Fuel line install day 6

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 11:14 pm

Ever since attaching the landing gear brackets I have wondered just how hard it is going to be to plumb the brake and fuel lines. During the past two days I have come to discover just what a PIA it can be. Especially if you're trying to be faithful to the drawings. After one day of fighting tubing I went on line to try to find another 7A builders site that detailed how they had gone about it. Walter Tondu shows and describes the method that he used. I tried Walter's method today and wasn't very happy with my result. At that point I called Vans and talked with tech support. Interestingly enough there will be a builders article in the next RV ator that details another builders method that works, at least for him/her. While talking with Vans tech he told me it was unimportant to follow the drawings exactly and that whereas the tubing goes through the bottom hole in the landing gear bracket on the drawing it would be OK to pick which ever hole the fuel line passed through with the easiest path to the fuel selector. That's fine but I do like to follow the drawings as close as I can, which brings me to the reason for this post. For me the fuel line will be a deviation from the drawings. I pass on to anyone building a 7A and possibly a 9A that at the time you fit your landing gear brackets to the fuse it would be best to also prepare your fuel line on the bench and install them along with the landing gear brackets in order to be better able to string the fuel line along the front of the spar carry through and out the fuse side wall. By doing that I believe it can be done easily and exactly as per plans.

The brake line is not a big problem.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:57 am

Jim, Nice job on the picture(s)!

They (Tondu and others) say the wing attach bolts are/can be a real hassle too, as the gear brackets prevent fingers from getting in there to install the nuts.

Looks like you are doing a great job!

Keep the pics coming!

CJ

dons · Post by **dons** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:18 pm

Thanks Jim, I have added it to my growing list of tips to think about as I build my 7A. Keep up the great work, you are going to have a very nice finished plane.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:42 pm

Jim, those are great pics of how the lines work through the gear towers, and of the gear towers themselves! Thanks, this will be helpful!

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:55 pm

I'll second Don's thanks! Your info should come in handy as I approach that portion of the build.

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:13 pm

Today I uninstalled my landing gear brackets in order to do a little nicer job of the fuel line install. After looking at how everything fit I could see that in the future there would be problems with fuel lines and wiring trying to occupy the same space. Also the way it was ending up the lines required to many sharp bends. No exaggeration it took nearly two hours to get one bracket out!

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:14 pm

Just as an update: I have as of today installed the fuel lines that run the width of the fuse. Finally

. With the landing gear brakets loose and the fuel lines carefully measured and bent, it takes about 15 minutes to make those bends, the fuel line slips into place in about one and a half minutes. Bolting the brakets back into place however took another two hours each. Anyone needing info about what I did can email or PM me. You can of course, fight those lines into place if you choose.

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:13 am

Had a few small problems with hardware. A mix up at Van's caused a small delay in finishing the fuel lines. No big deal and I'm off and running again.

Tomorrow the brake lines.

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:39 pm

Jim, looks good. Thanks for the info I plan on putting it to use.

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:41 pm

Good deal I also have the info on my web site.

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:59 pm

Thanks Jim!

This will be very useful on my 7A. I am considering a center console that will include an Andair fuel valve, so it's handy to see how you laid this portion out.

Antony

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:44 am

Jim, I can't seem to find a link to your website. Can you post it?

Thanks.

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:31 pm

So look, It's not much of a web site. I've had the thing for almost two years now and just can't seem to find time to deal with it. This afternoon I read the artical in the RVator on routing fuel lines, I couldn't understand them. So I'm going to post my link to MY instructions. I hope they will help someone. Probably of more use to other QBer's.

http://www.rvforge7.com/pg3.htm

RivetBangers.com

Fuel line install day 6

Fuel line install day 6

nice!