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Fuel line bend @ fuel pump

cleve_thompson

cleve_thompson

Well Known Member
I have tried 3 different tube benders and have made at least 6 attempts at bending the 3/8" aluminum tube from the fuel selector forward to the aux fuel pump. I have used up 16 feet of tubing. My problem is that I can't make a bend close enough to the pump to keep the tubing off the floor. I finally made one that I would accept (had a small crease in it) but the A&P in the next hangar said it would not do. I was able to make the bends in the tubing from the selector through the gear mounts and out to the tanks using a spring bender but even with this bender, I can't get a good bend. :mad: HELP!!!
 
Here's what mine looks like

Cleve,
I thought this photo might be of some help to you.
I remember this being a bit tough to do. You can see that the tube is resting on the 1/2" foam insulation.
I used a hand tubing bender made by Rigid. I borrowed it from work and don't remember the radius of the bend, but as you can see it's pretty tight. That helps.


brakes009sfe6.jpg
 
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Answers to bend fuel line at pump

Rick,

I think that the elbow fitting from Spruce is just what I need!!!! Thank you!

Mark,

Your picture is great and the fuel line is lying just like I wish mine would! I will try the elbow fitting that Rick suggested and if that doesn't work, I might need to get the name of the person who lent you the Ridgid tube bender. I am so frustrated that I would pay to go commercial to pick it up! ;)

Thanks so much to all of you and thanks to Doug for this great forum. I had called Van's and talked to the man himself and his suggestions were not as good as yours.

BTW, I like the looks of the Andair fittings and selector valve. I am going to try to resist the temptation to order them. How successful I will be I don't know. I am usually not so successful in withstanding temptation when it comes to getting new gadgets for my little plane. :p
 
Mark,

Very nice job with the lines!

I used the fitting from Aircraft Spruce and it helped a lot!

As for holding the lines from moving I used "Great Stuff" from Dow Chemical.



Rember, I'm building a -9 and not a -9A. Thus, no brake lines to deal with.

There is a write up on this page of my web site. Scroll down to the 3/13/06 entry.
 
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