building SS braided fuel hose

[lostpilot28]

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to help getting the ends of a stainless steel braided hose in the end of the nut for an AN fitting? I just got some hose in the mail yesterday and have already cut it shorter twice (good thing I bought a little extra length!) and poked my fingers umpteen times.

I've tried wrapping the ends VERY tight before cutting them but I just can't squeeze them into the fittings. My fingers would appreciate any help.

[robertahegy]

I assume you mean wrapping the hose with tape, because you need to or you have a real mess. Use as little tape as possible and leave it on, if it will fit into the barrel. Otherwise carefully remove it without disturbing the SS braid. It has to be cut with a very fine blade or hose cutting saw or you will splay all the strands. I used a band saw with fine metal cutting blade. Roll the hose to cut the braid circumferentially before completing the hose cut. It is not easy. Mark the hose so you know you got it in the barrel all the way. Once you get it started, screw the barrel on to your mark. You may need to hold the hose in a vice using pipe clamps and something the protect the hose from being chaffed. I used cloth. Then the fitting goes into the barrel and the inside of the hose to form the seal.

I feel your pain,

Roberta

[scard]

My method is pretty well summed up here:
http://rv9a.card-net.org/archives/20...30/fuel-hoses/

[gasman]

tape it, hold it in a vise.... then use a cut off wheel.
P.S. You can only cut it too short once. You can cut too long many times

[frankh]

is to NOT use insulating tape. Istead there is a lcear packing tape 0.5" wide that has srands of fiber in it...It is incredibly strong and you can wrap the hose really tight...which crushes it just a little.

Then cut very gently with the Vans (canopy) cut off wheel.

No prolems if you do it this way.

Frank 7a

[Sam Buchanan]

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to help getting the ends of a stainless steel braided hose in the end of the nut for an AN fitting?

After you have a clean cut as described by previous posters (do not leave the tape on the braid as you assemble the fitting, the inside of the nut needs to clamp the braid), stick the end of the hose into a bottle of STP Oil Treatment. That is the slimiest stuff known to man and is the secret to getting the hose to easily slip into the AN fitting. Put the AN fitting in a vice with the open end facing you and twist the slimed hose as you push it into the fitting. After the hose bottoms into the fitting, use a Sharpie to make a mark on the braid so you can make sure the hose doesn't back out of the fitting as you insert and tighten the mandrel.

I keep a bottle of STP in the shop for those times when you need an oil-compatible lubricant.

[Captain Avgas]

Originally Posted by lostpilot28

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to help getting the ends of a stainless steel braided hose in the end of the nut for an AN fitting? I just got some hose in the mail yesterday and have already cut it shorter twice (good thing I bought a little extra length!) and poked my fingers umpteen times.

I've tried wrapping the ends VERY tight before cutting them but I just can't squeeze them into the fittings. My fingers would appreciate any help.

You need the Koul Tool. I have one..highly recommended..it's a must-have for making your own SS braided hoses. Vans sells them. See
http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/...Tool-Hose-Assy

[G-force]

I make up hundreds of braided hoses at work every year, the secret for me is: A clean cut, two TIGHT wraps of masking tape works fine. Then cut it with an abrasive chop saw. Cut slow, it should take 10 or so seconds to cut a hose. A straight die grinder mounted abrasive cut off wheel will work but will never be as clean. Assembly wise, you need to use a vice with proper aluminum hose assembly jaws. I believe Aeroquipt makes them, but I be you can find them in any race care supply catalog (Jegs, Summit Racing, PAW, etc.) Clamp the bell in the jaws sideways and push and turn the hose untill its flush with the bottom side of the threads. Remove it and reclamp it in the jaws verticaly, with the top of the bell just BARELY below the top of the jaws. This keeps your wrench from gouging it up. Then lube it up, you cant use too much oil so pour it on, you got to clean the hose assemblys afterwards anyways. Make sure the inside of the hose and both of the threads are totaly wet with oil. 40 or 50 weight motor oil works fine. Start the fitting in by hand and finish up with a 12 or 15 inch cressent wrench.

[Steve Mills]

You did not say if you were doing fuel or brake lines. The -6 is no problem using the solutions listed here; however, on the -4 brake lines,I tried and tried...wrecked lots of hose...said several bad words, and then ordered the hose from A.E.R.O. (advertizes at left). The hose arrived in 2 days, already installed, looks great, and no more bad words...atleast on this topic.

[frankh]

Go down to your local hydraulics shoppe....Great hoses at about 1/3rd the cost...all crimped up beautiful like, as long as you don't mind steel fittings.

Frank