Leaky Chicago couplings

I'm having issues with some Chicago style (2-lug) air hose connectors. These guys:




The connectors themselves seal up fine at the gasketed interface, but the interlocking style clamps all leak like sieves - even the factory-assembled 1" hose that I've got. I'm talking 10 horse pump running 40% duty cycle leakage.

I noticed that the 1/2" barbed hose connectors that I assembled myself had a slip fit into the hose. This leads me to believe my issue is probably due to shitty Chinese connectors that have undersized barb diameters.

Has anyone else had an issue like this? Would I be barking up the right tree by ordering "real" barb connectors from McMaster to replace these leaky ones from IDS Blast? (Which arrived 3 months late after two separate "where the hell is my shit?" phone calls.) Or is there a trick to these things that I'm not seeing?

Sounds like mismatch between hose and barb. Hillbilly that I am, I would try wrapping the parb with electrical tape until it is hard to push into the hose. Might add a little Permatex #2, to lube the insertion, too.

Poor quality fittings. Good fittings are machined. It's how I justify my paycheck.

I have had no problems with McMaster fittings, which have as-cast barbs. I use Parker Push Lok hose from Plastics Process Equipment with no clamps. 3/4 hose and no blow off.

millwrong said:

Poor quality fittings. Good fittings are machined. It's how I justify my paycheck.

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So many companies that used to manufacture their products here in the good old USA are now building in China.
Like it or not the quality just is not the same. Same company name just crap in the box now.

Just a Sparky said:

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Looks like the barbs are kind of shallow and not sharp. Maybe a plating process corrupted what the dimensions should be.
Or is that a cast piece?

The clamp and barb are made for a heavier walled hose. You may be able to cheat and put an additional hose inside or outside your existing hose before clamping. You can have a machine shop make a barb that will slip over the existing barb and braze, weld, etc. it on. I've done both of those things before. The second is DOT acceptable the first isn't. We used to do DOT inspections on trucks in our shop, Heavenly Repairs.

Is the wall thickness of the hose to thin for that type of clamp to work properly?

Edit- happywyo types faster....

HappyWyo said:

The clamp and barb are made for a heavier walled hose. You may be able to cheat and put an additional hose inside or outside your existing hose before clamping. You can have a machine shop make a barb that will slip over the existing barb and braze, weld, etc. it on. I've done both of those things before. The second is DOT acceptable the first isn't. We used to do DOT inspections on trucks in our shop, Heavenly Repairs.

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You may have to have the original barb's shaved off before slipping the newly made one on.