[AT] OT - Fire hose fitting question

[Steve W.]

Richard Walker wrote:
> I was at the right municipal surplus auction at the right time and 
> managed to score an ex fire department '79 Dodge D300 Power Wagon 4 
> WD brush truck with only 46,000 miles that runs great.  Only repairs 
> I needed to do was install a new tube in the LH inside dual, replace 
> a leaky fuel pressure regulator on the separate pump engine in the 
> bed, and install a new battery.  Not a bad deal for $800, and I will 
> be selling the lightbar unit off the truck for $150, bringing my cost 
> down even lower.
> 
> Judy and I moved to some steep hillside brushland property about five 
> years ago and unfortunately it's right in the heart of Southern CA 
> wildfire country.  Having the truck around won't guarantee safety, 
> but might make a difference to us and our neighbors in a small 
> fire.  The roads and driveways around us are too twisty and steep for 
> most standard fire trucks to negotiate.
> 
> At another auction I recently bought a pallet of many surplus fire 
> department hoses.  Was testing some of them today and some are good, 
> others have leaks.
> 
> My question to the collective wisdom of the list is does anyone know 
> a cheap and effective way to re-use fire hose fittings?  If so, I 
> could simply cut out the leaking portions and re-attach the 
> fittings.  Looking at the fittings, they appear swedged on, so maybe 
> I'm wishing for something not possible.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> 
> Richard
> 
> 
> Richard & Judy Walker
> Monrovia, CA
> 

Effective YES. Cheap NOPE, not even close...

Those fittings are held on with a ring that gets expanded inside the 
hose and the fitting collar.

If you have a fire equipment repair facility nearby then you could have 
them repair the hoses but it isn't real cheap. The last ones I took in 
for our department were 15 bucks per fitting.

You could buy the proper tool and the sleeves to fit but they are VERY 
expensive. Now IF you have a shop and could make the expander die and 
the puller AND if ONLY YOU are going to use these lines then you might 
have a chance.

For what you will be using the rig for I would probably buy some of the 
new lightweight 1 1/2" and some light suction.

-- 
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York