I've used hundreds of Swage-Loc fittings over the years, and they are
as subject to fatigue failures and extrusion failures as any
compression fitting. Better than most, as they require less pressure
to seat correctly, but all the other caveats apply. The worst
problem with them is incorrect use -- you must NOT seat the tubing in
the bottom of the fitting before tightening initially, or you WILL
expand the end. Then, when you need to take it apart, the tubing is
swaged into the fitting and won't come out. You can also get into
the situation where the fitting is not sealing on the flange but
won't tighten any more, too. Big hassle. The tubing must "float" in
the fitting, the seal is where the "point" of the tapered cone is
collapsed onto the tubing and the side of the cone against the outer
taper on the fitting. If the tubing is "flared" on the end, it was
improperly installed.
I have persistent problems with leakage on some high pressure pumps
using tapered compression fittings -- the line inside the fitting
gradually collapses.
I also see quite a few stress corrosion failures on copper gas lines,
although I would expect less trouble in a brake system -- better
materials and far less flexing.
Brake lines are fairly unique in the fittings world -- they are
subject to very high pressure fluctuations, which is NOT the normal
situation, and those pressure can be quite high (less so with anti-
lock brakes, but still high).
The pressure cycling is bad news for any compression fitting.
Peter
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