I'm looking to use tube nuts and sleeves on my fuel system however I can't find the tool necessary to crimp the sleeves on. Can someone point me in the right direction. I know what it looks like but can't find it online anywhere. Just a small hand pump unit. Here's a pic of the sleeves.


-Destin

 

You don't crimp the sleeves onto the tube. Slide the nut on then the sleeve and then flare the line. The sleeve distrubutes the load on the flare more evenly and is suposed to float on the line. The shoulder helps support the line also so the flare doesn't take all the load.

 

Make sure you get the right flaring tool. If its AN (andh thats whats in your pic, is AN sleeves), get one for that, not one for automotive brake lines. They are different degree flares. 37 vs 45. www.aircraftspruce.com or www.atstools.com has AN flaring tools.

 

At that point to buy the special tool, about $100 bucks for the one I found, isn't worth it. Have you seen the compression fittings the Russell has for fuel lines? I think they were about $6 each and they give you a male AN fitting to attach to with no flaring.

 

I think the russel compression fitting are only for aluminum lines. I too planned to use tube nuts and sleeves with my fuel setup. I eventually went with hose clamps with an outer cover that resembles an AN hose end. Also a 37 degree flare tool can be had at www.summitracing.com for under $40 I believe. Getting set up for AN lines can be expensive (especially if you get alumnium wrenches to prevent marking fittings, etc.), I would however recommend the line cutter from summit, or a similar one with "opposing C" cutting blades. Make cutting line a whole lot easier.

Good luck.