My look inside a failed Milton V coupler

Leveleer · Feb 9, 2017

Inside a failed Milton V

I wondered why these couplings were so hard to connect and disconnect at higher pressures but I wonder no more.

kythri · Feb 9, 2017

I'm still trying to determine why anyone finds Milton V's hard to connect/disconnect. Been running them for several months now, and zero issues connecting/disconnecting at pressure.

It's not like I'm gorilla-ing them or anything...

jallyn · Feb 9, 2017

Yeah, mine work fine. Maybe lack of lube?

Musicinabottle · Feb 9, 2017

Same here. You just have to be smarter than the connector.

LXCam · Feb 9, 2017

Well maybe you guys need to watch the video he made of a competing product not long ago where he expresses much difficulty in assembling a milton verses his offering. Personally I don't seem to have a hard time either.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348090

nine4gmc · Feb 9, 2017

Musicinabottle said:
Same here. You just have to be smarter than the connector.

I tell the middle kid that all the time, "you gotta be smarter than what you're working on". Usually, in his case it's opening a cardboard box... :willy_nil

Musicinabottle · Feb 9, 2017

nine4gmc said:
I tell the middle kid that all the time, "you gotta be smarter than what you're working on". Usually, in his case it's opening a cardboard box...

As I always tell these kids..... "You just have to believe in your self." "Believe in yourself" or just "BELIEVE!"

Or my other quote......... "Get pissed!"

B_Bimmer · Feb 9, 2017

Not a problem I have ever had.

L.Cheapo · Feb 9, 2017

Upgrading to Milton Hi-Flo couplings was one of the best things I ever did. Zero issues.

Please don't become the next SawStop guy, OP.

LXCam · Feb 9, 2017

B_Bimmer said:
Not a problem I have ever had.

Are you sure?

My moto from my performance products line is: From wild to extra wild we got you covered with **** ya never knew you needed

Applicable?......I think so. :lol_hitti

kythri · Feb 9, 2017

LXCam said:
Well maybe you guys need to watch the video he made of a competing product not long ago where he expresses much difficulty in assembling a milton verses his offering. Personally I don't seem to have a hard time either.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348090

I've kept an eye on that thread, watched a video. I just don't get it. :headscrat

md21722 · Feb 9, 2017

I've been using them for a year and a half and haven't had any problems.

I saw that Flexilla sells high flow couplings now. I suspect that's what the Master Force is.

Good to know that V style plugs fit in these couplers.

Fish_Stick · Feb 9, 2017

I switched over for an impact to the Milton V and I'm not sure about the difficulties either. I personally feel the Milton A is more difficult to connect since you have to pull the collar back first and then push in the plug in and then sometimes pull the collar back up. Far from a body builder too so... :dunno:

dnschmidt · Feb 9, 2017

I'm old and feeble and I've got no problems with the Milton V other than they don't last very long prior to leaking. Been using them with my SATA guns forever. Switch to the Dixon or the Prevost version and problem solved.

Musicinabottle · Feb 9, 2017

Kinda reminds me of the Teeters Hangups guy............"I'm 70 and I feel GREAT!"

Leveleer · Feb 9, 2017

As the pressure rises in the Milton V, the highly compressed sliding o-ring becomes so tight that it becomes almost wedged to the point of seizure. This is a terrible design.
At lower pressures it is much less noticeable.

Rustypigeon · Feb 9, 2017

I have no problems with my Milton V's. If someone lacks the hand strength to connect a Milton V with ease, they lack the hand strength to work on mechanical things.

motofool33 · Feb 9, 2017

i dont have issue connecting mine at 175psi, but my wife struggled for 5min until she handed it to me to connect the air blower to the hose.

sberry · Feb 9, 2017

They should be in a regulated line, no more than about 135 or so.

kythri · Feb 9, 2017

Leveleer said:
As the pressure rises in the Milton V, the highly compressed sliding o-ring becomes so tight that it becomes almost wedged to the point of seizure. This is a terrible design.
At lower pressures it is much less noticeable.

What's high, and what's low? Numbers would help.

md21722 · Feb 9, 2017

I thought the video was interesting because I've never taken an air coupler apart. Wouldn't mind seeing disassembly of the Mastercraft which I think is a Flexzilla as a comparison.

Fcvapor05 · Feb 10, 2017

Am I the only person in the world who pulls the collar back to make connections?

Bighead38 · Feb 10, 2017

Fcvapor05 said:
Am I the only person in the world who pulls the collar back to make connections?

:shrug: That's how I was taught to do it so it's how I do it as well.

L.Cheapo · Feb 10, 2017

Fcvapor05 said:
Am I the only person in the world who pulls the collar back to make connections?

On some connectors you have to. Others you don't. I do if I have to.

Some stay retracted when they're disconnected.

kythri · Feb 10, 2017

Yeah, on the Milton V-Style, you don't have to pull the collar back.

Another one of it's awesome features.

Leveleer · Feb 10, 2017

I have tested the force required to connect several different types of hose couplings.
The pressure I use is 120 PSI.
Here is a test of the Masterforce High flow and here is a test of the Milton V.

The Masterforce is a much better design as the area under pressure is significantly less and there is no need for a highly loaded sliding o-ring with its resulting friction.

EOC_Jason · Feb 10, 2017

I don't see how people have trouble with couplers under pressure... Everyone has their technique but for me it's easiest to slide the release back some while inserting the male end then I pull the release back in to lock it in place. Trying to insert a coupler just by sheer force an expecting it to lock in place is a waste of energy... It ain't rocket science.

Leveleer · Feb 10, 2017

I have been attempting to make it clear that having a sliding o-ring seal that is loaded varying amounts according to the pressure applied is a really really bad idea and having a poppet that can shift off center causing the o-ring to catch the edge of the housing thus jamming in the open position is a really really bad design.

kwschumm · Feb 10, 2017

Leveleer said:
I have been attempting to make it clear that having a sliding o-ring seal that is loaded varying amounts according to the pressure applied is a really really bad idea and having a poppet that can shift off center causing the o-ring to catch the edge of the housing thus jamming in the open position is a really really bad design.

Unless the application involves a constant source of lubrication it seems the O-rings will have a short life in situations where couplings are made on a regular basis. If you plug a hose in and leave it connected it's not a big issue.

Jeepster04 · Feb 10, 2017

Ive had a milton V blow the oring out. Nothing out of the ordinary, just uncoupled it one day and got blasted with air. At the time I just pushed the air chuck back on to stop it.

Once I got it part I found that the oring blew out then got lodged in the spring loaded valve. If I wouldnt have ruined the housing by tightening my vice too tight (thing is soft) I couldve saved it.

They are rather hard to push on but its not an issue.

Rustypigeon · Feb 10, 2017

Leveleer said:
a really really bad design.

I believe the reason for the Milton V design is that is allows you to use high flow V fittings in addition to A and M style fittings.

Do the better designed high flow couplers allow multiple different fittings to be used?

md21722 · Feb 10, 2017

Rustypigeon said:
I believe the reason for the Milton V design is that is allows you to use high flow V fittings in addition to A and M style fittings.

Do the better designed high flow couplers allow multiple different fittings to be used?

Milton says an I/M will fit, and it does, but its sloppy and seems to leak some air.

Leveleer · Feb 10, 2017

Rustypigeon said:
I believe the reason for the Milton V design is that is allows you to use high flow V fittings in addition to A and M style fittings.

Do the better designed high flow couplers allow multiple different fittings to be used?

Here is one that does:
It's a Masterforce brand high flow:

It's a much better design than the Milton V.

Musicinabottle · Feb 10, 2017

Leveleer said:
I have been attempting to make it clear that having a sliding o-ring seal that is loaded varying amounts according to the pressure applied is a really really bad idea and having a poppet that can shift off center causing the o-ring to catch the edge of the housing thus jamming in the open position is a really really bad design.

I've never had the seal not line up. Never. I have pushed the seal back with a nail to use the fitting as a blower and had a misalign a handful of times but it's just never been an issue inserting the ends together and that's after 35 years of being a carpenter, using nail guns, drywall texture guns, etc etc.

B_Bimmer · Feb 10, 2017

I have been completely satisfied with milton v couplers, that said, what would you consider the best coupler Leveleer? Will it work with v style plugs? I am always willing to try something new, although I am now quite committed to v just because of the number of tools and locations I have and use regularly.

Leveleer · Feb 10, 2017

B_Bimmer said:
I have been completely satisfied with milton v couplers, that said, what would you consider the best coupler Leveleer? Will it work with v style plugs? I am always willing to try something new, although I am now quite committed to v just because of the number of tools and locations I have and use regularly.

I like the Masterforce HiFLow from Menards. It's much easier to connect and disconnect then the Milton and takes both industrial interchange 1/4 and V style.
Masterforce hiflo

L.Cheapo · Feb 10, 2017

Leveleer said:
Here is one that does:
It's a Masterforce brand high flow:
It's a much better design than the Milton V.

I don't think plastic internals is better at all. In fact, it'll keep me from buying them.

Leveleer · Feb 10, 2017

L.Cheapo said:
I don't think plastic internals is better at all. In fact, it'll keep me from buying them.

What plastic are you referring too. The parts are black anodized aluminum.

L.Cheapo · Feb 10, 2017

Leveleer said:
What plastic are you referring too. The parts are black anodized aluminum.

My apologies. The aluminum piece looks plastic. What I thought were injection mold lines must be scratches.

Leveleer · Feb 10, 2017

L.Cheapo said:
My apologies. The aluminum piece looks plastic. What I thought were injection mold lines must be scratches.

Understandable.
The surface finish is excellent and kind of makes it look like injection molded plastic.

My look inside a failed Milton V coupler

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