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TS Flightlines Fuel Lines installed

mfleming

Well Known Member
Patron
My TS Flightlines fuel line look great :D

I fit the wing tank fuel lines today and I'm really happy. Tom does a great job of working with you to get the perfect fit.

All the fuel lines connected to the pump and Andair valve are TS Flightlines. The discharge line can be seen snaking underneath the pump to the firewall.

Edit: solid grommets to be used in final install. See post #8 below

ts2.jpg



The wing tank TS Flightlines fuel line exiting the kick plate and through the fuselage. Very clean.
ts1.jpg


The TS Flightlines fuel line exiting the fuselage.
ts3.jpg
 
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Michael wanted rigid tubes at the fuselage side skins. Normally we would a bulkhead fitting and a different rigid tube. After talking about it, he wanted a rigid tube from the tank to the teflon hose, at the fuselage side.

We "may" make this an option for the hose for the RV7/9 series.

Tom
 
Very clean looking installation.

Michael or Tom, can you help us understand why rigid tube might be preferable here?

Also, what material is the rigid section? I'm wondering if the teflon section can be crimped to aluminum, or if stainless tube was needed.
 
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Each to his own, but a split grommet around a fuel line thru a bulkhead would make me nervous.....I've been able to stretch grommets enough to get them over the nut, but probably one size bigger hole.

As an aside, and not sure if anyone does this anyway, but I dont consider a grommet as a positive atch point to the fuse.....

Just my .02.
 
Kurt, we used 5052O aluminum. Rigid tube can bend alittle tighter that teflon hose, and thats what Michael wanted. There is a slot cut in the covers to be able to remove them for inspection.

Mani---the grommets are not an attachment point, but an insulator between the hole and the rigid tube. 'Probably could" slide on the grommets before crimping the hoses, but we havent seen any issues with a slit grommet. Doesnt mean its a perfect solution, but certainly works well.

Tom
 
Mani---the grommets are not an attachment point, but an insulator between the hole and the rigid tube. 'Probably could" slide on the grommets before crimping the hoses, but we havent seen any issues with a slit grommet. Doesnt mean its a perfect solution, but certainly works well.

Tom

re: split, I understand Tom, and I'd get pretty grumpy if I had such and a DAR called me on it. Was more just a comment, like split loom vs snake skin for wiring, if all things were equal.
 
Each to his own, but a split grommet around a fuel line thru a bulkhead would make me nervous.....I've been able to stretch grommets enough to get them over the nut, but probably one size bigger hole.

As an aside, and not sure if anyone does this anyway, but I dont consider a grommet as a positive atch point to the fuse.....

Just my .02.

The split grommet should work fine as Tom mentioned but an intact grommet would be a bonus.

The fuel system is not installed permanently, just a trial fit. On the final fit, I'll experiment on getting a grommet over the nut or maybe using a adhesive to join the butt ends.

Edit: OK, I couldn't wait. I fit a AN931-6-16 grommet over the 'B' nut. This grommet is the ⅜" ID for the tubing section of the fuel line.

Here's a photo of the grommet going over the 'B' nut:

ts4.jpg


This did not cause any damage to the grommet. The AN931-8-13 grommets are used for the braided section and they have a ID of ?" so they will be even easier.

Solid grommets it is :D
 
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Very clean looking installation.

Michael or Tom, can you help us understand why rigid tube might be preferable here?..............

Tom fitted the rigid tubing to the fuselage exit because in my installation I thought the teflon line was under too much stress trying to make the 'S' bend coming from the kick plate and exiting the fuselage. The final setup is not under any stress and the fuel line lays naturally in the grommets. Tom made sure the angle of the rigid tubing matched the exit line so there is no twisting force on the line either.
 
Kurt, oops sorry I missed this part. Crimping teflon hose to aluminum tubing.
Ever seen an aluminum hose end with a crimped teflon hose? Many manufacturers do it. We dont use 3003, but 5052O or 6061T6. Most aluminum hose ends are either 2024 or the new spec of 7075. WE take a thick walled tube .065 for the 3/8 tubes and machine the end so it duplicates a hose end stem. Crimped to spec. We tested them to 3000 psi. I think Steve had a free burst of a tube at 6700 one time, but the crimp was fine.

Think of it this way. A hose end is just a shorter rigid tube with a machined stem. So--forward of the stem you can make the tube to ANYTHING you want to accomplish the desired effect. Bends of different degrees, offset angles and axis, gee most anything you can think up.

304 stainless is great---strong, reliable, looks great, and is tough on machine tools.

Tom
 
Kurt,

Here is a link to the video of what Tom is talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPJnjjaBMVs&feature=youtu.be

These rigid tubes begin at the 15:35 mark of the video. We take a piece of 6061 T-6 Aluminum with an .065 wall and machine the end into a hose fitting. Then, we take the aluminum tube onto the CNC bender to bend it up to create a highly customized hose end. This hose end can then be crimped into a piece of flex hose and has the same strength characteristics as utilizing a standard aluminum hose end.

The free burst pressure Tom mentioned was one I did the other day. It was a piece of 5052 aluminum, but only a .035 wall with a flare. The 6061 T-6 tube is very strong compared to the .035 wall 5052.

Hope that helps
Steve
 
Maybe offtopic but you guys are the best! I couldn?t find the correct torque for a braided hose to a steel fitting so I tried to call Tom.. He took the phone and gave me the settings on a saturday... Thank you! Thats why I will always order with them.. Not only great quality but also great support!
 
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