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Time To Replace a 1/4″ Line
Ok, it is time to replace a 1/4″ line and I need some detailed instructions.
A little history: In October 2016 I heard an air leak down below my feet. It was a lengthwise split in a 1/4″ air line. I had a mobile truck repair meet me at a truck stop in the Carolina’s and he put a coupling inline. He had no 1/4″ hose.
In November 2017 I was pulling into a Pilot in central California when I heard another air leak. It was a 1/4″ airline and it was near the ceiling of the compartment/floor of the bus and was feeding the driver’s seat. A Pilot truck repair mobile guy put in a coupling and off we went.
Last night while headed to Ft. Worth it happened again. The line split about 3 inches south of the coupling installed last November and once I traced the line, I discovered all three breaks were in the the same line. Duh! Time to replace the whole line.
I made it too a Pilot and the mobile guy had no fittings, I asked him if he could cap the line and he said he could squeeze it off with vice grips since the line was trashed anyway. I fetched the vice grips, he squeezed off the line and I traveled about 140 miles to our destination in north Ft. Worth, Watauga actually.
I know that I should have paid more attention to this and took care of it sooner but here I am. it needs to be be done now.
I am only 16 miles from Prevost, but I should be able to do this. Can you walk me through it? I can see and access the fitting in the lower compartment easily. I have not looked under the driver’s seat yet. Can I get to that one?
Where do I get the 1/4″ line and any fittings that I may need? How do I do it? Remember to start at the beginning and type slow. Assume I know nothing and you will not be over estimating me much.
Thanks,
Davy
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19 Replies
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Davy, Go to Napa, or call and make sure they have some in stock. Also get a 1/4 inch 1/4 turn shut off. Find where the line starts….
Remove the old airline and if it is not a compression style fitting replace it with one. Go a short distance and add your new shut off….through the floor and under the seat…There is less than perfect room under the seat to find where it goes in….However at that point it is possible that it is using a plastic connector….if so the sleeve around the outside will slide back to release the airline…
I know you have handled a lot worse than this airline..
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Jeff,
What do you do when the plastic Y is missing the collar ?
TIA
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DOT Union.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Thanks, Jeff. Thank you for typing slow. I will check things out, visit NAPA one mile away and check back in.
Davy
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The air line was easy enough to find but tougher for fittings. NAPA was out. I went to four large truck parts and services places including Volvo. All were willing to help but either did not have the fittings or need to see the fittings themselves rather that the pictures I had. No one had a 1/4″ 1/4 turn shut off valve.
I have not exhausted all the local options by far, but ran out of time today. I will remove the fitting first thing and go back.
The fitting circled in red is the line that is busted.
The green is a push fitting that I will replace as well IF I can find everything and figure it out.
This is the busted line. It was barely hanging by a piece of plastic and completely separated easily.
This was my on the road repair that got me 140 miles down the road.
Underneath the seat looks impossible for my fat self. I will skip supper and breakfast and look again.
Davy
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Hi Davy, the fittings you are looking for can be gotten at a WW GRAINGER, a MCMASTER CARR, or Truck Pro (you can use your AITA card). There is a Truck Pro at:
1251 Northwest Pkwy
Fort Worth, Texas
(817)625-9186
Good luck
Andre’
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I spent $100 plus bucks and carry fittings I have 1/4 and 3/8 fittings and some 1/4 inch air line just in case. all compression fittings that’s why I got this stuff If I replace a part and if it has push on fittings I replace with compression, I got tired of going to truck center and paying high prices so I bought all this on line at a diesel supply house.
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That’s a fantastic idea.
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Thank you, Andre. You were correct. Volvo had suggested Truck Pro yesterday, but I was out of time. It was my first planned stop this morning. I took the old hose and collar in case they needed it, but they did not. They had what I needed for that end of the line but they had no inline shut off valves that Jeff suggested.
This is what I found under the seat.
The line on top is the incoming line. That fitting is a plastic T. The line on the bottom is short, that is all the slack I have in the picture. Is that a plastic compression fitting? I dare not put a wrench to it until I know. I am tempted to put a union in the line about 5 inches back from the T.
Davy
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Davy,
Jeff’s suggestion about a shut off valve is based on how leak detection and service is significantly enhanced if you can turn off each individual pneumatic circuit. Think of the valve as a circuit breaker that allows you to shut off something if there is an issue such as a failed hose.
I am close to having every single circuit on my bus isolated each with its own shut off valve. It has been very time consuming and has required changes to how the air lines are originated but the end result if I ever get it done is not only being able to better isolate which part of the pneumatic system leaks, but also having the ability to shut each down so I can continue to continue.
Next time you are at ETLC, give a call and I will show you what I have done.
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I understand the concept of the valve, Jon, and I remember pictures from the steering compartment on your previous coach. I would put a valve on this line IF I could locate one before I need to get going.
Any idea on the plastic fitting in the picture above? The T looks to be a plastic compression fitting. I would like to know what it is before I try to take it apart.
Davy
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That does look like a compression fitting and the hex shape on the nut around the tube suggests it is intended to be turned.
Try it. The worst that happens is you break it and have to replace it with something similar in a brass DOT fitting.
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Great thread. My reports that we have a leak under the front of the bus too, I can’t hear it.
What does this 1/4″ line go to? What does it operate?
The idea of buying a complete, comprehensive set of fittings make lots and lots of sense. I learned that less the hard way with the race cars. Buy in volume, save money, eliminate trips to the hardware or race parts store.
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I too had this line break going across I-40 in AR in July and it will get your attention as well as cause the compressor, at least on mine, to barely keep up with aux air and run full time.
Replace the line and put a cut-off on as Jeff suggested.
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“The idea of buying a complete, comprehensive set of fittings make lots and lots of sense.”
Anybody have a good recommendation for a full set of air fittings? Source?
Thanks
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