Daily Driver, Go Where I Want To Build

I've always understood the tape to be a lubricant vs the actual sealant. NPT thread are interference type threads, so, the tighter you get them, the better they seal. The corollary to that is if they are not tight enough, they won't seal at all. Applying tape reduces the friction of installing the threads, making it easier to get the joint tight enough to seal.

@mrblaine you seem to be a master of all threaded connections...can you validate or repudiate the above? I don't know if that is an old internet myth or factual.

I've also heard not to use tape on air line fittings, because it can come loose and get trapped in downstream fittings, manifolds, cylinders, etc. I believe that to be a rule some big corporation came up with to prevent lazy, careless, pipefitters (not that all pipefittters are careless and/or lazy) from screwing up expensive automation. That rule was taken as gospel and became something its not. I've applied a LOT of teflon tape to my own fittings and airtools, and never once have I found tape downstream or had a piece of tape get into any of my tools.
If the tape were just a lubricant, a quick dip in some motor oil would solve all the leaking issues. The rest of it depends on what materials we are trying to seal. If you look at the threads on black gas pipe, galvanized, and similar, you will note that the threads are very rough and you may get them to seal with lube but something will need to fill the small imperfections to make a seal.

If you are messing with quality brass fittings, generally you can just screw them together with no lube or sealant and they will seal just fine.

The other big thing that will get you in trouble is the fact that they are tapered interference threads. If you lube them up and tighten them into something like a transfer case, the whole "lube to get them tighter" is more than capable of splitting the case.

It is very easy to get tape into some place it doesn't belong if you are careless and leave a tail hanging off the end of the fitting. It is easy for us who are not careless to wonder how stuff happens but I've been warned enough in certain industries like steering, hydraulics, and oil field plumbing to believe that not everyone is as careful as they should be.

If you want to learn some, start putting together your air tool quick disconnect fittings dry and then with tape. It is very surprising how little they leak at low tightening pressures with no tape.

When I am setting up a new brake kit, I use air to clamp the caliper onto the rotor to hold it in place so I can get dimensions for a bracket. That means I typically cobble together some sort of adapter line with a stupid amount of back and forth adapters. Generally that is just all threaded together by hand and the leakage in minimal to none.

On other stuff that I have watched my professional plumbing buddy do, he has several wraps of tape and paste to stop a leak.

One thing I also do a lot of with lots of success is to use Loctite Red on the NPT side of adapter stuff. It is a sealant and on a lot of AN fittings, the flare will lock down harder than the breakaway torque of the NPT side. Loctite in the NPT side and it doesn't leak and doesn't turn breaking the flare side loose.
 
For those who need to know (because ARB only vaguely mentions it in their instructions) this funny little screw fitting goes over the copper line to compress the o rings inside the bulkhead fitting.
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Today I am finishing the compressor install and soon discovered the air leak at the axle. Thanks to Blaine for confirming our suspicions on the fitting. Fortunately I kept it!

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For those who need to know (because ARB only vaguely mentions it in their instructions) this funny little screw fitting goes over the copper line to compress the o rings inside the bulkhead fitting.
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Today I am finishing the compressor install and soon discovered the air leak at the axle. Thanks to Blaine for confirming our suspicions on the fitting. Fortunately I kept it!

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Isn't there an o-ring in the bulkhead fitting that the copper line pushes through?
 
There is. That is a spare length of copper line Mike has in his ARB parts box.
Never having looked at their instructions, I find it odd that they don't mention that the push lock ORB fitting screws right into the end of the banjo adapter. I figured it was that way on purpose and I think I am mistaken.
 
I put the push lock on the diff side and the compression on the pump. I'm would like to know why both aren't push lock.
 
I put the push lock on the diff side and the compression on the pump. I'm would like to know why both aren't push lock.
Typically the push lock goes on the compressor presumably because they are more susceptible to vibration. That said, the ARB picture shows what I was referring to.
 
NPT thread are interference type threads, so, the tighter you get them, the better they seal.
NPT threads do not seal. They aren't sharp at the edges so leaks will always spiral out no matter how tight you get them. They require a sealant of some type. NPTF threads do seal, they are a different thing and sharp at the edges so there isn't a spiral path to leak. For what it's worth that's the tech babble.
 
The ARB Compressor is installed on the ABS tray next to the factory pumps. Only one of those is functional. I guess the other is a spare. Someday the both will go away entirely.
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The ARB compressor switch filled the spot where the camera switch was. And I am using an OEM style rear locker switch for the ARB.
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I also took this opportunity to remove the old air bag controls I made several years ago. Less clutter.
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The original plan was to plumb this into the York. Last night, while pulling out the factory wire and hose I was adding up parts cost and effort. Also, the ARB solenoid valve uses BSP thread rather than NPT. Adapting the thread and doing it cleanly just felt difficult. The whole idea began to feel like another endless nickel and dime project. So, I decided to get the little ARB locker compressor with all the additional plumbing and wiring. Amazon had an open box for a good discount.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P919D4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I should have this finally finished by the weekend.

hookin my ARB, i snagged this adapter 11$ @ Summit. 1/8 BSPT male to 1/8 NPT female.

also seeking some advice......i saw something about jumping in the blue white switch illumination wire to the cig lighter and tying in the power direct and not into key/ignition.

how you going about this? i guess i wouldn't mind the compressor able to function with the key off.

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hookin my ARB, i snagged this adapter 11$ @ Summit. 1/8 BSPT male to 1/8 NPT female.

also seeking some advice......i saw something about jumping in the blue white switch illumination wire to the cig lighter and tying in the power direct and not into key/ignition.

how you going about this? i guess i wouldn't mind the compressor able to function with the key off.

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I powered mine from the cig so it was a keyed source. The illumination wire i actually took from the dashboard wiring near the plug under the dash. I did it this way so the switches would dim with the dimmer switch
 
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I powered mine from the cig so it was a keyed source. The illumination wire i actually took from the dashboard wiring near the plug under the dash. I did it this way so the switches would dim with the dimmer switch
The easiest illumination wire for us to always find and use is the automatic gear shift indicator bezel light socket wires. They are folded back on the manuals with no bulb and come out right under the middle of the dash. They are dimming as well if you don't hook them up backwards.
 
On my top row of switches in the vents, I used constant power from the cigarette lighter rather than dimmable. I didn't know any better when I first put that together and the daisy chain of plugs is already there.
 
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That bridge looks a bit unnerving. I wouldn't want to be on it with wider axles.

Beautiful photos.
 
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