AN fittings

[Steve Riley]

Does anyone have any advice on using AN fittings with braided hose? I installed a sump kit in my tank and want to go with the AN and braided lines. How do you get the braiding into the back of the fitting without it all bunching up? Jemannie Chistmas!
Steve

[vettestr]

Steve ,
The secret to no hassle when putting hose ends together is how the hose is cut!!!
1. wrap hose with electrical tape along about 3 to 4 inch's very tightly in a spiral manor so cut comes out in center of taped area.
2. cut hose with a shear or large bolt cutter, if not possible or working with larger hose use a metal cut-off wheel in a 4 inch grinder and cut slowly so each wire is not pulled out of position.
3. after hose is cut inspect for loose or stray wires and trim with electronic type or flush cut dikes.
4. remove tape from hose and twist or thread nut over hose. Push last bit of hose into the nut with thumb nail if needed.
5 apply anti-seize to threads on hose fitting end and assemble and tighten.
6. use AN wrench's or apply tape to adjustable wrench face so it will not mark the fittings/nut

[Pete Munroe]

In cutting many hoses for my friends Backdraft with a heat exchanger...

We used a contractor type "chop saw" with a cutting "disc"..I am forgetting the correct name but its looks like a resin based abrasive disc.

This one was about 10" inches in diameter.

Best results from VERY TIGHT wrapping with duct tape...makes it easy to mark the cutting point...one of us held the hose in place and smoothly lowered the cutoff saw, and the other pulled very gently untill the last little bit, then popped the hose back.

Nice clean cuts.

We had die blocks to hold the hose as the threaded coupling was screwed on.

You can do it...but if you are close to an Earls's, Russels distributer and shop...can measure well...let them cut and install the fittings.

If you have to, do it one or two lengths at a time...you will get better at measuring and marking your cuts.

The short lengths are very unforgiving...it doesn't like to bend, the long cuts are not critical...

Pete

[Morris]

If you look closely at the Red part of the hose end....( the part that holds the hose on the fitting)......

You will see a small line on the corner of the hex of the Red hose end.....

That is the place to mark your hose to cut.....

[Morris]

You can see here ..... you mount the hose end to the hose...... then hose to the connector on one end.......and then put the hose in position where you want it to be......

Then install the Aeroquip hose end you are going to use ....and find the line mark on the hose end fitting ......that is where you mark your hose.....to cut.....

[MFE III]

Jeff's "6 Step Program" is right on. One thing I'd add is to insert the hose into the AN fitting quickly after removing the tape. The braid starts to curl and spread out some after the tape is removed. 4" grinder with cut-off wheel always worked well for me.
Jeff, also like the idea of taping the wrench to protect the fittings! Much better than investing in those high dollar AN wrenchs.
Matt

[undy]

I use a porta-band saw. I just wrap 2 or three layers of electrical tape over the area I want to cut and let the band saw do the rest. I clean up any wild strands on the bench grinder. Never a problem.

[scottj]

Although pricey, by far the easiest and cleanest way to cut hose is with a braided hose cutter. Because the hose cutter bends the braided cover inward there is no need for tape and the cover won't fray. Don't try bolt cutters as they do not have the shearing action necassary to make a clean cut.

The AN wrenches are intended for installation of the hoses. Using aluminum AN wrenches to assemble hose ends will cause the jaws to spread if you assemble a lot of hoses... better to use tape and steel wrenches.

Use the Aeroquip vise jaw inserts to hold the fitting during assembly.

With the proper tools assembling hoses is a snap.

Scott

[Clois Harlan]

Morris,

As usual you provide pictures with good instructions. I use a cut off wheel as well but I like to use the white nylon stranded strapping tape. Another thing to add is that no matter what you use to cut your hose with be sure and clean the inside of your hose before your final connection. I like to use a coat hanger with a piece of cotton soaked in mineral spirits attached and then an air blow gun.


Clois

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by Clois Harlan

Another thing to add is that no matter what you use to cut your hose with be sure and clean the inside of your hose before your final connection. I like to use a coat hanger with a piece of cotton soaked in mineral spirits attached and then an air blow gun.

Clois

Good point. As careful as I am when doing this, I managed to miss a small piece of wire filament when I recently changed over to -8 fuel line. Got about one block from the house and the carb flooded over. The filament hung open the primary needle & seat. Better to have been stuck there then ingested into the engine.

Also, no one has mentioned name brands. I personally always insist on Aeroquip. You pay a little more but their quality is unsurpassed. I don't like to skimp on fuel and oil lines/fittings...too much to risk.

Great thread and awesome photos from Morris.

Regards,

-Dean

[Roscoe]

I used to use a dremel with cutoff wheels but upgraded to a mini sawzall, air powered. Great for fine cuts in fiberglass and metal too. 101 uses....


Roscoe

[T E Lewis]

Check out www.koultools.com , got a set last year, no more bleeding fingertips. Doesn't matter how badly raged the end is, just goes right into the fitting.

[Dan Stryffeler]

Have to agree with Scott,

Pony up and buy a braided hose cutter; $39.95 at Summit Racing SUM-900040. Just don't use it for anything else, (like trimming bushes, trees, etc.)

For me, it works much better than all the taping and cutting mentioned above. Plus, once one side is put together and installed, I can cut to length inside the engine compartment.

- Dan

[lineslinger]

I've got a method through trial and error that works pretty well for me, first I mount the hose in a soft jaws vice...



at which point I snug up a cable tie around it, not tight, just snug....



at this point I use a diamond cutoff wheel that is mounted on my Dremel and begin to cut the surrounding wrappping using the cable tie as a guide.



The cable tie keeps the braided wrappping tight against the outer hose while giving a nice flat even cut without any stray "fraying".



I then oil the braiding/hose and begin to slip the collar of the fitting on to the hose, the cable tie will slip back along the hose as the collar pushes against it keeping any strands from popping up...



once I have filled lthe collar end with hose I then screw the oiled down tube into the hose with taped jaws of a crescent wrench until it reaches the position Morris showed in his shots...



Once completed I blow the finished hose out with compressed air and then run a soft cleaning brush from my gun cleaning kit down through the entire setup, there are a bunch of good techniques in this thread, this is yet another way to do it.

[SuperHart]

Lineslinger, very cool idea. I intend to try that trick the next time I do a braided hose. I like to use the aluminum jaws in my vise to hold the hose in place. When I twist on the nut sometimes I have to use a tiny screwdriver to help coax a couple of braided steel strands into the nut but once they are all inside the nut everything goes quite smoothly. I use Russell Hose Assembly Lube. That stuff is SLIPPERY. Just be sure all rubber residue is cleaned out of the hose prior to assembly. One more thing, to the best of my knowledge, only Aeroquip fittings have the notch on the nut to use as a hose length guide. The Russell fittings do not have that notch.

[Trueoo7]

Surprisingly in my line of work which is gaseous type fittings and plumbing, a notched nut indicates left hand threaded. Just look at any propane barbecue fitting. I'll have to keep that one in mind.

[Steve Riley]

Wow, Thanks guys for all the help, WITH PICTURES! I should be able to get this now with the help on technigue. You guys are the greatest.
Steve

[Cal Metal]

Great photos and advice. Could someone on the forum talk about what the designations mean -8, -6, etc?

Thanks

[scottj]

Originally Posted by Cal Metal

Great photos and advice. Could someone on the forum talk about what the designations mean -8, -6, etc?

Thanks

The dash number is the nominal hose inside diameter in sixteenths of an inch. The actual size is slightly smaller.

Scott

[G.R.]

Originally Posted by scottj

The dash number is the nominal hose inside diameter in sixteenths of an inch. The actual size is slightly smaller.

Scott

As Scott said, also -AN fittings were developed initally for Military use thus designated -AN for Army/Navy.