Gauging interest in upcoming production run of LDS Pipe Fittings

[citroenguy]

Would be interested if you can post them

[Jay-Bruce]

Just bumping this thread with an update that this project hasn't died a death, I was just playing with the CAD models to make the smaller fittings for the hose into the firmness regulator, and I had a eureka moment - banjo bolt as in I might go with the bespoke fittings for going into the BHI, then at the firmness regulators go to conventional brake fittings, and get hoses made by HEP with banjo bolts on one end and female swivels on the other end to match to the brake pipe flare, could be much simpler to work with and would allow us to totally remove that pesky aluminium union that looks to be causing a lot of galvanic corrosion in the rear suspension pipes in X7's.

[Gregor]

Hi. Just making some thaughts... GC is not just a problem of exterior surface washed by water and salt. You have LDS inside the joints of two different materials and I suppose LDS contains acids, so... GC is on the go 24/7, right?

[MattBLancs]

Hi. Just making some thaughts... GC is not just a problem of exterior surface washed by water and salt. You have LDS inside the joints of two different materials and I suppose LDS contains acids, so... GC is on the go 24/7, right?

LDS is an oil, don't think it acts as an electrolyte. Oils tend to be an insulator so do not think they contribute to the effect. Indeed if they did we'd have blocked pipes and pumps fighting the crud floating around in the oil.
Water, or worse still salt laden water is a good electrolyte

[darbuck]

I think overall stainless would be a good move on the threaded fitting you could consider zinc but if there is any copper in the system it can cause galvanic corrosion that you are trying to avoid. I can't see the stainless causing an issue In this application.You might want to run any material choices you need through a data base like Granta to ensure compatibility.

[Jay-Bruce]

I've got to put my hands up. I don't have access to Ansys's Granta, bud The best I can work with is web resources covering the galvanic series, and anecdotal experience based observations; an example of which would be I've recently upgraded the brakes on my BMW with brmbo calipers, bigger disks, matching backplates, braided lines:

And in the process of fitting the rears, I had to remove the old (braided) brake hoses I had to disturb the rear brake pipes, fortunately, I had replaced the rear hardlines with Stainless Steel ends on Cunifer pipe, so they undone easily, no binding of nut on pipe or deterioration of the tube nuts. That's uncommon to see given they have spent their time running about a coastal town in the North East of Scotland. (Insane amounts of salt exposure)

That arrangement on my brake pipes had Cuni pip into stainless ends, into stainless hose, into ally calipers, so I'm quite happy with Cuni and stainless as the materials of choice for my LDS pipe ends. The only cavaets being the aluminium BHI valve body, and the troublesome aluminium union on the fore to aft BHI to rear firmness regulator:

However, I'm doing away with the troublesome aluminium galvanic generator union, replacing it with a stainless F/F Joiner, so I'm sidestepping the galvanic corrosion issue there, and the BHI is tucked up on top of the offside inner wing (under the LDS tank), so there's no road spray salty water getting to it to act as an electrolyte. I think we should be golden with those materials in those locations, in light of their environment, whats your thoughts?

[darbuck]

I have an education version I have since I went back and retrained. If you have a couple of materials you would like to assess let me know and I will have a look one of the evenings and post up the properties for you. I think if it can survive Scottish weather and salt it's a very good choice indeed.

[Jay-Bruce]

Cheers mate!

[darbuck]

Hi Jay the rating for 6mm copper nickel extruded pipe is 290bar hydractive operates at around 160 to 180 so if we assume that it will mostly operate at the lower no. You can say factor of safety of 1.8ish and maybe 1.4 to 1.5 for the higher number so just about in the safe range. To commercialise you might want to consider something stronger to protect yourself from a legal standpoint. I hope this helps.

[Jay-Bruce]

Thanks for the help

I need to make sure that whatever tubing I work with can be flared by a mechanic, as were it not for that consideration, so I'm planning on 3/16" cupro nickel which is rated to 215bar. Were it not for the need for this system to be useable by car mechanic tools, based around flaring 3/16" copper brake pipe, I'd have gone for something like 3/16" x 16 gauge stainless, which would be way above what we need pressure wise, as overkill is afteral,l underrated. But in the context of car mechanic tools / garages, even more so the DIY enthusiast, that material would be a cow to bend and an absolute genital wart to flare.

There's a safety valve in the BHI that lifts at 180(?) bar, so I'm confident it will hold, but I see what you mean that I'm sailing close to the wind with that specification, and in today's litigious society that's a particularly perilous path to tread. For legal purposes I'm thinking on an EULA, "[Company] accept no liability for any loss, damages, or injuries that arise from the use of these components. By opening this package, you agree to absolve [Company] all liability and indemnity." But I agree it would be better to find a tube spec that can easily be flared/bent using brake flaring type tools, but has a higher pressure rating, have you got any ideas for a suitable material?

[darbuck]

I'll have another look but I think your on the money with the combination you have. I can't see CuNi and stainless fittings failing unless there is something significant added to the system e.g.carrying a pallet of blocks in the boot in which case liability waved. There are no materials out there that tick every box for this application to the best of my knowledge I'll fire up the Granta later and see if there is.are they nylon washers you have below the flare.

[Michel]

Is there not one of you clever people who could design a cover for that pipe block and 3D print them? Something to keep most of the crud off the pipes and fittings?

[darbuck]

Some sort of a moulded polyurethane would probably be better but yes good idea with the right material.

[MattBLancs]

I'll have another look under mine when I get chance, but given it needs to just be a "splash shield" really, keeping the worse of the spray off them, I wonder if a simpler, cruder, but faster vacuum formed piece would do?

(Academic really as I've access to neither vacuum former nor 3D printing capabilities)

[darbuck]

I don't either I was to build a 3d printer but never get time. They are simple enough machines. All's they are is an extruder a couple of stepper motors and a heated plate cables and rods and a controller. It could be a nice little Arduino project.There is loads of open source software available for them too.