The 5 Best Bubble Flare Tools – [Reviews & Rankings]

Bubble flare tools or ISO or DIN tools are devices that help create flares on steel tubes meant for brake lines in vehicles.

As a mechanic, you need this tool for flaring tubes for ensuring a high-pressure braking operation for automotive safety. Furthermore, these devices are quite easy to use, which is why even non-professionals have them.

Before buying the best bubble flare tool, consider factors like the tool’s material, efficiency, budget, durability, leak-proof capabilities, and a variety of flaring adapters. That way, you can have a decent tool to flare your own brake lines (Source).

To perform a bubble flare or any other flare with a flaring tool, you first need to cut the brake line tubing to the appropriate size using the pipe cutter. Then, insert the tube in the relevant hole in the flaring bar.

Make sure that the tube opening is protruding outwards appropriately. Tighten the flaring bar to keep the tube steady. Position the flaring button on the opening with proper alignment (to avoid leaks). Then, move to rotate the flaring tool to form the bubble (Source).

Bubble flaring tools do not have a type, but they do offer you various flaring choices, such as iso flare, bubble flare, double flare, etc. Their primary difference is the level of durability to maintain high pressure in the braking system.

Through this guide, we’ll offer you top choices for the best bubble flare tools that you can buy online. Go through them one by one to choose the most appropriate one for you.

What Is a Bubble Flare and How Does it Work?

The bubble flare is the brake line flare that is used on all production automobiles today. It is a much stronger flare to accommodate late-model vehicles that have higher brake pressure.

When you put the tube half in the bubble flare vise, move it to just a little above the surface of the vise. Then tighten it down. Make sure you clean out the tube hole with a needle file.

Now file tube flat to the surface of the vise. Now, move it into position and tighten it with a file. After that, use a wire brush and flare it. That is how you will get the perfect flares.

To ensure that the tube does not move in the vise, you can use the following tightening procedure:

1. Loosen the far thumbscrew all the way.
2. Tighten the near screw all the way.
3. Now tighten the far away thumb screw as far as it goes.

If you are looking for something that can quickly tell you what wrong with your car, consider buying a bidirectional scan tool. It reads the error codes on your engine that cause the check engine light to come up.

How Much Does a Bubble Flare Tool Cost?

The cost of a bubble Flare tool depends on various factors. Besides their dies, the quality of adapters also matters in pricing. A bubble flaring tool costs between $60 and $300.

Our collection consists of various brands, including Oemtools, Fragola, S.U.R and R, Mastercool and Performance Tool and Abrasives. These are highly rated and reliable brands.

Comparing the Top 5 Products

1. Fragola 650310 Bubble Flare Tool – Most Affordable

Use Fragola Performance Systems while changing your brake lines to accomplish the task appropriately. These Fragola brake adapters are created from high-quality steel machined to mil-spec tolerances, and zinc coated for a durable, tight connection.

It does not matter which job it is. Whether you are connecting P. T. F. E. lined hose to calipers and wheel cylinders, increasing it to hard lines, or simply changing that leaky fluid banjo bolt, Fragola brake adapters offer a stress-free installation.

They are effortless to use even where space is tight. So, just grab the best Fragola Performance Systems and make the job simple.

2. OEMTOOLS 27214 Brake Line Flare Tool Kit – The Simplest Bubble Flare Tool Kit

OEMTOOLs kit is for soft steel tubing. You will find flaring bars, adapters, and four dies (of 4.75 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm) in it. It is primarily manufactured to be used with metric soft steel brake lines where bubble style flare or an ISO is required.

This brake line flaring tool kit employs a forged yoke which is created with heat-treated steel for extended durability. Each kit contains a flaring bar, sturdy storage case, four dies, and all adapters needed for ISO bubble flaring.

3. ATD Tools 5464 Bubble Flaring Tool Kit – The Most Durable

ATD Tools 5464 Bubble Flaring Tool Kit contains four dies: 4.75, 6, 8, and 10mm adapters. These are all the adapters required for ISO bubble flaring. They are designed for crack-free bubble flares on soft steel tubing used in automotive brake systems.

It is the most cost-effective brake line flare tool so far. This product comes in a blow-molded storage case that weighs 2 pounds and 10 ounces.

4. Mastercool 72475-PRC Blue and Silver Universal Hydraulic Flaring Tool – The Best Multipurpose Flare Tool Kit

Mastercool 72475 has many adjustments and features that result in excellent quality flaring. The kit includes different sizes of metric flares, push-connect, transmission flares, GM line flare, and brake lines.

This fantastic tool works on both annealed and dead soft steel. It has simple and easy adjustments. You can use it for both residential and industrial requirements. It can also be used for double flaring as well.

Mastercool 72475 is manufactured with high-quality materials. Their equipment serves you for a long time. This one features a great die set that enhances its grip quality. It also features a super magnetic adapter that holds it at the correct position.

5. Performance Tool W80672 ISO – The Most Portable

Performance tool W80672 fits tubing 4.75 mm to 10 mm. It includes a yoke, wrench, flaring bar, and dies with centre screws. It has various sizes for a variety of jobs.

Moreover, it has track-free flares in automotive brake system tubing. It helps to form the international standard bubble flares in one quick and easy step.

The kit includes single flares brass, copper, mild steel, and aluminum steel tubing in different sizes. It fits tubing of 4.75 mm to 10 mm. It also has a floating cone for accurate alignment. It allows you to create the proper angle and AN and JIC fittings.

Bubble Flare Tool Brands

Oemtools

In 1919, a tool and die maker, Samuel Jacoff, from Pittsfield, MA, started a hacksaw blade manufacturing business with the help of his wife, Sarah. A decade after that, a fire destroyed their building, and they joined with another blade maker, Great Neck Manufacturing.

In 1941, in Mineola, they built a new plant and bought a handsaw company. By 1971, Samuel and his sons constructed GreatNeck into the leading force in the hand tool business by purchasing a Massachusetts chisel company, Buck Bros. Also, they made a plastic extrusion plant.

Today, Oemtools is carrying Samuel and Sarah’s commitment to value and excellence. They have made GreatNeck a heading international dealer for the hardware, mass retail, sporting goods, home improvement, and automotive markets.

They have industrial and delivery facilities all around the world.

Fragola

F.F. Screw Products started in 1973, in a small building. Within four years, it transformed into full-time work. In 1982, they made their own products, so they created F-K Bearings. At that time, they operated both F.K. bearing and F.F. Screw Products in two different buildings. In 1999, Fragola Performance Systems came into being.

Now, they are housed with 35 employees in an 80,000 square foot building. They also have a sister company, F.K. Bearings, with 55 employees. All of their companies are driven and owned by the Fragola family.

Frank, Al, Debbie, Maria, and Mickey, have worked in every sector in the factories. They are also beginning on their 3^rd generation of the family as the grandchildren are studying the business as well.

S. U. R. and R

S.U.R.& R. is a leading provider of specialty tools and fluid line repair kits for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry. The company was started in 2000 by automotive repair shop owner Joseph Wathey.

He profoundly recognized the issues mechanics face. He knew it first-hand how could they use an unfailing repair service for broken and damaged fuel sending units.

Later, that small business grew into a variety of ways to support mechanics with fluid line installations and fuel line-repair replacement kits.

Mastercool

Mastercool is a family operated company that has been supplying professional air conditioning, service instruments, and equipment for over 35 years. It is one of the fastest developing companies in the market.

It has uniquely innovative products with world-class quality and designs. With its constant efforts to develop new technology, Mastercool has been given many patents around the world.

They have their distributions set up to over 60 countries. It demonstrates that they are indeed a multi-national company.

Factors to Consider Before Buying a Best Bubble Flare Tool

Before you purchase your first bubble flaring tool, ensure you are aware of some of the features, and that they meet your requirements. Below are the features you should not overlook.

Leak-Proof

A bubble flaring tool must always be leak-proof. Because if it leaks, then it will be of no use. Leakages depend on the material used to create the flaring tool. You should buy a flaring tool made of thick fittings so that the corrosive materials do not leak.

Budget

Single flaring tools have a lower price as compared to the double flare sets. But, if you have to make heavy-weight applications, consider investing in a long-lasting tool kit. You must not compromise the quality for the price.

Efficiency

The bubble flaring tools have made the process of flaring brake lines straightforward and efficient. There are three major components that a flaring tool should include.

1. A metal piece
2. The crew
3. The metal bar

You must look for these three components when you purchase a flaring tool. These should be present in a bubble tool for high efficiency.

Flaring Tools Adapters

Different bubble flaring tool kits come with various adapters. With the help of adapters, you piece together the tricky sections of the piping.

So, we will recommend you get the adapters along with the bubble flaring tool, instead of buying them separately. That’s how you will be purchasing the right adapters that will be compatible with the flaring tool.

Long-lasting Material

You must buy a bubble flaring tool that has endured the test of time. The tool should be manufactured with lifelong materials so that they withstand regular use for a long time.

A durable tool is not essentially a massive tool. Because now companies can transform durable materials into something portable and light.

How to Use a Bubble Flare Tool

Follow these steps when using a bubble flare tool:

First of all, you need to set the tubing to the size you want in the pipe cutter. Then, rotate as you stiffen the knob on the outer side. Continue doing it till you cut the tubing.

After that, you will have to insert the brake line fittings appropriately in the flaring bar. Make sure that the opening of the tubing is positioned correctly. It must be fronting up towards the flat part of the flaring bar. Now put the pipe into the accurately sized hole in the bar. If you are doing the 3/16 brake line tubing, keep the end up to round ¼ from the verge of the flaring bar.

Afterward, tighten up the flaring bar, so that it does not move. Place the flaring button into the opened part of the tubing. Locate the flaring yoke on to the bar to end the tubing process. Make sure the attachment and the button are entirely upright.

Because, if it gets twisted, then the bubble flare will come out that will result in a brake line leak. For further instructions, you can watch how to use a bubble flare.

Using a Bubble Flare Tool for your Upcoming Project

Searching for a bubble flaring tool is not a tedious process. This guide helps you identify the features of the best bubble flaring tools. Therefore, you will better understand which of them fulfills your needs.

You could be a professional or a hobbyist; both can easily use the brake line flaring tools mentioned above. Lastly, it would be prudent to make sure that the materials forming the tools fit the application you want to use it for.

Choose stainless steel flaring tools for brake lines in cars. Ensure that you are familiar with using flaring tools, especially when you have to deal with projects that are related to automotive.

Are you searching for something that makes it easier and more comfortable to work on topside parts of an engine? Consider buying a topside creeper which is a combination of a conventional automotive creeper and a step ladder.

Besides bubble flare tools, are you looking for something that can use to balance tires? Consider buying the best bubble balancers. They are easy to use even if you are a beginner, and they can save time, effort, and money.