Air Tool Fittings

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
Once again I go to use an air hose I have not used in several months and I find the fitting leaking. This seem to happen a lot to me. I go out and buy a bunch of fittings and swap them out and then a year or two later, things are leaking. Am I expecting too much or are they actually lasting as long as they should?


What does anyone else use that they really like? I have used the straight rubber coupler, the 3 bearing ones, the 4 bearing ones, they all seem to leak and I don't get what I think I should out of them.
 

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
Where are you buying fittings? The biggest problem I run into with fittings at the dealership is they seem to slowly get clogged somehow internally and restrict air flow. It isn't noticeable at first, but eventually my impact won't even loosen lugs.
 

BarryO

Well-known member
May 15, 2018
98
7
Bend, OR
My experience is that the brass fittings just don't stand up. They dent/deform easily, and then start leaking.
 

JohnnoK

Well-known member
Mar 19, 2017
190
19
Cape Town, South Africa
When your hose is standing unused is it disconnected at the compressor end? You may be getting dust into the open end and it runs down to the connector and disturbs the seal of the coupling.


It could also be degraded O rings in the coupling if you run an inline oiler for your tools, the O rings may not be compatible with the oil you use.
 

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
I disconnect everything, I don't use them all the time. Most of the connectors are hanging in the down position so they do not collect dust. It does seem the seals start to leak first, but I do not run an oiler, just a shot of oil in the tool itself before use.
 
I consider air line quick disconnects to be perishable items.

I'm not ashamed to admit I buy them in "Bulk" at Harbor-Freight. When one begins leaking, I isolate that branch from the ar system, swap it out and throw the old one away.

if you really want good ones, i suggest Prevost brand-available from your Snap-On rep. They are not cheap, but they are definitely worth the price of admission. The shops where I sold them to, didn't need to replace them once they installed the Prevost brand. I don't remember, but they may well have been lifetime warranted as well.
 

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
if you really want good ones, i suggest Prevost brand-available from your Snap-On rep. They are not cheap, but they are definitely worth the price of admission. The shops where I sold them to, didn't need to replace them once they installed the Prevost brand. I don't remember, but they may well have been lifetime warranted as well.

Those are nice, but I seem to remember them being a little longer than standard fittings. Looks like you can get them from Tool Topia.

I like that you just shove the tool into it without having to pull back on the lock mechanism.