TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:29 pm

How tight should the fuel hose clamps be tightened? The hoses are under considerable pressure so you don't want them blowing off but you don't want to crush the fittings either. Anybody have any advice as to how to know if they are on tight enough?

I ordered the fuel hose replacement kit. Don't want to be the next photo of a burning van on the Samba. (man are my old hose clamps ever rusty!!)

Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:35 pm

First you need the right clamp. Here are two "better" clamps, the left is German stainless with rolled edges. The right is Swedish and provides the most uniform pressure on the hose. Then you need the right size, too large a clamp is no good.

I'm using the Swedish ones.

Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:51 pm

I also use the ABA stainless clamps.....

http://www.ultimategarage.com/abaprice.html

#15 work well for 7mm FI hose.

Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:39 pm

The "Mercedes" fuel line clamps that the bus despot sells work fine too.

I like the smooth clamps with the rounded edges best too. The Mercedes clamps from bus despot are like that.

I would, however, NOT use them as replacements for the crimped on hose ends of the fuel injectors. Just get your injectors professionally serviced and have new hoses with new crimps installed. I did and am happy that I can sleep at night.

Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:41 pm

Randy in Maine wrote: I also use the ABA stainless clamps.....

http://www.ultimategarage.com/abaprice.html

#15 work well for 7mm FI hose.
Randy,

I went to his house/shop to get mine. /all I can say is INC READABLE.

Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:02 am

You can get those swedish clamps (or clamps using that design) from NAPA. I use them by preference, they are JUST big enough for the injector lines, if you get the largest size.

Those are the ones on the right in the useful picture above.

Best!

Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:18 am

if you want the exact clamps used originally, we have them:

http://germansupply.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=17016

these are the hose clamps we have found for 7mm rubber hose. we have tired everything available from about 5 manufacturers and these OE clamps fit and clamp the best. they will only fit one size of hose, which is the smooth 7mm rubber.

we also have the crimp style clamps, that are used on the supply lines under the vehicle, where the short rubber hose pieces connect to the nylon hoses.

http://germansupply.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=17371

Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:34 am

Randy in Maine wrote: I also use the ABA stainless clamps.....

http://www.ultimategarage.com/abaprice.html

#15 work well for 7mm FI hose.

Having just done this, I would say either 14 or 13 for the smooth 7mm fuel line. Unless busdepot sent me smaller diameter line, there's no way I could have gotten a 15 to stay on. I bought size 14 for my job and they are pretty close to maxed out as far as remaining thread goes. And, no, I did not over tighten. FWIW....

And yes, go w/ ultimategarage.com, they are 100% SS. I believe his name is Steve and he runs a first class business in my opinion.

Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:57 am

Quote: I would, however, NOT use them as replacements for the crimped on hose ends of the fuel injectors. Just get your injectors professionally serviced and have new hoses with new crimps installed. I did and am happy that I can sleep at night.

That's assuming that you are entirely confident that the "professionally serviced" means that they used (or were able to get) hose that will not rot by next summer...While I don't exactly enjoy it, I don't mind changing the little short lines as much when I don't have to cut off the crimps.

Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:43 am

wavanagon wrote: And, no, I did not over tighten. FWIW....

Which brings me back to my original question in this thread...
How tight is tight enough, but not too tight and how can you tell when you are tightening them?

Mon Sep 24, 2007 3:10 pm

Tight enough means they will not leak and too tight means that they will cut into and damage the hose. Just right is subjective and has to be learned by experience. Typically you can still rotate the hose on the fitting without too much effort when they are just right, (this doesn't work for larger hoses)

Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:31 am

Hey, Perales, if you followed the link above to Ultimate Garage you would have found the answer to your question.

Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:44 am

tencentlife wrote: Hey, Perales, if you followed the link above to Ultimate Garage you would have found the answer to your question.
Gee how did I miss that..:oops:
I guess I didn't read it carefully.. I feel silly, Oh well.

I will post a quote for local reference:

Clamps should be torqued properly to assure proper seal - for all ABA Mini clamps & Original Clamps through size #6, use 25-30 inch pounds; for Original Clamps sizes #8 through #16, use 30-40 inch pounds and for sizes #20 and higher, tighten to 40-45 inch pounds.

Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:36 pm

so, is #14 the size to get for most of the line?

Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:08 am

#13 is what I have for the 7mm fuel injection hose. At least thats what the ABA clamps have stamped on them. Ultimate Garage has a real fine selection of these clamps and they also have a chart that shows the inside/outside diameter of each clamp. I found the chart to be helpful in deciding what size clamp to get for each application.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:32 am

randywebb wrote: so, is #14 the size to get for most of the line? 4 14.5 and the rest 13 for the injectors . The 4 barbs are larger so they need a bigger size. These sizes are for step less ear clamps.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:21 pm

r39o wrote: The "Mercedes" fuel line clamps that the bus despot sells work fine too.

That would be these:
http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=311133515
Cheaper than the VW ones and very high quality.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:27 pm

Ron, do you carry different sizes of this style of clamp?? Putting a want list together.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:03 pm

also do you have whatever size is required for the larger hose runs?

IIRC, it is the hose from tank to the big metal filter & maybe from there thru the firewall

there are 2 listings for the 2.1L motors but they both seem to point to the same item

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:22 pm

These are the ones Bus Depot sells: