Well I found out why my brakes went soft.

[Lars]

Some of you may remember when I posted a couple weeks ago about my disk brake swap (73 Dart) that went well, but then went soft after sitting a couple of weeks. Me and the wife were rebleeding them and everything was going fine, they stiffend up, but then got soft again. I looked under the car to see a huge puddle of brake fluid. Come to find out it was leaking at the dist block where the drivers side metal line hooks into. I had made this line myself, so I loosend it and retighted it a couple of times to try and reseat the line. It stopped leaking and the brakes firmed up, but it makes me wonder why it was fine and then all of a sudden started leaking. Anyhow drove the car around the yard and stabbed on the brakes a couple of times and all seems well except on of the reman calipers seems to have locked up on me. 

[AA-slingshot]

well good thing it wasn't a loose nut behind the wheel

[qkcuda]

I'll ask a dumb question.  Did you double flare the ends on the line you made up?  All brake lines are supposed to be double flared.  Don't mean any offence, just want to make sure things are safe.

[DJVCuda]

vibration could have played a factor  - if it was not tight enough,,

[Lars]

qkcuda: Yeah I double flared them, it was my first time though.

DJVCuda: Doubt it, the car never made it off the jackstands before it started to leak.

[DJVCuda]

did you ream the tubing before flariing? if you leave the cut edge on tubing when you flare it it will make a leak - the cut area is real thin and able to crack easier when you double it...

[Lars]

did you ream the tubing before flariing? if you leave the cut edge on tubing when you flare it it will make a leak - the cut area is real thin and able to crack easier when you double it...

I can't remember if I did or not. I think there is a reamer built in to my cutter, kind of a triangular shape. I remember spinning that around in the new cut, not sure if that did the job or not though.

[DJVCuda]

it  could have had something to do with it... 

"

SCREW TYPE FLARING TOOL FOR METAL TUBING

Proper Uses. Screw Type – Select a tool which forms the correct flare to match the angle of the fitting. Tubing to be flared should be cut with a tubing cutter to assure a straighter cut. Then ream the inside diameter of the tube to remove burrs for a smoother flare. Position and clamp tubing in flaring bars with end of the tube flush with top of bar and center cone down until flare is made.

Hammer Flare – Used for water tube. Insert tool in tube – strike with hammer to produce flare. (See Section IV-Struck or Hammered Tools.)

Abuse/Misuse. Do not flare hard copper or tubing not designed for flared joints. Do not use flaring tool clamp for holding rod or pipe.

Repair/Replacement. Replace or repair flaring tool when clamp no longer holds tube without slipping or when flare becomes misaligned.

"

[Lars]

when flare becomes misaligned.

Oh oh, I know a couple of my flares weren't arrow straight, would they be OK after they get seated?