Air bag fitting ?

[LooseCannon]

I'm working on my first air ride install and have a question about tightening the air bag fitting. As you can see from the pic the fitting is about 3/16" from seating on the bag plate. I CANNOT get the thing any tighter without holding the bag in a vise.

Questions: Are they normally this tight? Must the fitting be tightened to the bag plate? or can some of the threads show?

[fixit-p]

Thats plenty tight NPT or NPTF threads are tapered and will get tighter as you turn them and should not bottom out.

[LooseCannon]

Originally Posted by fixit-p

Thats plenty tight NPT or NPTF threads are tapered and will get tighter as you turn them and should not bottom out.

That's what I wanted to hear! Thanks!

[The Big Green]

Like he said. It's just fine. Just use a plumbers tape and snug it.

[LooseCannon]

Originally Posted by The Big Green

Like he said. It's just fine. Just use a plumbers tape and snug it.

Thx. I used Loctite 545 thread sealant. This will work to seal the fitting threads, yes?

[Shane]

<sigh> Teflon tape is not designed as a sealant ... it is designed as a lubricant.

NPT threads are tapered in order to make a MECHANICAL seal as they are tightened. The Teflon tape allows the fitting to be tighten further with less force in order to make this seal.

If you want to use something for sealing purposes use LocTite brand fitting sealant.

<edit> You did right by using the sealant

[The Big Green]

And that's why I used it Shane LOL.

[northeimcustom]

anyone have any other tips or tricks of the trade for doing their first bagged project?

or know of any good threads?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by northeimcustom

anyone have any other tips or tricks of the trade for doing their first bagged project?

or know of any good threads?

Install your fittings within the system & then test them w/a short piece of airline & a schrader valve for leaks. Much easier to fix them that way if there is a leak. A small amount of dish washing soap mixed w/water in a squirt bottle (I like using those ketchup/mustard bottles found @ fine diners) helps find those pesky leaks.

[cajundragger]

I'd throw that plastic fitting out and grab some all steel push to connects.

but other than that loctite 545 is the bomb.

[LooseCannon]

Originally Posted by cajundragger

I'd throw that plastic fitting out and grab some all steel push to connects.

but other than that loctite 545 is the bomb.

Are the plastic ones prone to leaking or???

[Shane]

I'm curious too ...

[SCOTI]

I thought the DOT fittings have the sleeve that keeps the line locked in & w/o any deformaties; the plastics that I've seen don't.

[fixit-p]

As far as nylon fittings go the one pictured in this thread is actually a quality fitting. Usually they fail from strain, shock load, heat or pressure spikes the weak points are where the fitting transitions from brass to nylon and where the hose is inserted the one pictured is reinforced in these areas with metal banding. They do make nylon DOT fittings and all the ones I use have the insert...just my $.02

[p8ntballer1911]

Does anyone know of a good place to buy steel push connects? I hate spending $6+ on one fitting!

[Cooleys Custom Werx]

me personally i dont like push to connect fittings. ive had some that work good and some that dont. and all my cuts have been straight. i would rather use the compression fittings but the down side to those is u can only use them once.

[texastrendz]

i don't want to come off as negative,but, i only use and will only use teflon tape on every pipe fitting i put together, shane is right about the ability to over tighten with teflon tape, truth is if it is installed in the direction of the thread is going and rap it only three times it will not leak. every commercial machine with hydraulic oil, air, or water does not matter that i work on has teflon tape if it has pipe threads. you have to be careful not to go over the thread also so it does not end up in the valves or manifolds.

[p8ntballer1911]

I really don't like the compression fittings at all. The all steel push to connects have worked great for me... But the half plastic ones are crap IMO.

[The Big Green]

I love my pushlocks, BUT I did get 2 bad ones in my fbss setup that leaked. I got the steel pushlocks with the green pushlock.



Also, the Teflon tape comes on most pushlocks and mine don't leak, ever! The ones saying that tape isn't a good sealer, is doing something wrong.

[cajundragger]

you can get the all steel beauties from NAPA. or sometimes I go to my local truck supply store.


I'd have many things happen with the plastic fittings, from literally blowing up. seperating, generally not sealing, and letting go of the line.

My truck has all swedgelocs and where absolute necessary I put metal PTC from NAPA.

on my customer cars I use all steel PTC's from napa. no problems.

I hate the plastic fittings. only time I used them is for t's.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by The Big Green

The ones saying that tape isn't a good sealer, is doing something wrong.

And the ones that think that is tape on the fittings from the factory show their true ignorance on the subject.

That isn't tape kiddo.

[The Big Green]

Sorry, didn't mean plumbers tape that came on the fittings. I don't know what it is but it sure the hell doesn't leak, so I could care less what it is but they did something right to get no leaks from these fittings.

[The Big Green]

Teflon? White tape, whatever it is that comes on the fittings I used and I used nothing else and I am leak free. I hate getting called ignorant for not knowing what the white **** may be on my fittings. Why don't we just back off! Got someone talking good about Teflon and just because you don't think it seals air tight, when it indeed does, you get testy lol. Sounds like your the KIDDO!

[Shane]

I was replying to your post where you implied I didn't know what I was doing. This one to be specific.

The ones saying that tape isn't a good sealer, is doing something wrong.

The fittings don't leak because the Teflon lubricated the mating surfaces of the threads reducing the torque required to make up the mechanical seal. The threads make the seal, not the Teflon. Not to boast, but I worked for over 10 years for Parker Hannifin in a facility that's main product line was pneumatic & hydraulic fittings with NPT ends. I have probably made up more NPT ends than most folks care to even know, specifically doing torque tests on Teflon coatings on threads.

Don't take my word for it, do some research for yourself.

[The Big Green]

I'm fully aware of what I said. It's in the treads so the ones useing teflon are doing something wrong because that's all I use and mine never leak. Never said they were ignorant, and I don't apprecaite being called that just because I may not know everything.

I don't really have the time to research fittings.