Can't Crimp onto Original Braided / Cloth Hose?

rsiegel · 09-22-2003, 05:14 PM

I just replaced the compressor in my 911, and took the car into a shop to have the flare fittings cut off the hoses and have o-ring fittings crimped on to match the new compressor. The man crimped one of them on, but when he looked at the suction hose, he said "this is a braided hose; I can't crimp onto it." He was using an ATCO 3600 crimping tool. Can anyone shed some light on this?

--Rob

rsiegel · 09-22-2003, 06:12 PM

Just so we're clear, the hose in question is black and looks relatively recent; it's not the red braided hose that dates back to the Carter administration.

Chuck Moreland · 09-22-2003, 07:41 PM

I am not familiar with his machine. However, a braided hose has a steel braid under the outer cloth sheath. The braid is quite stiff and it takes a powerfull crimp machine and collar to properly affix the hose-end. Other hose types are made of rubber and cloth only, these are much easier to compress.

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

The a/c hose on my 82 SC Targa is rubber and not braided.

Someone must have replaced the original hose on your car with braided hose.

rsiegel · 04-30-2004, 04:05 AM

A-HA! This explains a lot. Perhaps I really am the only person in America who has this braided / cloth hose for lord knows what reason. Also, the fitting on both of my hoses were not 90 degrees, either, like yours; they were closer to 75 degrees, and thicker and heavier than the fittings your photo, which may explain why mine couldn't make the bend and let me use the flare-to-o-ring adapter and yours could.

With the barbed fitting and two hose clamps, it and the entire system have held 100 PSI of nitrogen for three days now, so I think I'm going to evacuate it and charge it up and see what happens.

Thanks, Ruf, for all the input and the help solving the mystery; I really appreciate it.

--Rob Siegel

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by rsiegel
A-HA! This explains a lot. Perhaps I really am the only person in America who has this braided / cloth hose for lord knows what reason. Also, the fitting on both of my hoses were not 90 degrees, either, like yours; they were closer to 75 degrees, and thicker and heavier than the fittings your photo, which may explain why mine couldn't make the bend and let me use the flare-to-o-ring adapter and yours could.

With the barbed fitting and two hose clamps, it and the entire system have held 100 PSI of nitrogen for three days now, so I think I'm going to evacuate it and charge it up and see what happens.

Thanks, Ruf, for all the input and the help solving the mystery; I really appreciate it.

--Rob Siegel

The 90 degree fittings are not original to a York a/c system.. The York compresor had the flare fitting pointing staright back from the compressor , so the fittings on the hose were straight.

A Seiko seiki compressor and some sanden has the flare fitting pointing straight up from the compressor so you will need to use a 90 degree fitting as shown on my other posting.

HarryD · 04-30-2004, 09:53 AM

I was surprised that you could not find a shop to crimp the braided hose to an appropriate fitting.

The line between my fuel pump and accumulator failed athte crimp and rather than spend $60+ for the factory part, I took it to my local hydraulic shop and had them make me one for fuel injection rated service. That was $8.00 and 1 1/2 years ago and still holding.

This is what they did:

BTW, Do I know you? Go to college in Worcester, MA in the early '70s?

Jim Sims · 04-30-2004, 11:53 AM

A/C fittings and hose should not be crimped with hydraulic or fuel line crimping tools and dies; this equipment can overcrimp the A/C fitting ferrules, potentially cutting the hose and causing leaks. Modern A/C hose comes in a 2-braid configuration (braid is buried in the jacket and doesn't show); the nominal OD's of this modern 2-braid hose are: #6, .75"; #8 .906"; #10, 1.00"; #12, 1.125". There is also a reduced diameter barrier hose. See:

http://www.atcoproductsinc.com/catalog/pdf/Pgs_102-110.pdf

A/C fittings can be reused though the use of new separate ferrules so anything is possible in terms of a "rigged" repair. The large braided hose could be any type (including non-refrigerant) and the ferrules could be from hydraulic fittings.

Your barbed fitting/hose clamp repair will likely work but you should check your odd hose to see if it is labeled for automotive A/C service.

Jim

HarryD · 04-30-2004, 02:05 PM

Jim,

Thanks for the information. I never realized that AC hose was that different than hydraulic hose and needed special care to fit up properly.