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Flaring wiper tubing
David Jenkins - 20/3/10 at 10:24 PM

I have to cut the tube between my Lucas wiper wheel-boxes, and make a new flare. Unfortunately, I don't have a flaring tool that can do the job.

Anyone got any bright ideas?

In the past Rusty Nuts has offered the use of his flare tool - but he's 50 miles away from me!


owelly - 20/3/10 at 10:26 PM

Drill a hole in a block of ally/steel/hardwood the same size as the tube, countersink it. Cut it half through the centre of the hole. Clamp the tube in the block with a bit poking-up into the countersunked bit, put a ball bearing in the end and donk it with a nammer.

ETA I recall doing something similar for a power steering pipe but I used a blunt phillips screwdriver instead of a ball bearing. I just tapped the screwdriver, turned it a bit and tapped it again. Repeat to fade......

[Edited on 20/3/10 by owelly]


austin man - 20/3/10 at 10:29 PM

I used a tappered punch, just clamped it and gave it a couple of deft blows with the hammer, a brake flaring tool would also do it


daviep - 20/3/10 at 11:06 PM

A whole 50 miles away


mad4x4 - 21/3/10 at 01:47 AM

I just clamped it up - didn;t bother to Flare.


Danozeman - 21/3/10 at 09:09 AM

I put the tube in the vice and used a tapered punch. Worked well. Most people havent bothered tapering i dont think just clamp it tight. I wasnt going to bother but thought id give it a whirl with a punch.


David Jenkins - 21/3/10 at 11:53 AM

Solved the problem with a bit of lateral thinking last night, while lying in bed and just nodding off!

I have a piece of tube that's 3.5" too long. I need a flare at both ends. The tube already has flares at each end and is 5/16" o.d. steel.

Answer: chop 3.5" out of the middle, and make a steel sleeve to go over the join. Chamfer the cut ends of the tube to make sure that the rack won't catch, and Robert's your mother's brother.

cut wiper tube
cut wiper tube


I now have an adjustable tube that can be fixed with Loctite when I'm certain of the length I need.

tube in place
tube in place


And, before anyone says it, I KNOW the wheelboxes go under the scuttle top - I was just trying stuff for size.

[Edited on 21/3/10 by David Jenkins]


rusty nuts - 21/3/10 at 12:04 PM

Just wait until you get caught in a real downpour. You WILL need wipers on the inside of the screen!


David Jenkins - 21/3/10 at 01:06 PM

This car's been on the road for 5 or 6 years - only once has it been in a real downpour!

It's a genuine fair-weather car...


mangogrooveworkshop - 21/3/10 at 02:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
This car's been on the road for 5 or 6 years - only once has it been in a real downpour!

It's a genuine fair-weather car...


Crikes wish I could say that......mine gets a soaking at least once a week.....but I have used it to work and driven to Birmingham in the rain......from Scotland.

Minus 15 with no seat is about as hard as it gets.....lol


BenB - 21/3/10 at 03:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mad4x4
I just clamped it up - didn;t bother to Flare.


Yup, same here. Just cut it and used a needle file to "flare" the ID slightly.
No problems (so far). Just clamp and go