IowaRV9Dreamer

IowaRV9Dreamer

Well Known Member
OK - I've entered the wonderful world of aluminum tube and already need help!!

I very carefully made a template of the tube I wanted to bend using a coat hanger. This is between the Andair fuel valve and the Facet Fuel pump. Then I cut and bent the tube using the Imperal Bender. Nice tool, I got it perfectly bent.


The problems came after I dressed the ends and got ready to flare. The bend at the fuel pump side is too close to the end of the tube.


I could "maybe" get the flare made IF I didn't have to put the sleeve on, but with the sleeve on there is no way to make the flare. :mad: How can I make this work?

That brings up another problem.... The sleeves are incredibly super tight to slide onto the tube. That doesn't seem right. The problem isn't at the end of the tube (no burrs), but all along the length. I tried some scotchbrite pad action on the tube and that helped, but only a little. Are they supposed to be this tight on a straight section of tube?

If anyone can help with these 2 questions, I'd appreciate it.

I'm going to be ordering a bunch of tubing soon, that's for sure :mad:
 
Sounds like you're doing just fine. The sleeves are pretty tight fit. Turn/twist as you slide them on. If the tube is not perfectly round, it will be tough. I would try again. Re-make that piece and leave it longer after the final bend. Then measure how much tube your flare tool needs, add an eighth inch or so and cut there. Add the sleeve and flair.

Don't worry too much about having to discard pieces. Remember, tubing is cheap, you're learning as you go and some of the discarded lenths and bends will be cut down and used elswhere. Just out them to the side for now. The down side is you will probably have to order more tubing if you're learning.

If I can do it, anybody can.

Bevan
 
You MUST build within the limits of the parts that you are using. Take some scrap tubing and bend up a 90 like you did and see what it takes to make the bend and the flair and have the collar in plece. Once you know what the limit is, then you can figure out where the tubing needs to go to get to the fuel pump that you mounted in that spot. Things might need to be moved. But that is where education comes in. And that is why you are building this aircraft..........right?

The "sleeves" on the tubing that I have, slide and spin with ease...........
 
IowaRV9Dreamer said:
If anyone can help with these 2 questions, I'd appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Dave-

This fitting for $4.95 should solve one of your problems:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/aeroquipfitting.php
Rather than waste tubing trying to get that very difficulty bend perfect, I would (and did) go this route.

You might be having trouble getting the sleeves to slide on because it is close to a bend. The tube will tend to "ovalize" slightly close to a bend.

Again, though, if you use the fitting above, both problems should be solved.

Hope this helps.
 
What Steve said

This fitting #2071-6-6S will make it easy.
 
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You can make a tighter/shorter flair to bend by doing the flair first then bending. Your sleeve will have to stay at the flair end but the nut can be slid out of the way. You have to be carefull not to damage the sleeve while bending.
 
Maybe a flexible

I had the same situation and have my rigid fuel line installed. With vibration and the tight bend, I wonder if the fitting might leak. I am considering a flexible fuel for this run.
 
The fitting from Spruce saved my sanity!

I also used the fitting from Spruce after trying and failing to get the tubing bent just right. I used fuel lube on the fittings and after 110 hours, I have had no leaks.
 
I had this problem too and solved it a little differently. My fuel line from the pump comes out and goes 45 degrees parrallel to the floor and firewall. I then made a 180 in the line and then a 90 back to the fuel valve. This adds maybe 4 inches to the line but is easy to make.
 
proppershope said:
I had this problem too and solved it a little differently. My fuel line from the pump comes out and goes 45 degrees parrallel to the floor and firewall. I then made a 180 in the line and then a 90 back to the fuel valve. This adds maybe 4 inches to the line but is easy to make.
Click to expand...

This is how I did mine too. Mine must have been a little more compact though. I didn't add more than 1.5-2".
 
Aeroequip fitting

I had the same problem and at last went, as the others, with Aeroequip fitting, bought on Spruce. I'm happy, even if I'm not flying yet. See installation on my website, fuselage section ("fusoliera"), slightly below middle of the page.

To answer the other question, the dilemma is that if you bend first, you haven't enough space for the flaring tool to grip. If you don't bend it first, and instead flare it, you will ruin the flare when you will bend it. Unless, maybe, you proceed as others did: bending it only 45? parallel to firewall and then bend it again (180?) in a different position.
 
how tight for aeroquip fitting?

I ended up with the steel Aeroquip fitting from ACS... went in easy.

Any idea how tight for the fitting into the pump? Since it's steel I thought I'd use the regular callout for steel flared fittings, but 270 in-lbs seems awful tight. What have others done?
 
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