of bender that was new-to me.

Its a pliers style, with compact jaws that can bend tubing sideways with respect to the orientation of the tool handles.
My first thought was that in some situations it could possibly be used to tweak the configuration of on-the-vehicle tubing, either to correct a bend in home-made lines that, once installed were not quite right, or to rebend lines to allow better clearance to allow for a slight shape/size change when replacing OEM parts with aftermarket ones.

Anyhow, FWIW, here's a link to the type I'm talking about.
Unfortunately, it only works on 3/16" and 1/4" tubing.

There are a lot of cheaper ones of this style, but this one has what looks to have either very close tolerance cast steel parts or machined jaw faces. Others I looked at appear to have much rougher jaws, and I suspect are made of a lower grade of material, possibly even cast iron.

https://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Forming-Bending-Comfort-Grip-Handles/dp/B07PPHWQWS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=6XBY45QYBWPO&keywords=EAstwood+Brake+Line+Tube+Bending+Pliers&qid=1666719429&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=hi&sprefix=eastwood+brake+line+tube+bending+pliers%2Ctools%2C94&sr=1-2

I bought this tool last year when I was replacing brake lines on a Fox body Mustang I have, it works really well.

 

[goodO1boydws]

what percentage will you pay me of the winnings ? hhaha--sorry I don,t play the lottery,but I do crawl under the vehicle(s) and check things out.

50:50-its worth it.