A comparison of types and Series of fittings  - and their Pros & Cons

Here at Merlin Motorsport we stock a large range of Goodridge JIC (sometimes known as “AN”) hose and fittings suitable for fuel and oil lines on race cars and bikes, classic restorations, hot rods and everything in between.

This overview explains the types and series of fittings we stock, what happens upon assembly and their advantages and disadvantages over an alternative product.

236 fittings for use with 200 or 210 series hose

See the Goodridge 236 Series listed under - Goodridge 200 Series (Fuel/Oil) Hose & Fittings

First up is the most commonly used for fuel and oil line installations; 236 fittings for use with 200 or 210 series hose.

Available in the traditional blue and red anodised finish or black anodised for that classic, stealth, OEM appearance. Suitable for fuel, oil, coolant, water and methanol. We stock straight, 45°, 90°, 120°, 150° & 180°. Available in sizes -6 JIC to -16 JIC these fittings and hose are an invaluable part of your fuel or oil system. 

These are different to cheaper alternatives on the market as they are a “self cutting” fitting which means they cut into the rubber of the hose upon assembly as well as compress the hose to create a very effective seal suitable for high pressure fuel and oil.

The fittings are reusable so they can be used time and time again without the need for specialist tools, even if the hose itself is damaged, just disassemble, clean, lubricate and reassemble with your new piece of hose.

All fittings feature 360° swivel. 210 series fibre braided hose offers a classic or period appearance as well as being lightweight and flexible – use for low abrasion applications. 200 series hose offers a strong abrasion resistant outer stainless braiding but is heavier and not quite as flexible as its 210 counterpart – use on high abrasion applications near to exhaust manifolds or sharp edges of chassis legs/body work.

Advantages of the 236 series fittings and hose assemblies: Proven reliability, easy to self assemble, reusable, a lightweight plumbing solution over steel fittings at an affordable cost, comprehensive range of fittings available.

Disadvantages of the 236 series fittings and hose assemblies: Due to its nitrile rubber hose this does give off a fuel vapour smell which is not ideal for inside cockpits. Stainless braid on the 200 series hose means it is not the lightest or the most flexible on the market.

536 Push-Fit hose fittings

See our range of - Goodridge 536 Series (Push on connection) Hose & Fittings

Up next; 536 Push-Fit hose fittings. These fittings are for use on lower pressure fuel and oil lines. Also suitable for water, air and coolants. Simple to assemble with no special tools required to do so.

“Push-Fit” describes how they assemble, no clips or clamps are required to provide a safe and secure fit. As you can see in the image, the fittings have large fir tree style barbs on the tail which grips into the inside of the hose when it’s pushed on. The hose requires cutting off the fittings to disassemble which proves the strength of the seal.

For use on systems up to 250 PSI (approx. 17 BAR) though we recommend keeping well below this. We stock straight, 45°, 90°, 120°, 150° and 180° fittings in blue. Black fittings are also available to order. All fittings feature 360° swivel. Available in sizes -4JIC to -12JIC. 

This image shows Aeroquip FC598 black push-fit hose which can be used in conjunction with the 536 fittings. We also recommend using Aeroquip FC332 (same as above but blue) or Goodridge 536 hose (available in blue or black). The Aeroquip hose has a tough synthetic rubber outer sheath which has good abrasion resistance whilst the 536 hose has a smooth outer layer which makes it ever so slightly lighter.

Please be aware that 536 hose is not suitable for fuel, only oil, coolants and air.

Advantages of the 536 fittings: The simplest assembly of any fitting available – no special tools are needed. Fittings themselves are lightweight. Comprehensive range available to suit any install. Hose is robust but flexible at the same time. Fittings are reusable.

Disadvantages of the 536 fittings: Not suitable for high pressure fuel and oil lines giving it restricted use. If using the hose inside the cockpit of your vehicle this hose will give off a fuel vapour smell so not ideal for this application. Fittings are more expensive given their limited use.

811 G-Line XF range of fittings

See our range of - Goodridge 811 Series Fuel Hose & Fittings

Next we come to the 811 G-Line XF range of fittings and its corresponding hoses. 811 is a relatively new range of fittings and hose yet already established as the industry standard for oil, fuel, water, coolants, air and methanol lines. 

These fittings are reusable meaning they can be used again and again even when the hose has been damaged. Just disassemble, clean, lubricate and reassemble with your new piece of hose without the need for an olive.

Available in the black and silver anodised finish as shown in sizes -4JIC to -16JIC. Straight or 45°, 90°, 120°, 150° and 180° bends are available meaning plumbing even the most complex installation is possible.

This range of hose and fittings is proving especially popular with race and rally cars where there is a need to run fuel lines through the cockpit but without the hose giving off the fuel vapour smell like the 200 series hose would do. This is due to the hoses for 811 fittings being PTFE lined rather than rubber.

811 fittings use a unique “self threading” process upon assembly which requires no special tools to do so. They also feature 360° swivel. 

The top image (above) shows the 811 fitting with 811 hose. 811 hose is an extremely lightweight stainless steel braided smooth bore PTFE hose. Use when weight saving is absolutely paramount but the abrasion resistance of a stainless braid is required; e.g, in the engine bay or near sharp body work or chassis legs.

The bottom image (above) shows the same 811 fitting but with 910 hose. This hose features a smooth bore PTFE inner with a convoluted outer for maximum flexibility. The woven Aramid braid provides protection to the PTFE inner whilst keeping weight to an absolute minimum, even less than the 811 hose. This hose is used by many leading motorsport teams for all their plumbing requirements. Widely regarded as the best money can buy!

Advantages of the 811 fittings and hose: Super light weight, very flexible, wide range of fittings to plumb even the most complex of installations, self assembly, reusable fittings. PTFE lined hose does not give off the fuel vapour smell that rubber lined hoses do. Suitable for use inside the cockpit and all areas of the car. A truly professional way to plumb your application!

Disadvantages of the 811 fittings and hose: These fittings and hose are expensive.

HL836 hardline tube and fittings

See our range of  - Goodridge HL836 Hardline & Fittings

Last but not least, we come to the range of HL836 hardline tube and fittings. This range is a solution for lots of our customers who cannot stretch their budget to 811 series prices. The HL836 range is a very suitable alternative.

Using a black polyamide coated aluminium tube, the HL836 range is ideal for using inside or outside the car due to its rigid, vapour free properties. Using 3 piece aluminium fittings, finished in blue and black anodise, a secure and safe assembly is made thanks to the use of an olive which is compressed against the tube when the fitting is tightened up.

Available in sizes -4JIC and -6JIC with straight or 45° and 90° bends, coupling pieces, t-pieces, bulkhead fittings and banjo’s. Suitable for fuel, oil, water, coolants and also air jack systems.

Due to the rigidity of the aluminium tube, a tube bender suitable for bending 8mm and 10mm tube will be required to install this, unless you are fitting straight runs. A plumbers copper pipe bender is good enough to do this job. We also recommend purchasing a plumbers copper pipe cutter to prevent swarf going down the tube when cutting. The tube can be bent by hand but only if doing very shallow radiuses.

Advantages of the HL836 tube and fittings: Tube is light weight and very cost effective. A professional way of plumbing your vehicle, easy to assemble, fuel vapour free install so is suitable for use inside the cockpit. Can be used on the outside of the vehicle due to the rigid tube. Comprehensive range of fittings available.

Disadvantage of the HL836 tube and fittings: Fittings are expensive when considering how cheap the tube is, special tools are usually required to make a tidy install (tube bender and cutting tool). Fitting tube inside the cockpit can be a difficult task due to its rigidity and length. Tube is supplied coiled so a pipe straightener is sometimes required to keep the tube looking tidy and straight.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if you need any further information.