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Tue May 01, 2012 2:12 pm

Hello, I am installing a new turning brake in my rail. I understand I am to use thread sealant on the fittings that attach to the turning brake. Any recommendations on which sealant to use? Thanks.

Tue May 01, 2012 2:45 pm

Are you sure? I would assume that they would use flared fittings that seal at the flare rather than the threads

Tue May 01, 2012 3:10 pm

Maybe a tiny bit of threadlock between the fittings and brake body. The flare fittings will seal just fine.

Tue May 01, 2012 3:12 pm

Yes. The turning brake assembly has a sticker on the side stating to use sealant on the brass fittings that thread into the assembly. I know not to use anything where the flare seals.

Tue May 01, 2012 4:06 pm

I use red lock tite on all the non crush type fittings.

Gary

Tue May 01, 2012 6:16 pm

Red locktite, or hardening gasket sealer designed for high pressure threaded apps and resistant to brake fluid.

Tue May 01, 2012 6:24 pm

if there is pressure or brake fluid on the threads then something's wrong

Tue May 01, 2012 6:31 pm

X 2 on the Locktite "RED" but I have also used the lower strength "blue" with no leaks.

I always pre clean the threads and the tapped holes with brake clean or acetone. ('specially on used parts) I like to let the Locktite sit overnight before assembling the flares , probably not strictly necessary, but I do it anyway.

RED

Tue May 01, 2012 6:33 pm

[quote="bartman"]if there is pressure or brake fluid on the threads then something's wrong[/quote ] I agree. Mostly its poorly tapped china castings with poorly threaded fittings made in tiawan. By the time the threads seal from friction, its barely. So you need something to keep it from moving.

Tue May 01, 2012 8:07 pm

My point was that the threads don't do any sealing . The flare at the end of the line seals against the seat at the base of the female part of the turning brake. If the thing is engineered so poorly that sealer is required on the threads, I would recommend not using it. And if loctite is needed simply to keep the threads from coming loose, that would also be a deal breaker. I've put a lot of brake fittings together and have never needed something like that. This is a safety critical area and halfass fixes like loctite and thread sealer shouldn't be necessary.

Tue May 01, 2012 8:55 pm

Sorry bartman, we are on different pages. Original poster was asking about sealing the threads on a cutting brake. Very few come equipped with flared fittings. Rather they are tapped at 1/8; 1/4, or some size npt, or even metric straight. Those threads WILL be exposed to fluid, up to the point the THREADS make a mechanical seal. The adapter that he is threading in will determine what type of sealing flare he will be using!

Tue May 01, 2012 9:06 pm

Ah, ok. I'm not familiar with the fittings on turning brakes. I assumed they would be flared.
I'm curious, though. How do they interface with the rest of the system, which does use flared fittings?

Tue May 01, 2012 9:17 pm

the fitting they supplied to me with my first and second turning brake were pipe thread plumbing compression fitting and the first one worked for... well about 60 k miles but second time around i wanted to do it better and needed a real sharp turn so i brought the brake down to the local hose shop and he measured it and checked the thread and determined that the plumbing fitting wasnt the right thread but was really close .the threads can get messed up if you over tighten and its not correct to use a compression ring type fitting any way

it should be a flared pipe fitting

he had the correct fittings

no sealant

Tue May 01, 2012 9:35 pm

What ever fitting you can buy! My car is all 1/8 npt ports. Master cyl output is #3 an. To front calipers is same. To cutting brake supply its 3/16 american flare, output is 10mm metric bubble flare to rear calipers that are npt. Had to use what i could find local when repairs were needed and support truck didnt have it!

Wed May 02, 2012 7:49 am

To clairify,
I think the OP was talking about installing the Flare to pipe (NTP) thread ADAPTER into the cutting brake body.

I always use Locktite at this point, If for no other reason than vibration isolation, This is usually a bi-metalic joint, brass to aluminum, brass to stainless steel or cast iron etc. The locktite will slow or stop crevice corrosion between dissimilar metals.

I usually lubricate the flare retainer (You know, the piece that you always forget to slip on the tubing, before you make the first double flare...) threads with Vasaline or bearing grease, just to make them easier to tighten and disassemble later.(take care not to overtighten a lubricated thread, "spot torquing" ie pulling on the wrench 'till you see spots, is NOT required for a leak free joint) ALL stainless to stainless threaded joints MUST be lubricated, or they WILL gall.

Wed May 02, 2012 6:42 pm

Thanks for all the comments. Thought I'd post some pics to clear up what I'm working with.

In the first pic below you can see three fittings attached to the body. Apparently I need to use sealant on the threads that attach to the body.

[/img]

Closeup of one of the fittings in next pic.

After reading through the posts I think I'm going to go with the red loctite unless someone has a better idea.

Thanks!

Wed May 02, 2012 7:17 pm

I have always used Teflon tape. Many, many years with no issues.

Thu May 03, 2012 2:15 pm

This is the right stuff for hydraulic fittings