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Review on Cal-Van Tools 165 Master Brake Flaring Kit - Double and Single Flares, Professional Inline Flaring Tools. High-Quality Tool Set by Brandon Kraemer

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Perfect expanders if you do it right

I'm fairly new to making brake lines and after a lot of practice and trial and error I've been able to consistently make great expanders. Another reviewer mentioned a few tips including adding extra line length and ensuring perfect edge prep. You will benefit from using these guidelines as I have seen a significant improvement since they were introduced. A few additional things helped me. 1.) Lubricate everything but the threads that hold the tube in place so it moves smoothly and long. This makes it easier to push the die all the way in and release. I've seen other reviewers have had quality control issues, I've had no issues with the 1/4" clamp, but lube won't hurt. 2.) Make sure the clamps are all the way together! The instructions that come with it say don't use a wrench, I say screw it in. To fully secure it, the screws must be tightened well. I would use a flashlight to check if there is space between the clamps. This ensured that the clamps were tensioned tightly and evenly. If you don't do this, the first exposure will be uneven. Just make sure you don't overstress or overdo the screws, they're not the strongest and removing or snapping them in will suck. 3.) Add some extra strength by holding the clamps together with a vise or AC clamp to ensure there is no slippage. I flashed a car with an AC clamp and while it was cumbersome it worked fine. I will say my best results have been with the vise. Although I've used them at least 10 times and they've held up great, I can't say how long they will last. I think it's a price compromise. A good buy in my opinion.

Pros
  • Free for educational purposes
Cons
  • There is some nuance