Using Blue Air Lines For Red. Legal?

do a few 90 degree turns. and you'd be surprised how air lines break.

never had mine break from some numbskull. it's always the turns. the lines eventually wear down into tearing a crack right where they mount into the fittings at the glad hand.

thus, the spare crushers and inserts.

i rolled through the rexburg idaho scale in minus 20 weather. made a 90 degree to the left and another onto the freeway. 2 turns. hit that lima montana scale and i knew i was in trouble. the blue line cracked at the idaho scale. and i was shut down in montana. waited till the sun came up to fix. no way i was freezing my butt off to fix in the middle of the night. with the wind blowing.

 

One of our trucks has 4 lines, 2 air lines, 1 for lights, 1 for the dump valve. Their all black rubber with different color glad hands.

 

Anyone know the laws on repairs?

Can you cut and put back together (barbs and hose clamps)? If they are chaffed/nicked thick rubber lines can you tape to protect from getting damaged/worse?

 

No. You can't splice the tractor to trailer airlines. I added a foot to them cause the outside one erod pop off in a tight turn. Failed the next dot inspection due to that.

 

I was a little worried about it when I did it a couple years ago, but ive had 6-10 annual or pre-emploment checks since, but no dot, so I wasnt sure. What type of connectors make it legal? Personally ive never had an issue with the barb but its obvious its been altered. Alternatively snipped and repaired brass ends are identical to factory but seem no stronger than a proper splice.

Id hate to get rid of $180 worth of wrapped lines over a nick but they'd be to short if I cut it off and moved the glad hand back

 

A blue glad-hand won't fit on emregency

 

Can't speak for every brand out there, but every set of lines I've ever messed with use the same side fittings on each.

 

I used dot compression fittings. Still failed. But hey, just because a dot officer failed me for it doesn't mean it's actually a dot violation. I didn't care enough to argue it, or look it up I took 5 minutes to remove that extra foot and got on down the road.

 

I guess my company gots the stupid proof ones.

 

If it's a big fleet that wouldn't surprise me.