AN fittings are one of those parts that everyone loves to have on their cars, but not everyone understands. Sure, it’s a type of fitting for hoses that may be used for virtually any fluid, but where they come from and how to use them properly are still a mystery to a lot of folks, even if they don’t’ want to admit it. This is going to be the first of a series of articles that we’re putting together so that you’ll better understand fittings, and what they can do for your project, so that the next time you need one you’ll choose wisely and install it right the first time. We called on the experts at Fragola to help us out.

We used Fragola fittings and hose ends throughout our Drag Week S10, that Larry Larson drove to a 5.950 at 244.43, because on a vehicle with this many systems there are a lot of fittings. Where there are a lot of fittings, there are a lot of places for potential leaks if you get the wrong fittings or install them incorrectly. When we called Jeff Stacy at Fragola to ask questions about fittings and hose ends, he gave us way more than we bargained for, but in a good way! Fragola is known for having high quality fittings that perform in every environment, with some unique products and features that you’ve got to check out for your project. Thanks to Jeff’s help, we had the right parts and the right tools, to make sure we were leak free and got all the important fluids to and from the places they needed to go.

 

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What struck me during this project wasn’t just the quality of the fittings themselves. I’ve been familiar with Fragola products for a while now, but what I didn’t know was the Fragola Family history. Frank Fragola started this company, which has now grown to being Fragola Performance Systems and F-K Bearing, back in 1973 after immigrating to the United States. He came here to produce the best product he could, and now is proud to say that Fragola is made in the USA. Three Generations of Fragola’s work for the company, and it’s the young ones who now have to work in all the departments, like their parents did, so they can learn the business as well. And some of the things that Frank and the Fragola family do for their employees is unbelievable. They may just have the best manufacturing jobs in the United States!

When I was putting together my outline for this series of articles, I asked Jeff a bunch of questions about fittings, myths, and some tips and tricks. Some of his answers are below, and are italicized. Many more are coming in the rest of this series.

AN 101: What you need to know before plumbing your hot rod or race car.

What does AN mean anyway, and where did it come from?

AN refers to a type of fitting that was specifically designed for transferring fluids, whether in a hard or flexible line or hose. AN was originally designed and introduced in World War II and the name AN comes from a design and performance standard that was set by the Army and Navy. AN fittings, hoses, and lines are referred to by sizes that are numerical. For example, -12, which is spoken as “Dash Twelve”. AN fittings feature a special 37 degree flare to create a metal to metal seal when they are connected, and are NOT the same as flare fittings you find at the hardware store. Those fittings have a 45 degree flare and WILL NOT WORK WITH AN! Don’t use hardware store parts to plumb your next project! It’s bad. Brass doesn’t belong on a hot rod or race car.

What do the sizes mean when talking about AN fittings?

If you take the average hot rodder, and have them read off sizes of AN fittings, you’ll get all kinds of variations when you ask them to either pronounce the sizes or explain what they mean. The truth is, it’s extremely simple. Sure it requires a tiny bit of math, but the truth is each and every AN size refers to the Numerator in a fraction. Okay, okay, don’t panic. Easy there… this is simple. Whatever number follows the -, is the number of Sixteenths of an Inch that represents the Inside Diameter of the hose being used. If the fitting is being used on a hard line, then the number following the – is the Outside Diameter of that hard tube. Confused?

Here is what you need to know. -4 hose, fittings, and lines are equivalent to ¼ inch. 4/16 is equal to ¼. -6 is 6/16ths or 3/8”, -8 is ½”, -10 is 5/8”, -12 is ¾”, -16 is 1”, -20 is 1 ¼”, -24 is 1 ½”, -28 is 13/4”, and -32 is 2”. There are also -2 and -3, but -3 is the smallest you are likely to run on a hot rod or race car.

What are the Top 5 questions you get asked about fittings? 

Is it made in the USA? This is our number one question.  We are a true manufacturer of hose ends and adapters. (aka fittings)  We do not make our hose in house though. All of our AN fittings and other products are made in house at Fragola Performance Systems in Southington, CT.

Will other peoples hose work on your fitting? We do not recommend cross breading. There are a few reasons for this, and if you have tried to cross bread hoses and hose ends before you may have run into some of them. The materials and structure of a hose is often configured in such a way as to make installation of matching fittings easier and more secure. Use Fragola hose ends with Fragola hose.

The 3000 Series Hose End and Hose above shows how the 3000 Series fitting incorporates a Tapered Nipple (5) that allows for easier installation into the hose, and optimal engagement of the cutting edge below the threads. In addition, Fragola’s 3000 Series fitting incorporates a One Piece Design (1) that eliminates two brazed joints often seen in other fittings. This hose and hose end system are designed to work together.

How light is the light weight black nylon hose? 30-50% lighter than stainless. That is the hose that is on the truck. (We used it on the S10 not only because it’s lighter, but also because we think it looks nicer and is easier to use. No sharp stainless to poke you.)

What do we have that will eliminate fuel permeation issues? The Real Street line of hose and hose ends fix fuel permeation.  The Real Street hose has a PTFE core that will not permeate smell and will live with all fuels. (No stinky car, and no stinky garage, with Real Street hoses from Fragola.)

Are your hose ends swivel ends?  Yes all of the hose ends from Fragola are swivel except for -4.  

What are the Top 5 myths about fittings, hose, etc?

 

That all hose is created equal. A lot of the import hose will not survive with today’s street gas and race gas. The rubber core is not formulated to survive with oxygenated and alcohol mixed fuels, and starts to come apart clogging injectors and fuel filters. Or worse yet, the hose weeps through the rubber core! Can you say FIRE… For some reason price and pressure rating seem to be of more concern to racers sometimes, when they really need to be looking at the overall makeup of the fittings and hose they NEED for their project. Just because a hose and ends are rated for the pressure you think you need, doesn’t mean it’s the right hose for your application. Coolant, fuels, oil, etc can effect hose differently, and that should be taken into consideration when choosing the right hose for your application.

That AN lines are hard to assemble. We have multiple tools available to make the job easier and our design has a funnel shape to allow the hose to slide into the nut easier than some brands. 

 

That everyone that supplies AN fittings is a manufacturer, when in reality a larger and larger percentage of companies are sourcing their fittings from China.

It’s not that high quality parts CAN’T be made in China, but rather that most manufacturers having parts made there do NOT control quality by having a company representative on site. The old saying “When the cat is away the mice will play” really holds true with Chinese manufacturing. Fragola makes everything here in house. Quality is number one because all manufacturing is in house.

What are the Top 5 mistakes people make when choosing or installing fittings?

Not using the same brand hose as hose ends.

Buying on price only.

Trying to bend the hose too sharp, instead of buying the correct angled hose end.

These are just a sample of the angled hose ends available from Fragola. Straight, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 are available in full flow tubing hose ends, and that means you can make anything work. Trusty me, the S10 is a plumbing nightmare, and everything on it is neat and tidy and fits where it’s supposed to because we planned it all out first.

Using too small of a line in fuel systems.

There are very few circumstances where having too much fuel flow will be a bad thing. Sure there are circumstances where fitting a -16 hose and fittings into certain spaces isn’t practical, but make sure you consult with your fuel system manufacturer when choosing the sizes for your fuel system. And plan ahead! Your naturally aspirated LS stroker may only make 575 now, but when you bolt the turbos on it that thing will make well over 1200. Plan ahead. The guys at Aeromotive have been using Fragola for years, and will make recommendations on what you need for your particular application. Likewise, a simple call to Fragola will get you all the information you need. Planning ahead will save you time and money in the long run. Build your fuel system so that it will accommodate upgrades, and it will cost you much less in the long run. And Aeromotive isn’t alone, MSD, FAST, TCI, and a whole bunch of other big names use Fragola.

Running lines and hoses too close to heat sources and then wondering why the rubber core has started to melt.

Use the right stuff!!! Padded line clamps, aka Adel Clamps, are your friend! When used properly they will hold your hoses in place, away from heat and abrasion. In addition, utilizing the right fittings can make your life easier and the lifespan of your hoses and fittings much longer.

 

 

The bulkhead fitting above will make life much easier in a lot of installations. Rather than going around certain obstacles in your car, go through them. Along those lines, Fragola has these ultra cool Grommet Seals that allow you to run hoses though the firewall, trunk floor, etc and not worry about abrasion. And they aren’t just for hoses! These are the perfect solution for wiring in your hot rod and race car as well. When we say these, we were hooked!

Two of the coolest things we’ve seen from the guys at Fragola could save you so much aggravation and mess, and they are so simple. First off is their 900060 Hose Test Kit. It comes with plugs for a variety of hose end sizes and allows you to pressurize your system with compressed air thanks to the Schraeder valves installed in them. Test it with air, not fuel or oil, and know if you have a problem ahead of time. Or, you have a leak and can’t tell where? Use this to test it.

Just finished putting together some new hose and ends? Tired of spraying brake clean inside the hose and then blowing them out with air? Are you sure you got any or all of the foreign materials out? Could there be a shard of stainless hanging out in there? Use this Garden Hose Flush and Test Kit. It’s so simple it’s kind of crazy. Flush the hoses with water, check for leaks at the same time, and then blow them out with a little air and you are good to go. This is one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” tools.

 

In our next installment we are going to show you how to assemble hose ends, on both stainless and nylon braided hose, along with tips and tricks that will help you when planning and executing your own installation. We’ll also go into more detail on the types of hose ends as well as how to choose which ones are right for your application, then we’ll cover some specialty fittings that will help you with specific aspects of your installation, whether it’s an EFI connection, weld bungs, specialty oil pressure fittings, or something odd. Stay tuned as we bring you more AN Tech coming soon!

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