Assembling your car requires knowing about and understanding AN hoses and fittings. This post will help clarify what each number stands for so that you can quickly locate the necessary sizes of AN fittings and hoses.
This article will show you how to measure AN fittings using a simple tool and technique, creating an airtight seal between metal parts.
AN Fittings and Hoses
There is an overwhelming variety of AN fittings, hoses, and adapters on the market today, and it can be confusing to determine which size will meet your particular application needs. This article will detail AN fitting sizes so you can better understand their differences and choose one for your project.
AN, which stands for Army-Navy, was developed during World War II as an industry standard for flexible fluid connections. Later, it found its way onto race cars and street cars for improved performance; using its 37-degree flare seal, it forms a metal-to-metal seal that is much stronger than regular hydraulic fittings – you will often find these fittings on brake lines, fuel lines, oil lines, or radiator hoses.
Most commonly, push lock AN hose ends are reusable and come in various styles depending on your chosen brand; Fragola calls these “AN Pro-Flow Hose Ends,” Aeroquip calls them Reusable Hose Ends, and Russell refers to them as Full Flow Hose Ends. You may also encounter crimp-style hose ends that require special hydraulic presses and dies for their assembly – these tend to only appear at facilities building multiple racing teams’ hoses at once and may prove costly to set up and buy and set up.
Both types of AN hose ends are compatible with either male or female-threaded adapters that use the AN thread standard and work seamlessly when connected and interchanged with one another. They can handle working pressure of up to 500 PSI while remaining resistant to extreme heat, abrasion, and corrosion.
You will require a quality AN wrench, pinch clamp pliers, bench vise, and cutter to install these fittings correctly. In addition, AN hose caps may provide extra protection from contaminants by making the ends more visually appealing while simultaneously hiding them from view.
Pre-bent AN Fuel Line Kits provide another great choice, making it easy to route fuel lines wherever they’re desired and providing all of the equipment needed for installation. Each kit includes ten 10-foot-long stainless steel braided fuel hoses capable of withstanding 500psi pressure while still resisting abrasion and corrosion – ideal for carbureted or EFI fuel systems.
Braided Hoses
Braided stainless steel hoses are the ultimate high-performance solution when it comes to hoses. Ideal for extremely high or low temperatures and chemicals that might otherwise damage rubber hoses, braided stainless steel is more straightforward to bend and maneuver, making it suitable for many applications.
These flexible hoses can be assembled with various end connections, such as TIG welding, soldering, and braising. In addition, these hoses are capable of withstanding high pressures – even at smaller diameters – making them an excellent choice for power generation systems such as gas turbines. Furthermore, unlike rubber hoses, which may crack under vibrational damage or abrasion damage, these resilient ones won’t crack under the pressure applied against them.
Metal braided hose production involves wrapping a coil of stainless steel wire around an inner tube that is flexible yet convoluted, then curing and testing to ensure quality and performance – this may involve subjecting it to extreme temperatures or pressure in a special curing chamber.
Once a hose is complete, it is fitted with a fitting that allows it to connect to other components of the system. This process requires extreme skill and precision – the fitting must be placed precisely where intended to ensure there are no leaks. Sometimes, protective sleeves may also be added around it in order to help shield it against environmental hazards and damage.
These hoses are highly flexible, serving in everything from oil and gas transfer to hydraulics and pneumatics. Their resistance to chemicals and abrasion makes them the ideal choice for chemical handling, while their flexibility allows them to fit in environments where other types of hose would not.
Oil companies typically utilize hydraulic hoses for the transfer of petroleum and other liquids under pressure. They’re also widely used by power generation and aerospace to transport fluids in harsh environments.
Nylon Hoses
Nylon hoses are used extensively in pneumatics applications to deliver air, water, or chemical fluids to various targets. Available in multiple sizes and types, nylon hoses offer exceptional resistance against chemical fluid abrasion and corrosion, handle high temperatures and pressures, and are flexible enough to withstand vibrations and impacts without deforming. Plus, they’re lightweight, so they’re easy to manage while being flexible enough to be rolled or bent into different shapes before being attached with thread-on ends or glue-on ends to fit various fittings!
Nylon hoses offer many advantages over their alternatives in terms of cost, versatility, and durability. They’re commonly found across industries and applications, including aerospace, food processing, automotive, and industrial manufacturing – from aerospace to food processing, automotive, and industrial manufacturing. Highly resistant to abrasion, they make for ideal use in wet environments as they withstand extreme temperatures and come in various colors to suit the aesthetic requirements of applications.
Nylon hoses have become an indispensable component in automotive and racing applications, typically serving to deliver fuel, oil, coolant, and other essential fluids to racecars. Their robust construction can withstand high temperatures and pressures – a necessary quality for professional racing applications.
Before selecting either a braided nylon or stainless steel hose for your application needs and environmental conditions, take into account your application specifications, environmental conditions, and budget constraints before considering time and maintenance needs as a final factor. Finally, ensure your choice will work well with chemicals and materials coming into contact with it to ensure maximum safety and efficiency – and save yourself both money and headaches in the process! Choosing an optimal hose can save money, headaches, and hassle down the line!
AN Fitting Tools
Have you ever worked with AN fittings or hoses before? Installing them can be difficult and time-consuming, but tools exist to make the task much more straightforward, including wrenches and pinch clamp pliers explicitly designed to install them. Such tools have jaws made of anodized aluminum to prevent damage to AN fitting bodies, as well as beveled edges to better grip onto hoses for easier installation and lessen installation times significantly. Utilizing such tools will make this task significantly more straightforward and less time-consuming!
Fittings are known for their 37-degree flare that forms a metal-to-metal seal. While similar to JIC fittings, their flare angles differ. Furthermore, sizes vary among SAE thread types; therefore, tubing ID measurements must be accurately taken prior to purchasing an AN fitting.
When working with AN hoses, it is crucial to use the appropriate cutting tool in order to avoid frayed ends that could otherwise result from cutting with a hack saw or other metal cutting power tool. By choosing a cutting tool with an attached guard instead, your hose will be cut cleanly with an even mating surface at each female end and hose end and won’t leak as quickly compared with using one without one – something a cutting tool without one may do without proper protection against leakage issues.
AN Fuel Return Line Fitting is an easy way to add a -6AN fuel return port on any tank, using a no-weld installation process that works great with fuel, oil, or E-vac systems. Constructed of billet aluminum and black anodized to prevent corrosion, this fitting makes adding AN return port quick and straightforward!
The AN Power Steering Line Return Kit contains everything necessary for plumbing your power steering pump and rack with a -6AN hose system. The kit features an AN hose end, an anodized AN fitting, and a grade 8 installation bolt; plus, it comes in various colors to complement your hoses! Plus, it can even come complete with its fuel return hose!
