Swabbing out a tube with air brake tubing

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Dec 3, 2021, 05:20 PM
Frank S

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Swabbing out a tube with air brake tubing

When it comes to cleaning out a long piece of hydraulic tubing, I find that using a length of smaller diameter air brake tubing by pushing an oiled cotton swab works better than most things as it can be pushed through bends as well as the straight sections and about the only way to insure there are no metal particles left in the line
Attachment 41153
Attachment 41154
Dec 4, 2021, 04:51 AM
DIYer


Thanks Frank S! We've added your Tubing Swab to our Cleaning category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-tubing-swab"> <img src="/uploads/252296/homemade-tubing-swab.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-tubing-swab">Tubing Swab</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/Frank+S">Frank S</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/tubing'>tubing</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/cleaner'>cleaner</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
Dec 4, 2021, 07:53 AM
piper184

Clever idea. I usually have some different sizes of poly tubing laying around that would work for this. Hopefully I will remember this idea the next time I need it.

The Caterpillar dealer I used to work for made hydraulic hoses. We used foam "projectiles" after the hose was cut to length and blew them through with compressed air. One from each direction. After the ends were crimped on we did it again. Never tried it on tubing. Really tight bends or restrictions might be a problem point.
For refrigeration lines there was an air powered cleaning gun that blew solvent through the system to flush out the gunk
Dec 4, 2021, 08:20 AM
Frank S

Quote:

Originally Posted by piper184

Clever idea. I usually have some different sizes of poly tubing laying around that would work for this. Hopefully I will remember this idea the next time I need it.

The Caterpillar dealer I used to work for made hydraulic hoses. We used foam "projectiles" after the hose was cut to length and blew them through with compressed air. One from each direction. After the ends were crimped on we did it again. Never tried it on tubing. Really tight bends or restrictions might be a problem point.
For refrigeration lines there was an air powered cleaning gun that blew solvent through the system to flush out the gunk

I had a contaminated system where some internals had worn leaving very fine particles throughout every line and poppet valve. disassembling washing blowing wiping and, swabbing the bores of all hoses and lines seemed the only way to insure all of the fine particles were removed since there hadn't been a filtration unit on the system