Little help with air compressor couplings

I got an ARB CKMA12 compresor, but I didn't get the ARB tire inflation kit because the hose is too short (I got a 35' Flexzilla) and I don't like the chuck on the ARB gauge. Instead, I pieced together my own air hose, end connectors, air gauge, etc. Two pieces don't fit together and I'm a little stumped... help?



The first piece is this guy, the thing you put the airhose into:



(from ARB catalog)

The second piece is this guy at the green arrow, which is to terminate the end of my Flexzilla air hose:




To use scientific terms, the blue piece doesn't fit into the black thing. So I can't use it to terminate the end of my Flexzilla air hose that plugs into the ARB coupler above. What did I do wrong?

 

Not sure if you figured this out yet so I’ll respond. There are different standards for air fittings. The ARB coupler is industrial standard and the fitting pictures is automotive standard. You have two choices either change the coupler to automotive or change the hose fittings to industrial.

 

The cleanest way to accomplish this would be to simply replace the ARB coupling with the Legacy coupling.

To do that, buy a 2" long 1/4" brass pipe nipple from Home Depot. Confirm that the pipe thread in the compressor is 1/4"-18 (ARB spec says it's 1/4"-18 NPT). The pipe nipple should engage the compressor thread smoothly without forcing (try it dry). Use Teflon paste or tape for assembly. The Legacy coupling will perform the same function as the ARB (hold pressure, allow quick hose connect). Adapt the Flexilla hose as necessary. Note that hose will depressure when disconnected from compressor.

 

It looks like Legacy color codes there fittings depending on the standard. Try to exchange your fittings for the red Legacy industrial fittings.

 

Fascinating! Thank you, that makes sense.

Well, I also got a fancy dust cover for the ARB coupler, which the Legacy doesn't have, so I'd prefer to keep the ARB coupler and just get a different coupler for the end of the air hose.

Here's a question for you pneumatic gurus! Which standard coupler -- industrial, or automotive, is the one that most air tools use? That might help me decide. For example, if I buy a Home Depot nail gun or an impact driver etc, what standard would the supplied coupler be?

Is there such thing as a converter? Maybe something to have in my air tool kit. That would convert automotive to industrial? Or do you just swap out the coupler entirely?

Thanks for your help!

 

Pneumatic tools do not usually come with fittings. You install the fittings yourself. Most of my tools are automotive standard since that’s what we use at work. Both styles are available at Home Depot. I installed universal couplers on my hoses at home and in my truck so I could use both standards.

 

You can make an adapter

Industrial fitting on automotive hose coupler or auto fitting industrial coupler

 

Ok. Sounds like I need to make a trip to Home Depot and get a fist full of couplers and toss them in my air tool bag. Thanks guys!

 

Ended up going to hardware store and got all the fixins. I opted to stick with industrial because the ARB coupler for the compressor is industrial and it has a sweet dust cover. The underhood

$338 CKMA12 On-Board Air Compressor High Performance 12 Volt for Air Locker Differentials and Tire Inflation

CKMA12 compressor in my Taco is constantly shellacked in dust so I thought this would be help extend its life. Also my Rhino tire gauge (I didn't like the ARB gauge) came with an industrial plug. I'm keeping those blue Automotive coupler/plugs in my air tools bag, just in case.

A question about piecing this all together. How much torque should I apply to the fittings, after teflon taping? Are we talking hand tight and 1/2 turn with the wrench, check for leaks kind of thing? Or should I wrench them fairly snug so they don't vibrate loose over time? Or go full apeshit like it's a crankshaft pully bolt.

 

Well, if you want to keep the ARB coupler with cute dust cover, you'll need ARB adapter 0740107 in their catalog.

That adapter has Industrial Standard quick connect on one end to plug into the ARB coupler, and male 1/4"-18 NPT on the other end. From there you should be able to adapt the Flexilla hose to the male 1/4"-18 NPT on the ARB adapter 0740107. If you want a quick disconnect on the hose end, then you'll need an automotive standard adapter with female 1/4"-18 NPT thread to assemble to the ARB adapter...like the one you have with the "green arrow".