Din to Yoke Adapter - Best Buy

[Peter_C]

Trying to remove the yoke nut or assembly with wrench is asking for trouble as they often slip and mar the brass.

You need a better wrench. Quite shopping at Harbor Freight! I use a Crescent brand which is of decent quality, and works fine without slippage. I put the wrench in my vise and just use my hands on the first stage. Anyhow, if I screw it up I have a "few" more yoke fittings.

 

[Colliam7]

I would like to buy and keep as a part of my kit a DIN-to-Yoke Adapter. Is there an adapter I should get? Is there an adapter I should stay clear of?

I have used Zeagle, Dive Rite and Apeks adapters, and see no difference between them, so I can't say there is one to stay away from. You can usually find 1-2 for sale on eBay for a reasonable price.

But, I will echo the suggestion to get the yoke parts for your reg (essentially the A clamp and the yoke bolt), and travel with them, plus a hex wrench that fits the DIN bolt, and possibly a yoke nut socket. The latter is not essential - going from DIN to yoke, simply swap the parts (remove the DIN handwheel and DIN bolt, install the A clamp and yoke bolt, put the first stage on a tank, tighten it down a bit and turn the first stage to tighten the yoke bolt nut. To revert to DIN, do the same, and turn the first stage the other way.

I still carry a DIN-to-yoke adapter, when traveling to the Caribbean, but since I have started carrying the conversion parts, I haven't used it, except to loan to other divers.

 

[halocline]

These are SP regs and there is a specified torque for the DIN and yoke retainers, about 22 ftlbs if I remember. While I'm sure it's not a crucial spec, like the old brass turret retainers, it does mean that the proper way to switch from DIN to yoke fittings is to use a vise and torque wrench. This is likely not easy on vacation. I have read that there are studies have consistently shown that people trying to estimate torque by simply tightening down usually overshoot the spec.

A while back there was a similar thread and someone posted that their LDS had said it would ruin the reg to frequently switch the retainers due to stress on the threads. I called B.S. on that one, and then got a phone call from Luis saying that, well, yes, frequent replacement and torquing does put more stress on the threads than simply subjecting the reg to the pressure of the tank. Thank you Luis...

Point is, these things are designed to be removed and replaced occasionally, like during service. If you were to switch a few times/season, I really can't imagine there being any problem, but several times/year, including likely overtightening due to not having a torque wrench, that might cause some issues, maybe something like weakening of the threads. If you're constantly going to switch between yoke and DIN tanks, you really need two regs.

I frequently carry a doubles set up (DIN) and single tank (yoke) when I go to Mexico. I always bring three 1st stages because I hate the spin-on adapters so much. I usually also bring 3 second stages so I have one spare, and just swap one of them over to go between doubles and single tanks. It's easy and quick.

 

[John_B]

I have a really nice Apeks DIN-to-yoke adapter that I don't need anymore, as I sold off my DIN doubles regs. Great quality, and reasonable. PM me if you're interested.

 

[Oldbear]

Since I have two DIN 1st/2nd stage sets, it looks like I should get a third Yoke set or at least a third 1st stage. I really like the idea of having an independant Yoke 1st Stage better than switching around the mounts; but I can do that too (I am pretty good with baling wire and duct tape ). I bought the two DINs with 2nd Stages so I could eventually do doubles, but that is not for another year.

Thanks SBers for the great suggestions.

~ME~

 

[Peter_C]

Of course swapping first stages around still means removing and installing hoses, and second stages. Best to swap one thing than multiples. I would also fear overtightening the weaker hose fittings than the larger DIN and yoke fittings.

Kinda hard to over torque a fitting when you only have a few inches to grab onto, as in holding the first stage with a few fingers. I guess I have the benefit of owning and routinely using four Snap-on torque wrenches, so my seat of the pants is probably a little more accurate than someone who does not own and use torque wrenches. It is VERY true that most people over tighten nuts and bolts. Regulators will not stand being overtightened for very long.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I made some brass wrenches on the waterjet for the HOG conversion kit that won't mar. Have a design for another that will fit a 3/8 drive torque wrench that doesn't require removing the yoke screw but need to find machine time to get it made. But rather than swapping fittings and using adapters, which I do and don't have the noggin knocking problem, I just set up a reg for single tank diving that has a yoke first stage. Problem with doing that is they seem to start mating. What was one reg turned into two. Then went to doubles and DIN tanks. They turned into four. Then decided that I needed some for the little bottles I started to pick up. So four turned into ten or twelve plus some orphan parts that get swapped and used for different things. Prolific little buggers they are.

 

[Scared Silly]

You need a better wrench. Quit shopping at Harbor Freight! I use a Crescent brand which is of decent quality, and works fine without slippage. I put the wrench in my vise and just use my hands on the first stage. Anyhow, if I screw it up I have a "few" more yoke fittings.

The quality of wrench is only a small part of the equation. Many yoke assemblies/nuts are either stuck due to corrosion or over torqued. So removing them can take a bit of effort. Having ability to use downward pressure to keep the tool on the assembly/nut while torquing it can be critical. That is hard to do with a wrench as the yoke is in the way. Also an adjustable wrench can be tight but if it is not perfectly parallel with the nut it can slip off the flats of the nut. And given that most yoke nuts have thin flats they give little working area. Brass is softer than most realize. So whether someone wants to use a wrench or a socket is their choice - I am just trying to make sure they make a informed choice. I would rather spent $25 on a specialty socket than $50 to replace a yoke assembly.

---------- Post added February 6th, 2013 at 03:02 PM ----------

I just set up a reg for single tank diving that has a yoke first stage. Problem with doing that is they seem to start mating. What was one reg turned into two. Then went to doubles and DIN tanks. They turned into four. Then decided that I needed some for the little bottles I started to pick up. So four turned into ten or twelve plus some orphan parts that get swapped and used for different things. Prolific little buggers they are.

I have seen the same. It is all of those lose hoses, especially the long ones.