Leader Single Barb 3/16ths Fittings

[wnybassman]

Anyone having trouble with Leader's 3/16ths single barb fittings coming apart? Before I tapped trees they endured some mighty cold temps with no problems, but now that they have frozen sap in them, any time is gets below about 20º I can count on at least one line being down somewhere and sometimes more. I had two today that needed fixing. It could be because I stretched them too tight, but saggy lines between trees didn't seem right either. I am also using Leader tubing.

[mol1jb]

I am using leader tubing and fittings as well and the only time I have issues with lines pulling apart is when animals chew up the tubing on the fitting. Otherwise they have held for me quite well

[Gratefulmaple]

Yes!!! Pissing me off. Lost lots of sap from them falling apart. New last year no problems. This year everything is popping off. I first thought it was cause I use hot ends but seems to be a leader tubing. Thinking about trying new tubing or a tubing tool. Today was the 4th day in a row. It's frustrating finding you sap flowing right out on the ground. Thought maybe someone was messing with it. But no new foot prints.

[wurmdert]

I have had troube with the D&G single barbs coming apart because of frozen sap. No problem with the CDL fittings thus far.

[Gratefulmaple]

Also tried cv from leader this year with the 3/16 system found the spouts to be brittle and broke easy. Not too impressed with leader. Next time I see my dealer his going to get an ear full.

[buckeye gold]

I had at least 6 pull aparts this year, count me as disatisfied

[Sinzibuckwud]

I am using mostly leader single barb and leader semi rigid tubing with a few double barbs out there. Today was the first freeze to seperate the single barb fitting, confused me real good as I had just fixed a tee down the line that was whistling loudly, ice in center of run held vacuum. I think the semi rigid tubing is too soft for a single barb myself, I will be switching to all double barbs in the off season, now that I know where the drops are.

[WESTMAPLES]

haven`t had that problem yet and figured i would have seen it by now if it was a problem with the leader 3/16 line or fittings , i keep my lines banjo tight and haven`t had any barb slips yet. a friend of mine was having that problem with the CDL 5/16 coming off double barbed Tee`s when it got a hard cold snap

[wnybassman]

Sounding like some mixed results, but some experiencing the same thing. I'd like to know if it happens when the sap expands and pushes them apart, or when it warms a bit the next day and built up pressure pushes them off, or a combination of both.

Will be coming up with a plan for next year for sure. Might be replacing most fittings with CDL, but want to make sure it just isn't something I am doing wrong first. When repairing I am trying not to pull things too awfully tight

[Atgreene]

Yes, mine have pulled apart as well. Figured I was the only one.

[McKenney Maples]

I’ve been using leader fittings without issue this season, all my lines are tight. I had a couple pop apart last year but the breaks seem to coincide with deer tracks. Coincidence, I think not. Everyone else’s problems are making me think it’s only a matter of time for me.

[motowbrowne]

Yep, they pull apart on me too. Wish I'd known last year when I did my whole install that CDL fittings have 2 barbs. Another consideration is that I'm using 95% 30P in my woods. The rest is the green stuff from H20 innovations. Their tubing is softer and stretchier. It grips the fittings much better. Haven't had a single one pull apart on that line. Everywhere else it'll pop if you pull too hard.

[Z/MAN]

Count me in as having problems. I had problems putting the tubing up. I even tried not really pulling the lines tight and they still kept coming off. A lot of the tees actually deformed. Besides not holding with the one barb they seem to be made a lot thinner and flimsy. I won't use them again. The CDL seem to be a lot stronger.

[GotSap?]

I've also had lots of trouble with the 30P. Mostly with it slipping through the 2 handed tool, but also with some connections (single barb) pulling apart.

[sugarsand]

Sounds like I dodged the bullet on this one. We started out with D&G tubing and fittings, 0 problem. Then on a expansion we used CDL tubing with a mixture cdl and d&g fittings, this tubing was very similar to D&G but did have a few pull offs from the d&g fittings, a couple if I remember correctly. Cdl id may be slightly bigger on the inside. For this season also tried a roll of Lapierre with d&g fittings, no problems so far.

[wnybassman]

Count me in as having problems. I had problems putting the tubing up. I even tried not really pulling the lines tight and they still kept coming off. A lot of the tees actually deformed. Besides not holding with the one barb they seem to be made a lot thinner and flimsy. I won't use them again. The CDL seem to be a lot stronger.

I remember making and installing the original drops, and having to be absolutely sure everything was super straight before pressing together. If I was off just a little bit, one of the legs of the Tee would certainly buckle over, rendering the whole thing useless at that point. I used the plain jane Leader black spouts and they were just as finicky to install the tubing onto also. I used the CDL green spouts last year and they seemed much more rugged.

[buckeye gold]

wnybassman,

Ditto here. You better keep it straight or it would deform and once one pulled off you better toss it and install a new one. I noticed some of my semi-rigid leader tubing seemed to have memory after the tee was pulled off. I started cutting about and inch out at every pull off, which in itself created problems. On two lines I had to replace a section of tubing between two tees, because I had to cut more than I could stretch out. I am thinking about next fall buying CDL and replacing all tees. A hassle I would rather not have on one year old tubing.

[Cody]

Had 2000' of leader 2 years ago.This year replaced it with H20 line.Tried to tighten it up a few weeks ago and it started pulling off the CDL tee.The stuff is junk in my opinion.

[maple flats]

I've had zero pull offs on my 3/16, but all of my 3/16 is either DSD or D&G on both the fittings and the tubing. All of my 5/16 older tubing is Leader 30P, but this year I tried D&G for both sizes. I find the D&G softer and harder to attach to fittings but it does not pull apart. However, on the 3/16 on any length between trees of maybe 25' or more on my flatter areas before the hill side starts downhill do have a little sag, on ones after the slope gets steeper there is no sag enough to make it so sap is climbing any to get to the next tree.
My first year on 3/16 (2016) I did have a couple of pull offs but I decided I had pulled it too fight. I then pulled it slightly less tight and no more pull offs unless a squirrel chew at the fitting caused it.
My 3/16 laterals are now rather tight but not banjo tight. I've found it doesn't need to be as tight as 5/16 needs.

[Greensprings sugar]

Count me in one this one. FRUSTRATED! Never again, switched whole woods over to cdl.

[Greensprings sugar]

Last 6 days in a row the 5/16 is blow off the CV2, not sure if from cold temps, never had problem before this week

[Greensprings sugar]

Last 6 days in a row the 5/16 is blow off the CV2, not sure if from cold temps, never had problem before this week

[Maple Man 85]

I have 65,000 feet of 3/16th leader tubing with leader fittings in my woods and nothing has pulled apart or leaked... Lines are as tight as I could get them and in some cases I stretched the tubing and the fittings still didn't come off. I am also using the max flow and not the standard stuff (maybe it grips better).

[palmer4th]

I put up 80 to 100 taps last year with my two handed tool and yes I had several times when i tried to pull slack out and they would pop right off the single barb. I have asked this same question right from the start. I won't put in more leader single barbs

[blissville maples]

I am using leader tubing and fittings as well and the only time I have issues with lines pulling apart is when animals chew up the tubing on the fitting. Otherwise they have held for me quite well

Use CDL tubing. 10x better grip, if you can use the softer stuff.. the CDL vision (which is 5/16) will not come off fittings, it will break first that's a guarantee....

Leader charge all this money and half their products are garbage compared to cdl- prime example is the maxflow fittings fromr CDL much much better

[blissville maples]

I have 65,000 feet of 3/16th leader tubing with leader fittings in my woods and nothing has pulled apart or leaked... Lines are as tight as I could get them and in some cases I stretched the tubing and the fittings still didn't come off. I am also using the max flow and not the standard stuff (maybe it grips better).

The maxflow is slightly better but still doesn't compare with cdl

[BAP]

I have used both the Leader single barbed fittings and the CDL in my 3/16”. I have mostly Leader 30P with some CDL tubing. I had a Leader connector pull apart yesterday but have had problems with the CDL tees buckling and breaking when installing them in tight lines. I don’t think one brand is really better than the other, they just have different short comings.

[WESTMAPLES]

I don’t think one brand is really better than the other, they just have different short comings. well said BAP, its the old chevy -ford - dodge thing again

[BAP]

well said BAP, its the old chevy -ford - dodge thing again
Yes it is thanks

[blissville maples]

I have used both the Leader single barbed fittings and the CDL in my 3/16”. I have mostly Leader 30P with some CDL tubing. I had a Leader connector pull apart yesterday but have had problems with the CDL tees buckling and breaking when installing them in tight lines. I don’t think one brand is really better than the other, they just have different short comings.

The only time I've found when installing any t or fitting and ot will.make them buckle, bend or break, is you are using your tubing tool. If the tubing is not inserted on the Barb squarely and you apply alot of pressure before correctly aligning the two the fitting will bend or kink, have to ensure they stay sqaure to one another until they are over first Barb. The CDL fittings seem to grip so well they make the tubing have resistance when sliding over the Barb and this I think is what makes one side want to go on before the other side which then kinks it of you keep applying force

I dunno I do all my work and Everytime I can't get to CDL and use leader tubing I curse- Everytime...it slows me down and doesn't work as Nicely.

I dunno about the Ford Chevy thing, some things simply work better than others that's a simple fact...... BTW Id never own a gm product, first on race day, lol had throw that in there. ( Found on road dead- huh what- never seen it a Ford WILL always get u home)

If I was using a roll of CDL and then u snuck me a roll of leader (if I couldn't tell the difference by color) I would Immediatly know the difference.

I've said this to my father several times- he's never installed tubing and always says " I can't think there would be that much difference".

I like to say sometimes " I only know what I know from doing"

[blissville maples]

This is quite off topic......however I find it Funny and somewhat weird, that in the last years and especially this year I've noticed that the 10-15 people in my area who maple sugar about 12 of them Drive Fords the other two or three Dodge I do not know what producer who drives a GM product. I'm starting to wonder if it's because they are just a better work truck. And if I see someone I don't know who has tank in back 9 times out of ten it's a Ford.

Wondering if any others note this also

[wurmdert]

Maybe us Ford owners are the only ones numb enough to keep sappin lol lol:lol:

[WESTMAPLES]

This is quite off topic...... And if I see someone I don't know who has tank in back 9 times out of ten it's a Ford.

Wondering if any others note this also lol its the extact opposite around me everybodys sap haulers are 70`s and 80`s GM trucks because lockers are cheap for them, the trucks are built proof to begin with, and when you pull the bed off you can handle a 525 gal tank. some own newer ford,dodges, GM, toyota, and nissan trucks but those trucks are pavement skirts... too heavy, no full lockers ( front and rear), flashy paint, low load capacity ...... my everyday driver is a this1812618125 and my tubing and parts are leader lol

[BAP]

lol its the extact opposite around me everybodys sap haulers are 70`s and 80`s GM trucks because lockers are cheap for them, the trucks are built proof to begin with, and when you pull the bed off you can handle a 525 gal tank. some own newer ford,dodges, GM, toyota, and nissan trucks but those trucks are pavement skirts... too heavy, no full lockers ( front and rear), flashy paint, low load capacity ...... my everyday driver is a this1812618125 and my tubing and parts are leader lol
Very nice truck. True about the newer trucks.

[motowbrowne]

Pretty cold last night at 14F here. Found two places this morning where the 30P got pushed off the fittings. :(

[Jonsto]

Using Leader and CDL tubing and fittings, mostly on its 3rd year. Somewhere around 1000 taps on 3/16

Had a dozen or so Leader 5/16 to 3/16 connectors on the 3/16 side snapped off while tapping this year.
Used them on the drops so I could use 5/16 Check-valves

Leader 3/16 to 3/16 connectors seemed to come apart if the tubing was stretched any little bit. Had one pull apart right in front of me when I was fixing a chew.

Never had a CDL fitting break or come out of either kind of tubing.

Either way, in my opinion 3/16 is harder to install fittings and takes a little more finesse than the 5/16 does.

So as long as I can get a deal on Leader 3/16 tubing I will use it, but all the fittings are getting changed to CDL for next season.

[wurmdert]

I love the 1000' rolls of semi rigid that CDL had now and also their 3/16 T with a 5/16 barb on the drop side.

[blissville maples]

You can't beat the ole rigs... the ole 7.3 liter ford was made by international- that stopped years ago and their diesels aren't quite as solid now, if course evap systems limit them..... Good luck inspecting the old trucks in vt anymore, new inspection laws are bs, my 04 f150 with 306k was taken off Rd cuz the bed supports! - ridiculous

That's interesting on the gm's

[Sinzibuckwud]

I have been dropping lines everyday from iced fittings, new, original, leaky, tight, doesn't seem to matter. They all show the same thing though,where the casting burr was left is where the ice travels out of the fitting, freezing from the inside of the fitting outward.
My quick solution for now is pulling the top tap before freeze up and let the line drain and run as a gravity line until it's frozen. Worked last night and beats coming home from work with a truckload of wood and seeing those lines down again.

[Road's End]

Been very happy with CDL 3/16 tubing and fittings. 355 taps currently, hoping to add a few more if it ever stops snowing. :-|

[wurmdert]

Had 2 more D&G single barbs come apart this last freeze. I replaced with CDL double barbs. Still no push offs on the CDL as of yet.

[mullikinmaple]

Having same problem with Leaders single-barbed seasonal spout. We temps plummeted with line full of sap, drop lines coming off spout. I have both 3/16 And 5/16 drops and have only noticed the issue on the 5/16 spouts. Perhaps the price to pay for purchasing the least expensive seasonal spout!

[Windy Acres]

We are using all H20 3/16 tubing, tees and spouts, and leader connectors, and end of line hooks, I have put up around 30 rolls and not a single pull apart, approx.1700 taps

[Kbrooks80]

I am using Leader Max flow tubing and T's. I cant keep them on. I had 10 lines down Saturday. 2 of the same lines down again Sunday. Have to do something different next year.

[Atgreene]

My Leader seasonal spouts are all popping off. Every time we get a freeze tge next day the trees in the sun start to run, the shaded areas are still frozen, pressure builds and they pop off. Tempted to go back to stubbies and check valves instead of the seasonal spouts.

[palmer4th]

I will say I have never had a problem with leader seasonal taps popping off. We have used 400 each year for the past 3 years. I have had lots of problems with the 3/16 t's by leader.

[GotSap?]

Got home from work yesterday to find two lines down due to fittings coming off and 1 stubby popped out of adapter. When repairing one of the fitting failures, I could not get my two-handed tool to grip the tubing. The worse part about this is that I leave for work at 5:30 in the morning and get home at 3:00. By the time I am able to find and fix these failures, I have already missed a good portion of the days run. All of my failures this year have been with Leader 3/16 fittings and 30P tubing.

[steve J]

After reading all these issues I checked my lines this week as I had converted to Leader fittings this year. But my line is from DG. I have 100 on these lines and none had blown out.