Eagles International Forum

Hey Guys,
I wanted to pass on a simple tool or tools you can make if you need to release the locking mechanism on a DOT push on air fitting. I had to change many times some of my air fitting configurations on my bus and got so dam pissed trying to unlock the push on type fitting until I come up with this after trying using a screw driver, plyers , my finger nails etc. like I know you have too.

Just go to a flea market and get a 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" wrenches to match the most common sizez of DOT tubing used on our buses. Pay only a 25 cents or so for them. Then put them in a vice one at time and use your acetlyene torch to heat up the wrench near the open end of the wrench and hit easily with a hammer to bend the wrenchs to about 45-60 deg. I would say or what would be comfortable to you to use. Look at my photo and judge for yourself. Maybe a perfect 90 deg. bend or a little less will be easier to get a good shot at breaking the locking mechanism loose.

The above diameters of the wrenches are exactly what the outside diameters of the DOT tubing is and this gives you over 50 % of the diameter of the fitting to press in to release the locking feature of the fitting.

Here is a tip too, before trying to pull out the tubing, push the tubing in more to bottom the tubing out inside the fitting as you pull back on the wrench. Put your thumb on the bottom of the fitting as you support the wrench against the locking lip of the fitting as in the photos included here and pull out on the tube with a sharp yank, the tube should come out pretty easily, it may take a second shot to get the jist of this but you will thank me one day and not get pissed at trying to do this.
Gary

Gary,

Great idea. I will for sure make the tools up as you suggest. I think you added about 10 years to my life.

Bill

Glad to have helped Bill, especially if I added 10 years to your life now if I can only recover 12 years of mine. I try to pass on any idea I come up with, I don't like to do things the hard or frustrating way. Let me know if this works for you. Expirement witht the angle of the bending of the handle, near 90 Deg. will work good I believe, use of the acetlyene torch will make bending easier.
Gary

Gotcha Gary,
Thanks for the added info.
Bill

Keep those in a handy place these newer Prevost with the push in fitting will drive you nuts chasing leaks

I had a set made by ParFlex but have they have been miss placed or walked off as tools do lol

I made mine from a cheap set of H/F line wrenches I bought with their sale and coupons ended up with a little over a buck in price when all was done

As Cliff has stated that these type push in fittings will leak as I found out but, I mean butt it is a lot to do with installation as I found out. Here is a tip when putting in these type of push in air fittings".
1) Get a GOOD ratchet type tubing cutter with a sharp edge, not a ole cheapo that will not cut a clean edge.

2) Be sure the end you cut is a (Square) clean cut, not with any angle at all as the bottom of the tubing has to bottom out & seal inside the fitting when the air activates the system, if the tubing is at an angle, I assure you that you will have a leak. The tubing / fitting seals on the bottom as well as around the diameter of the tubing, I promise you.

3) Be sure there is no burrs on the end outsde or inside of tubing, also think of investing on a deburring tool which does both jobs after cutting the tubing which is worth the money. If you buy a good ratcheyt type tubing cutter though you should not have a burr I have found. The tubing has to be Square on the bottom, don't be in a hurry and whack it off and slap it together or you will be using the new wrench removing tool a lot more than you want.

Good Luck, hope this tip helps too! If you care, cut it square.
Gary