Fuel Line Bead Tool

[vtgt500]

Any experience here with rolling hose retention beads on end of stainless fuel lines?

[KR500]

Yes. Use a hydraulic flaring tool and do only the first half of a double flare. The hydraulic tool is a bit pricey compared to a manual flaring tool but if you do a lot of line replacements like I do (rust belt) your hands and wrists will thank you. In my area a lot of auto repair shops have this kind of tool. Maybe a local repair shop near you has one. Check out S.U.R.&R.
Rodney   

[Royce Peterson]

KR500 may do it that way. We had specific Parker tools to make beads on tubing. The set had tools from 3/16" to 1/2". It worked well on aluminum tubing, not so well on thick wall stainless tubing. Parker discontinued the sets years ago but you can still find them on eBay every so often.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG5-ijFfjm8
Grind the inner piece so it will fit inside the tube.

[shelbydoug]

Earl's make them in various sizes to fit various size tubes.

The 300 series stainless steel is much harder then aluminum tube of the steel galvanized tube generally used for fuel lines.


The stainless is probably too hard for the bead roller and even if it works will wear the tube beading tool at an accelerated rate.

USUALLY on a fuel line, you don't need the additional gripping power that the bead creates. That more oftern is used on supercharging tubing for obvious reasons, such as a high pressurization that likely will blow off the hose even when clamped securly.

304 ss tubing is also nearly imposible to double flare. It doe snot bend well and will split at the edge of the flare. Don't bother to try it. It will just be a frustrating waste of energy for naught.

[vtgt500]

Thanks for the collective feedback.  I've had good success using the Capri, double flaring tool on 3/16" brake lines.  Beading 3/8" fuel lines on 303 stainless gets expensive,just to fabricate two lines.  About $300 for a tool that may not give satisfactory results.  As suggested, I'll check out ebay for a Parker tool in coming months.  Thanks again.

[Royce Peterson]

The entire set - I just bought some - will cost around $300 for the Parker #416 bead rolling set. It is advertised for copper and aluminum. I personally would use terne plated steel line like the factory did.