Sram Guide olive and barb keeps leaking

[billymtb]

I've re-installed a new olive and barb on my SRAM guide 4 times to try and stop a slow weep from between the compression nut and the hose. Thought it was because my line cut wasn't straight enough so bought a hydraulic hose cutter on ebay and did everything perfectly including putting some DOT compatible grease on the barb, olive and nut.

I'm using a torque wrench with crowfoot fitting at 90 degrees and going to 5nm.
Barb is flush with the cable
Pushing in the hose whilst tightening
Spray alcohol near the nut numerous times to make sure the weeping isn't from over spill.
Cotton bud lightly inside the lever to remove any contaminants.

Any one have any ideas? This is what else I'm coming up with so far.

1). Too much torque? What happens from over tightening? I feel the compression nut engage but I have to tighten quite a lot after that but still stopping at 5 - 5.5nm and on the old fittings that I cut out to redo the bottom of the olive is significantly pressed in to the outer hose so perhaps the sharp edge is cutting through the hose a tiny bit?

2). Barb screwed in too much? I make it flush with the cable then a teeny tiny bit more to make sure it is flush and flatten any high spots.


Can anyone with SRAM Guides let me know how much thread is showing on theres, a picture would be greatly appreciated

 

[hakka]

If you have the alloy fittings torque to 5nm, if you have steel torque to 7.8nm. You have to keep turning for a while to reach that torque.

 

[billymtb]

If you have the alloy fittings torque to 5nm, if you have steel torque to 7.8nm. You have to keep turning for a while to reach that torque.

How do I know if it's steel or alloy?

Thanks for the pic btw

 

[JTmofo]

How do I know if it's steel or alloy?

Thanks for the pic btw

Check it with a magnet.

 

[bell.cameron]

How do I know if it's steel or alloy?

Taste it, DOT fluid never hurt anyone.

 

[bell.cameron]

More constructively, is it the right size olive and barb? i know shimano has two different ones, not sure about the new srams.

 

[mint355]

Just crank up the fitting a bit more I have fitted 3 sets of guides now, cut the hose with side cutters and just used a 8mm spanner to tighten fittings and I've not had a problem.

 

[hakka]

More constructively, is it the right size olive and barb? i know shimano has two different ones, not sure about the new srams.

The guides use the same olive as the avids.

 

[billymtb]

Yeah, it's the correct barb and olive. Gone up to 7nm now

 

[teK--]

Since I never had a crows foot I just took a new brake assembly and used digital caliper to measure how much thread was showing on the fitting. Then just copied the original distance. Never failed me.

P.s. are u sure it's coming from the fitting. It could be coming from the reservoir cap due to too much fluid and it leaks down and unto the rubber boot making it seem like the fitting is leaking.

Use a toe strap and hold the lever down for a while with the boot off to keep the system pressurized and check this.

 

[billymtb]

Since I never had a crows foot I just took a new brake assembly and used digital caliper to measure how much thread was showing on the fitting. Then just copied the original distance. Never failed me.

P.s. are u sure it's coming from the fitting. It could be coming from the reservoir cap due to too much fluid and it leaks down and unto the rubber boot making it seem like the fitting is leaking.

Use a toe strap and hold the lever down for a while with the boot off to keep the system pressurized and check this.

Yup that's another alternative I was thinking about, so I measured my good brake side and it's showing more thread than the bad side. Perhaps I am over tightening then. Any one have a measurement for the thread showing on their guides?

 

[teK--]

If you over tighten the fitting it can also cause it to leak; there is a window of acceptable torque. Does the olive look very deformed when you take the hose back out? It should be compressed slightly but not totally mangled.

 

[mitchy_]

i shortened my rear hose on the weekend, as the factory 1800mm line was enough to hang myself from. i tightened it to 'about tight' according to my hands...
i just then compared it to the untouched front, and they are both about the same; so i must have been about right!

left is untouched, right has been shortened.

 

[billymtb]

If you over tighten the fitting it can also cause it to leak; there is a window of acceptable torque. Does the olive look very deformed when you take the hose back out? It should be compressed slightly but not totally mangled.

Doesn't look mangled at all, just compressed

i shortened my rear hose on the weekend, as the factory 1800mm line was enough to hang myself from. i tightened it to 'about tight' according to my hands...
i just then compared it to the untouched front, and they are both about the same; so i must have been about right!

left is untouched, right has been shortened.

You beautiful man. Thanks brother.

 

[billymtb]

This is after having the exact thread length exposed. Olive looks absolutely fine.

But it's interesting to know where a seal is made? The olive makes a seal with the cable/barb at both ends? but does the olive seal the lever and compression nut at the top or bottom.

 

[mitchy_]

are you forgetting the hose barb in the end of the hose?

you need to screw the middle bit into your hose, otherwise the olive is just squishing the hose against nothing.

from factory they have a pressed in barb, but you should have got a screw in barb to replace it with in the box (assuming you bought them on their own, and not on a bike)

 

[billymtb]

are you forgetting the hose barb in the end of the hose?

you need to screw the middle bit into your hose, otherwise the olive is just squishing the hose against nothing.

from factory they have a pressed in barb, but you should have got a screw in barb to replace it with in the box (assuming you bought them on their own, and not on a bike)

Yup nothing is missing, barb is threaded in until flush

 

[teK--]

I think you have gone through enough olives lol. Maybe it's time to try a new barb and/or new screw in fitting. I can have a look through my spares box and send you one if I have. If it still leaks I'd say the lever assembly is probably stuffed.

 

[billymtb]

I think you have gone through enough olives lol. Maybe it's time to try a new barb and/or new screw in fitting. I can have a look through my spares box and send you one if I have. If it still leaks I'd say the lever assembly is probably stuffed.

Every time I have used a new barb and olive, if you had a spare that would be great mate.

You are probably right about the lever assembly, I can see a lot of scratches inside from so many attempts.

Awesome how SRAM doesn't sell the levers separately and sending it back to CRC is such a hassle

 

[teK--]

sorry mate just checked spares box and I thought I did but don't have them.

You can buy them separately though:

http://www.jensonusa.com/!4Izw9VjuO...XIaPrCi9kLvYrXTYi94-YOS7u-_zlahpb6hoCdi7w_wcB