Engineers Tips on Assembling Aeroquip Hoses

You don’t need many tools to assemble your own Aeroquip hoses, basically some spanners, side cutters, feeler gauges, vice and a fine tooth hacksaw.

Cut the necessary length of hose with a fine tooth hacksaw, to stop the end of the hose fraying wrap it with some masking tape before cutting. After you have cut your hose remove any frayed parts by trimming the hose with the side cutters.

Now blow the hose clean and then inspect same to ensure that there is no debris which could foul the system later, you should repeat this process before the hose is installed on the aircraft.

Make sure your end fittings are dissembled and place the socket part only in a vice that has protection plates (or cardboard) installed so that you do not damage the anodising, also be careful not to over tighten the vice as this can damage the fittings.

Then with a twisting pushing action screw the hose counter-clockwise into the socket until it bottoms on the top of the socket, then just back the hose off by turning it ¼ turn. Now wrap masking tape round the hose tight up to the socket, this way should the hose move when you install the nipple and nut (which it shouldn't) you can tell.

Next lubricate the mandrel and socket with a fluid or light grease compatible with what ever system the hose is operating and insert the mandrel into the socket moving it around to prepare the socket for the nipple.

Slide the nut of the end fitting over the nipple and then screw these onto the mandrel, now using a spanner screw these into the socket by turning clockwise, you should have a gap of 0.005 to 0.031 inches between the nut and socket.

Now inspect the hose, you should have a hose with at least one good fitting assembled. Blow the hose out and repeat the process for the other end.

You should now arrange for the hose to be proof tested, this will depend on what system the hose is operating and you should be advised by whoever is overseeing the work.

One final thing, there is a stripe running down the hose and this should not be twisted in your final assembled hose.