When working on your race car or any other vehicle, you might find yourself having to use hose fittings. After all, you might have to disconnect and then reconnect them when you're changing out parts. Even though putting on hose fittings isn't really known as being a complicated task, you could be wondering if there is anything you can do to simplify and speed up the process. These are a few tips that can help.
Replace Damaged Hoses
First of all, you might have already noticed that it's sometimes more difficult to connect fittings up to hoses that are damaged. For example, if you have braided hoses, the ends can become frayed after you remove and replace fittings regularly. With regular rubber hoses, minor splits can occur at the ends. Once your hoses are damaged, they can become much harder to outfit with fittings.
Because of this, consider keeping a few hoses on hand. When you notice that the ends of your hoses are frayed, cracked or otherwise damaged, you can swap out the entire hose. Not only will this make installing the fitting a whole lot easier, but it can help you avoid problems later on down the road since hoses that are already damaged can become even more damaged over time.
Make Sure You're Using the Right Fittings
Another tip that you can follow to make hose fitting installation easier is to make sure that you're using the right fittings. If your fittings are even slightly "off" in size, the installation is going to be a lot harder. You might be able to make a slightly oversized or undersized fitting work, but it might take more work on your part, and it might not be as reliable. Keeping a few fittings in different sizes in your toolbox can help you ensure that you've always got the right fitting for the job.
Invest in a Fitting Installation Tool
There are actually tools on the market that are designed to make fitting installation easier. These simple plastic pieces can be fitted onto your vise grip and can make threading your hose through your fittings much easier. You should be able to find one at an auto parts store or online.
As you can see, there are a few tips that you can follow if you would like to make hose fitting installation a little bit easier. Follow these tips, and you can simplify this basic task when you're working on your vehicle. Contact a company like Yearwood Performance Center for more information and assistance.
