air lines breaking left and right
 

I have a flatbed and every time I take a real sharp corner in a tight situation I break an air line. They pretty much just snap where they connect to the trailer. There is like a spring wrapped around the end where it connects to the trailer and it breaks inside there. So far in 2 weeks I've broken 3 air lines. Any suggestions?

I have one of those spring loaded strain reliefs hooked from the hand rail high on the tractor. Does this need to be connected in the middle of the air hoses or close to the tractor? Could this be the problem?

My guess is that these hoses are made from the cheapest materiel's possible so they break easy. I think I would do much better making my own from very flexible compressor air hose material?

Hey Steve. Sorry to hear that you are having trouble. Those air lines do snap in the winter. Cheap plastic. I would go by a Flying J, Petro, any of your truck stops, and get a pair of gladhand grips.(that's what I call them)

Thanks. I already have those grips. It's got to be something else like the position that spring hanger is connected too. I see tons of trucks that have the same air hoses and they look like they've been on for 100 years!!

Sounds like they are too short. Put your truck in the position they seem to be breaking in and get out and look to see if the hose is too tight or is maybe catching on something you are not conscious of. Then maniplate the hanger if needed.

Oh ok. Yeah, those grips are wonderful! Good to know that you already have them. I agree with, Silent Runner. It sounds like your hoses might be a little short, or the hose clamp needs adjusting.

Go buy the good airlines, not those cheap red/blue curly ones, the black ones are the ticket. :wink:

For long, trouble-free service life you simply can't beat good old-fashioned straight rubber air and electric lines. They don't break in the cold and they don't turn into a greasy, tangled mess. (but if they do get greasy, they're easy to clean). The only disadvantage is that they require a hanger of some sort, but it sounds like you already have one.

Thats what I have, oredered the truck with them, and haven't touched them in 7 years, I have NO hanger, just a pogo stick.

Yup, rubber lines seems like the way to go. I talked to a few other flatbed drivers who had straight lines and they did what I was thinking. They went to Home Depot and bought the best compressor hose they could and made there own. Never breaks, flexible, cheap and just carry a roll of it as a spare and cut a new one if they break. There lines were rated up to 300psi. That's what I'm going to do.

I have done this before and it works ok. I didn't have the best luck with the pliovic hoses but the rubber Goodyear hose works better. If you go to a automotive/farm type store they will sell hose by the foot and can put the ends on for you. It just looks neater with factory type ends crimped on using there crimper.

You could also just add about 12-18" of rubber hose to the ends of your existing red/blue hoses.

They do make good or should I say better red/blue coily hose but they are hard to come by.