Soft AT Line Recommendations

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Did some searching, and was surprised nobody's started a thread on the pro's and con's of soft AT lines. Especially in regards to V8 swaps it seems everyone's focus is on the AT cooler, and there is little attention to the lines themselves.

While I personally like hard (ie: metal) lines, I'm thinking about going with some soft AT lines to "clean up" my drivetrain swap.
Perhaps there's something we can discuss regarding this matter...

 

[Lost]

i got rubber lines for my (auto) tranny. it was more about the cost when my metal lines blew. and i got it done at a shop :/

 

[MANUCHAO]

I went with braided SS lines....
Thought of doing the hard lines but they were charging by the foot and by each bend that needed to be made.. so I left it at that... they are holding up good so far....

 

[Moby]

When my hardlines eventually fail I'm planning on using it as an excuse to buy a good tubing bender/flaring kit

 

[iaintscared1969]

I used braided 3/8 line with AN fittings. You won't need to worry about seized fittings and the line last forever and looks cool!

 

[boots4]

Do you have a place to buy your line already? If not I got great service at Oil Filter Service close to downtown Portland. They've got the lines and the fittings if you are going to switch to AN. I've got rubber lines to a heat exchanger and tranny cooler and have had no problems.

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Oil Filter Service is always the preferred shop here in Portland, and yes, I was going to get Steve's handiwork on my AC lines at the same time. Just waiting for my new Downey Radiator before making a change. Will probably get rid of the auxilliary AT cooler all together to clean things up.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm not a big fan of braided stainless hose. It works fine and at first it looks pretty nice. Once grit works into the braid it is nearly impossible to make look nice again. If you don't keep the braid clean the grit will abrade both the braided wire and the inner liner, and eventually it will spring a leak. BT, DT. It is terribly abrasive to other things too, with or without the grit. It can not be allowed to rub on anything or it will eventually wear a hole in what ever it's rubbing on. When I do use it I prefer to slide on a quality heat shrink, something that remains flexible like Raychem, before attaching the last hose end and then shrink it.

There is a hose made specifically for ATF cooler use. Looks like fuel hose, but is not the same stuff. NAPA seems to be the most consistent about carrying it.
As I do not like using hose clamps on hose because of what they do to the end of the hose I use "Push-loc" or "Barb-tite" push-on hose ends. Being JIC fittings they fit the same adapters as AN fittings, but do not cost as much. Since they're good for 250 psi and usually 250*-300*f (depending on the hose) they're more than up to most of what I need to plumb. These are the hose & fittings discussed in the thread on the MAF trans to t/c connector hose kit. Sourced locally in brass or steel these fittings are not as expensive as AN fittings, yet they are far more robust of a solution than a barb and a hose clamp.
I either use the ATF hose or Aeroquip's FC-332 hose on these fittings. I've also been known to use regular old fuel hose on these fittings. The hose isn't designed to work with the fittings, but it does hold carb type fuel pressure.