6.9 hydro lines and flaring tools

[rumb]

I discovered that a lot of the hydro lines are still avail from MB.  Most now have 123-420-xx-xx part numbers.  I suspect that they all come straight and you get to bend to suit, but dont really know.  You can also buy just the ends.

I think the flare on the end is called a bubble flare, so you could also cut to length and flare as needed.


Anyone ever made bubble flares?  Is one made for metric needed?

[raueda1]

Yes.  I did it for some brake lines, maybe suspension too, can't recall off hand.  I used THIS or something very similar.  Easy, works fine, never had leaks or any other problems.  It worked on that softer copper alloy tubing as well as steel if I remember right.  Go for it!  Cheers,

[ramiro]

I would use cunifer brakes lines they are very easy to bend without any tools.
Also as a flaring tool i strongly recommend this style : https://www.amazon.com/Capri-Tools-Flaring-Bubble-Double/dp/B0BRNYRWG1 , with the cheap ones i never got a factory like bubble flare , with this one it always looks like from factory.

[raueda1]

I would use cunifer brakes lines they are very easy to bend without any tools.
Also as a flaring tool i strongly recommend this style : https://www.amazon.com/Capri-Tools-Flaring-Bubble-Double/dp/B0BRNYRWG1 , with the cheap ones i never got a factory like bubble flare , with this one it always looks like from factory.

Yes, that's the stuff I was talking about.  It's great.  FWIW, I managed good flares with the cheaper tool but it did take some practice.  The first few were abysmal.  That said, it shouldn't take practice, it should just work, so I take your point.  Cheers,

[andrewk]

I just bought the tools required (Vigor Equipment from Germany, via Amazon) but struggling to find the correct 4.75 mm OD steel line. CuNiFe alloy is apparently not suitable for the high pressure (ca. 200 Bar) of the HPF system. I have not found it locally. The CuNiFe line is very easy to bend and does not fatigue in the same way

You want "F" type double bubble flares, M10 x 1.0 thread.

The original MB tubing was olive green coated steel line, made by ATE. ATE still make this line but it is not available from the ATE/Continental distributor - HSY Autoparts. They don't do indent orders.

Mercedes still sell lines (they come straight or coiled depending on length) but I can't figure out the part numbers for the correct lengths for the HPF as all the catalogues are suggesting they are NLA. I was able to buy the brake lines from Mercedes. They are very nice quality and better than almost anything that can be made at home. The rest of the lines have A123 part numbers...

https://www.bremsleitungen-online.de/index.php this store has the parts but will not respond to me in English or German.

If anyone has a source for the correct ATE line, a store that will ship to Australia, let me know. I need to replace three lines for the HPF system as the fittings were rounded, overtightened and in two cases I had to just cut the fitting to get the accumulator out.


EDIT:

this store has the line in 5 metre lengths: https://www.trodo.com/brake-lines-ate-24-8134-0547-1
ATE PN: 24.8134-0547.1
Has anyone ordered from Trodo before?

[Jed]

I've done a bit of bubble flares the past few years.  The one Dave shows will work if your doing one or two flares and done.  Its a bit finicky but it works.  Be sure to put a little lubricant on it when you flare. 

I have never seen the second one mentioned .  looks promising.

I did the entire hydro system on an older 6.9 and many brake lines on an R107 so I invested in a vise mount flaring tool.  I love it.  Makes the job Sooo much easier. Only problem with it is you have to do the lines on the vise so if your just repairing one end of a line you have to remove the whole line to flare it on the bench and then put it back, while the first option can be done on the car. And yes the copper/cunifer lines are much softer and easier to flare and work with.

https://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA6byqBhAWEiwAnGCA4CqP0hvPqfdb-qcUNXD5LzSOkstDEjcQxYIca1DuO-K7EHxx6Uwi8xoCFsoQAvD_BwE&wcid=18669317718&wickedid=629947574806&wickedsource=google&wv=4

[andrewk]

I ended up ordering the parts from Spareto in Italy... parts supposedly in stock and will ship Tuesday.

For some reason the ATE union fittings "union bolt" PN 03.3516-3500.1 had a shipping weight of 0.5 kg each. Must be some error. I'll get them elsewhere