I think it's entirely about lowering their COGS, a bigger joint means they can use a cheaper grade of steel, kinda like when gearwrench started making the lobster claw wrenches 10 years ago.
I was taught 2 wraps of friction, 2 wraps of rubber, and 3 wraps of vinyl many years ago. The peckerhead cover would barely fit back on most of the time. Glad I got into controls after that.
Or... you could get it replaced for free. That warranty is part of why they cost so much. My driver would immediately replace a cracked one, no questions asked. If you don't have a driver, contact support at snapon.com
I've been using an acetylene regulator with a 40# LP bottle on my main torch setup since early 1997. Guess I'll stop now since you decided it doesn't work.