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Flaring the Hard Line
It is wise to flare hard lines intended for use with rubber hose and hose clamps. Remember, these transmission lines are going to be under pressure, so a flared end is critical in helping seat the hose against the hard line. The right tools and a well-lighted work environment help make the job easier.

 


With the use of a carbide cut-off wheel, Dremel tool, and vise, we made a nice smooth cut to both our hard lines. 		 
A grinder was used to achieve a square end for flaring. Next, we ran the cut-end through the wire brush to clean off any burrs. Be sure to wear safety goggles when working with a grinder.
     

We picked up this 45° tube flaring kit from Harbor Freight. Not exactly high quality, but certainly effective. The black tube inserts are what create the double flare.		  
We needed the utility of a vise to prevent the steel line from slipping through the clamp. Take note of the amount of line protruding through the tube clamp.
     

We inserted the 3/8" flare insert between the hard line and the cone, screwed it down carefully and created a single "bubble" flare to the first line. 		 
Once the first flare was complete, we removed the insert. Then we screwed the cone down slowly to produce the double flare.
     

Not a bad flare job considering the $6.99 kit from Harbor Freight. We repeated the process for the second line.		  

 
(Final Hook-Up and Mounting the Cooler)
 
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Flare Tool Kit
Unlike our Tubing Bender, the Flare Tool Kit we used was indeed from Harbor Freight. You have to be careful what you buy there, some items are a great bargain while others are subpar. The problem is, with Flaring Tool Kits, even more expensive brands still use these cheap cast wingnuts to secure the tubing in the die.

Look closely at the photo above and you'll see the wingnuts didn't even last our first two flare jobs. It cracked. We replaced them some nuts we had available. Fortunately, the remainder of the kit was suitable as long as we used a vise to clamp down the tool.