RectorSeal 87036 Pro-Fit 1/4" Quick Connect Socket, Push-to-Connect Refrigerant Fitting
The RectorSeal 87036 is the fitting that gets a lineset onto the equipment. Unlike the unions and elbows, which join tube to tube, the socket has a push-to-connect port on one end and a female SAE 45° flare nut on the other. Thread the nut onto the unit's 1/4" flare stub, torque it to 14–18 ft-lbs, then push the bare copper into the opposite end. No flare block, no flaring tool, and no cracked or eccentric flare — which is the single most common source of a mini split refrigerant leak and the callback that follows it.
Is a 1/4" Socket the Right Fitting for This Connection?
Mini split indoor heads and outdoor service valves terminate in male SAE 45° flare spuds. Normally the installer has to cut, deburr, and flare both lineset ends with a flaring tool and torque them to spec — and a flare that is eccentric, burred, over-torqued, or cracked at the cone will leak, sometimes months later. The 87036 removes the flaring step from that connection entirely: the factory-made flare seat is inside the fitting.
Two different procedures apply to the two ends, which is what separates the socket from every other fitting in the range. The flare nut end is torqued to 14–18 ft-lbs, the standard 1/4" SAE value. The push-to-connect end takes 1" of insertion and is not torqued at all — cut square, deburr, mark, push until the grip ring clamps, and tug-test. Bring a torque wrench for one end and a tubing cutter for the other.
Ideal for: Landing a 1/4" liquid line on a mini split indoor head or outdoor service valve, installers working without a flaring tool, tight lineset chases where a flare block will not fit, salvaging an over-torqued or cracked flare at the unit without recutting, and DIY-adjacent installs where flare quality is the biggest risk.
Larger liquid or suction line? Step up to the RectorSeal 87037 Pro-Fit 3/8" Quick Connect Socket. If the connection also needs a service port, see the 87042 1/4" service valve.
Fitting selection is based on measured tube outside diameter, the equipment connection type, and system operating conditions. Installation must be performed by an EPA 608-certified technician in accordance with RectorSeal's published instructions and applicable mechanical codes. Request free sizing assistance, contact Budget Heating, or call 813-885-7999.
What's Included
| Fitting | 87036 — 1/4" Pro-Fit Quick Connect Socket (one fitting) |
|---|---|
| Connection Type | Push-to-Connect x Female SAE 45° Flare (1/4") |
| Body Material | Brass |
| Seal Design | Patented Double O-Ring and Grip Ring (push end), 45° Flare Seat (nut end) |
| Design Pressure | 870 psig (60 bar) |
| Continuous Operating Temperature | 250°F (121°C) |
| Insertion Depth | 1" on the push-to-connect end |
| Flare Nut Torque | 14–18 ft-lbs |
| Approved Tubing | Copper and Coated Aluminum Linesets |
| Certification | ICC-ES PMG-1616 (UL 207, UL 1963) |
One complete socket per unit, with the push-end seal stack and the flare nut factory-assembled; RectorSeal cases the sockets 10 per box. The 87048 Pro-Fit Support Kit supplies the depth gauge for the push end and the disconnect clips. Equipment this fitting lands on is listed under ductless mini split systems.
Socket Fitting & Sealing Features
87036 Two-End Construction
- Female SAE 45° flare nut lands directly on equipment spuds
- Factory-formed flare seat replaces a field-made flare
- Push-to-connect port on the lineset end with a 1" seat
- Patented double O-ring and grip ring on the push side
- Brass throughout, UV and corrosion resistant
- 870 psig design pressure across both connections
- 250°F continuous operating temperature rating
- Hex flats on the nut for a torque wrench
- Sight window confirms tube insertion on the push end
- Certified under ICC-ES PMG-1616 to UL 207 and UL 1963
Equipment Connections Without Flaring
- Removes the flaring step at the unit connection entirely
- Eliminates eccentric, burred, and cracked field flares
- Flare nut torqued to the standard 1/4" SAE value
- Lineset end needs no torque, only insertion and a tug test
- Usable by installers who own no flare block
- Works in chases too tight to fit a flaring tool
- Salvages a damaged flare at the unit without recutting the line
- Disconnect clip permits release after pump-down
- Approved for R-22, R-32, R-134a, R-290, R-410A, R-507, R-600a
- Packaged 10 per manufacturer case
Specifications & Manuals
Product documentation includes the full Pro-Fit part number table, insertion depth and flare nut torque specifications, approved tubing and refrigerant lists, and the ICC-ES PMG product rating certificate covering the certified pressure and temperature ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two ends of the 87036?
A push-to-connect port on one end for the lineset, and a female SAE 45° flare nut on the other for the equipment's male flare spud. It is the only fitting family in the Pro-Fit range that terminates at a machine rather than at another piece of tube.
Does the 87036 eliminate the need for a flaring tool?
At that connection, yes. The flare seat is formed inside the fitting at the factory, so the lineset end goes in straight and unflared. You still need a tubing cutter, a deburring tool, and a torque wrench for the nut.
What torque does the flare nut on the 87036 take?
14–18 ft-lbs, the standard SAE value for a 1/4" flare. This is the one end of a Pro-Fit fitting that genuinely is torqued — the push-to-connect side has no nut and is not tightened at all.
Where does the 87036 install on a mini split?
At the equipment: the male flare stubs on an indoor head's pipe connections, or the service valve ports on the outdoor unit. Thread and torque the nut there first, then bring the lineset to the push end.
Can the 87036 salvage a cracked or over-torqued flare at the unit?
It replaces the lineset's flared end with a push connection, so a flare damaged on the tubing side no longer has to be recut and reflared. If the damage is to the equipment's own male spud rather than the lineset, the fitting does not address that.
Is the 87036 available in 3/4" or 7/8"?
No. Pro-Fit sockets are made in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 5/8" only, because equipment connections at 3/4" and above are brazed rather than flared. Unions and elbows do continue up to 7/8".
Click On Links Below For Documentation:
Technical Specifications
Brochure
Product Rating Certification
