AN Fittings

[wheelrdealer]

Hey Everyone:

I wanted to ask this question and it is not exactly a tech question but more of a quality and price question. You probably know that my sons and I have Parkland Autosport. We have AN fittings, fire suppressions systems and several other exciting products coming on-line soon.

I would like to ask for your thoughts on two sources and their retail pricing. 

We currently have an economy line of AN Fittings and hoses sourced out of Asia. The quality is good, the price is great and so on. I have the opportunity to add an American manufactured line with better quality but more expensive than the current line. The Asian fittings while priced low, there can be a real or "perceived" quality difference.

Here are two pricing examples:

Asian Source 6AN Straight Red/Blue $3.99 or Blk $4.99
US Sourced   6AN Straight  Red/Blue $ 6.99 or Blk $7.99

Asian Sourced 6AN 90 Red/Blue $8.99  or Blk $9.99
US Sourced    6AM 90  Red/Blue $14.99 or Blk $15.99

I was searching the racing forums for discussions on fittings and I read a comment that made perfect sense to me. The guy said, "I am not putting a cheap foreign AN fitting on my $50,000 motor." I totally get the guy's point and caused me to evaluate the source/price/value model. You are the people that use and trust these products and we would really like your feedback. Don't worry I have thick skin so let me have it!

Can you give us your opinion:

What is the decision driver, pure price, product origin or American made?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts,

BR

[rouse]

You don't want me to fully go into why I don't buy Asian, it would bring a political tone to this forum, big time.

There are time now-a-days that it is not possible to buy around Asian products, however, there really has to be an overwhelming price and availability difference for me to buy Asian.

What you are talking about on pricing doesn't break the bank on price difference, and I would chose the domestic fittings for my use.

I vote USA.

Rouse

[Captthundarr]

For no more than I buy or will buy I would pay for American High quality every time.

[John Burk]

I buy imports only if there is no alternative .

[wheelrdealer]

Great feedback.

I agree and it is not my intent to bash any supplier or their origin. Thank you for being sensitive to that.

Thanks,

BR

[Glen]

I spent 40 years in the aeropspace hydraulics industry. I would not buy anything but American made. There are a lot of copy cat products
in the AeroSpace overhaul and repair depots that have been found over the years. On the Two Vesco streamliners we use Aeroquip on almost everything. BUY AMERICAN 

[Tman]

All I have ever sold and still sell for AN fittings is domestic made stuff.

[saltwheels262]

plus one on all replies.

franey

[Buickguy3]

  From Columbus, the Aeroquip dealer is a 100 mile round trip. When we need fittings I drive to Billings to the dealer and get all I need [and an extra]. I never ask the price. I need it, they don't fail me and I don't want a bag of 10 for the same price from Hong Kong next month. Just buy stuff that works.
  Doug 

[Freud]

All of the fittings on the Treit and Davenport streamliner are American made.

FREUD

[RichFox]

To tell the truth, I use JIC fittings. Stainless, And lots cheaper than Aeroquip. Same thing for all practical purposes. I never heard back, about my donation. But I hope I win the wrenches. Never had anything that colorful in my tool box.

[SteveM]

Where are the "common", most readily available AN fittings made?  I know I have a box full of leftover or unused fittings from previous projects (mostly jetboat stuff), but don't know the origin of many of the fittings.

Russell?
Aeroquip?
Edelbrock?
Earls?

I think it would be helpful if we knew where these brands were made.  I will happily pay a few dollars more for a QUALITY American made fitting.  That being said, Americans are just as capable as anyone else of making inferior products.

Which fittings are the good stuff?

Steve.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

I am going to play devils advocate for a second. On a personal note that my family celebrates a 'no China Christmas' and I spend a great deal of time and effort to NOT buy anything made in China...(*except ironically China plates; this happened to come up recently....)


This being said.....
I have never seen an AN fitting from any manufacture fail under normal use, properly installed without aggravating circumstances.
My fittings fail because salt gets under the retainer nut/hose and rot from the inside out. Marlo has a very interesting AN fitting he shows around showing how an Aeroquip fitting melted away.

One could argue that a less expensive fitting would be a better investment as NO fitting within a similar price point will withstand salt termites. So if you are like me and replacing your fittings every couple of years cheaper fittings would make sense. I am slowly going to Earls SS fittings but they are about 4X more expensive then aluminum.

....I also hate saying it but....

I have looked at the 'Red Horse' brand of overseas made fittings and IMO are a very quality fitting. I dont use them and 99% of what I have is Earls but the Red Horse is a really good value for the money....no doubt.

http://www.rhp-usa.com/


~JH

[wobblywalrus]

This place where we live never recovered from the depression.  Our industry is gone and the Chinese import raw logs and not finished lumber.  Not much money for us there.  We try to buy American or Canadian to keep as much industry here as we can.  It is survival for us.  Of course, I buy some British and Aussie stuff, too.  I would not buy the Chinese fittings.

[aussievetteracer]

G'day from Oz. Australia also suffers from the "China" disease. I recall saying to a mate about 20 years ago, that if Oz ever goes to war (without you guys to back us up) that we would have to say to the enemy "Please sir, can you sell us some guns and ammo before we start- we can't manufacture them any more." It is even worse now. Ford recently announced it was closing its manufacturing plant in Geelong, here in Oz, in a couple of years. We are grossly overgoverned here with

politicians- if the idiots would simply mandate that all "Government" vehicles purchased, must be manufactured in Australia
it would be enough to keep that plant financially viable, but I guess that is too simple. Myself (and my few mates) are happy to pay a reasonable premium if the item is #1 Good quality and #2 Made in in Oz or USA. Hope I haven't breached any forum "politics" rules- I'll get off my hobby horse now and go back to the shed- I want to get that vette to Lake Gairdner next year.
                          Denis