BJohnson
Well Known Member
Having struggled with installing the fuel lines in the fuselage, and researching various methods on different websites, below is documentation of how I ended up installing the lines. After learning the technique on the first line, the second one took about 30 minutes to complete. This might be old news for all those that have a ready done this, bu I could not find any reference on other sites.
One advantage of this method was the ability to install the lines without removing landing gear weldement.
The first step is to bend the inboard end with a tubing bender to match the fuel selector valve being used, install the fittings, flair the end, then cut it to length and coil in into a half circle.
Slide the outboard end of the tube into the first bulkhead fitting and then thread on the second bulkhead fitting.
Continue feeding the fuel line through and straighten by hand as it feeds through the bulkhead. When the end is near the landing gear weldement, thread a coiled spring tubing bender through the weldement holes and onto the tubing.
Continue pushing, and straightening the tubing until the end of the tube is near the fuselage side skin, passing through the gear weldement. Using the coiled spring tubing bender to protect the fuel line, leverage tube/bender against the weldement and make the bend to the hole in the side sking. Continue feeding line and straighten and bend as it is fed. Alternate between pushing a little more tube through, bend it a little, then feed more.
When the end is at the hole in the fuselage side skin, bend the end and slip it through the hole in the side skin. Continue feeding increments of the tube, and un-bending the tube using the holes in the weldement and the side skin for leverage. Make sure the coiled spring tubing bender protects the fuel line at the two holes that are being leveraged against to form the bending.
Continue little by little, pushing, bending, un-bending, straightening, and then pushing again. Eventually the tubing will be in the right place.
Straighten out the tubing that is outside the fuselage. Adjust the shape of the line to provide good clearance. Once you are satisfied with the fit of the tubing, remove the coiled spring tubing bender. The rubber grommets can then be installed in both the weldement and the side skin.
The whole affair is a bit of a wrestling match, pushing, bending, and unbending, snaking the tubing through the holes, but overall it was pretty straight forward and now that task is done. I'll try the same thing on the brake lines.
Hope this is of some use for others. What other methods are being used out there?
One advantage of this method was the ability to install the lines without removing landing gear weldement.
The first step is to bend the inboard end with a tubing bender to match the fuel selector valve being used, install the fittings, flair the end, then cut it to length and coil in into a half circle.
Slide the outboard end of the tube into the first bulkhead fitting and then thread on the second bulkhead fitting.
Continue feeding the fuel line through and straighten by hand as it feeds through the bulkhead. When the end is near the landing gear weldement, thread a coiled spring tubing bender through the weldement holes and onto the tubing.
Continue pushing, and straightening the tubing until the end of the tube is near the fuselage side skin, passing through the gear weldement. Using the coiled spring tubing bender to protect the fuel line, leverage tube/bender against the weldement and make the bend to the hole in the side sking. Continue feeding line and straighten and bend as it is fed. Alternate between pushing a little more tube through, bend it a little, then feed more.
When the end is at the hole in the fuselage side skin, bend the end and slip it through the hole in the side skin. Continue feeding increments of the tube, and un-bending the tube using the holes in the weldement and the side skin for leverage. Make sure the coiled spring tubing bender protects the fuel line at the two holes that are being leveraged against to form the bending.
Continue little by little, pushing, bending, un-bending, straightening, and then pushing again. Eventually the tubing will be in the right place.
Straighten out the tubing that is outside the fuselage. Adjust the shape of the line to provide good clearance. Once you are satisfied with the fit of the tubing, remove the coiled spring tubing bender. The rubber grommets can then be installed in both the weldement and the side skin.
The whole affair is a bit of a wrestling match, pushing, bending, and unbending, snaking the tubing through the holes, but overall it was pretty straight forward and now that task is done. I'll try the same thing on the brake lines.
Hope this is of some use for others. What other methods are being used out there?
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