Cutting fuel line...

[keelerb]

Okay, I got me several feet of official, cloth-covered gen-you-wine BMW fuel line here, to redo my fuel lines on an 84R100RT.

Is there a "best practice" way to cut this stuff to suit? Bein' by nature a "tighten 'er 'til she strips then back off 1/4..." kinda guy, I am trying hard to teach myself to ask these questions IN ADVANCE now... (as opposed to, "after you've run this stuff through the circular saw, is there any way to...?")

Thanks all.

 

[James.A]

I use a utility knife or a single edge razor blade, which ever is handy. BTW, it is really good stuff, that cloth-covered fuel hose. I like to buy it in lots of 10 feet. That way, I always have plenty on hand. The place where I work has huge spools of the stuff, it's all I can do to resist "appropriating" some.

 

[keelerb]

Thanks, James.

 

[AnnapolisAirhead]

The place where I work has huge spools of the stuff, it's all I can do to resist "appropriating" some.

Hey, let's have a "tech day" at your work place. hehe.

keelerb, I measure the length I need then add a 1/4" and use a sharp utility knife like Jim said. If I need to trim it down, that's money in the bank--sorta hard to add a piece if you cut it too short. It really doesn't fray unless you handle it a lot like pulling on and off the petcocks. I bought electrical shrink wrap and put about an inch or 3/4" on each end--on NEW fuel line only (because you need to heat it) to keep it from fraying. Makes a neat package.

You need about 3 feet to do the whole thing, and that'll leave enough for a petcock-to-tee section replacement on each side as spares. Or buy 6 and stuff two 1.5 foot sections in the frame tube. I also put a clear plastic fuel filter in the middle between the petcock and the tee, if the filter clogs on a trip, you can always slice a piece from the leftovers sitting in the frame tube (I'm not paranoid, really. Just a few trust issues...blah).

Also, I slip a 8mm stainless steel flat washer on the petcock before I put the fuel line on so I gently pull down on the washer, not the fuel line. Makes it easier to remove the fuel lines when you need to take the tank off.

Neither of these things were my ideas, just the collective genius of this forum.

 

[krehmkej]

I use garden shears, bypass type. Works perfectly. As always, YMMV.

 

[rocketman]

As long as its a sharp cutting tool and makes a clean edge and the cut is as close to 90 Deg. to the line its good. I always carry at least one length with me and use the cross-over tube as guide to the length, that way I can replace any length on the road, and yeah I had to a few times over the 30 plus years of airhead riding. And once or twice I've been able to help out a fellow airhead rider on the road. That and spare brake and clutch cable, never leave home without them! throttle cables I replace every so often, but don't carry them on the road, I have never heard of one of those breaking on the road, just not that much stress on them.

RM

 

[Bill Burke]

I use a single edge razor blade and apply a little Plumber's Goop to the braid at the petcock end. The goop serves the same purpose as the shrink wrap - prevents fraying.

 

[sumran]

I also use a utility knife. I have better luck getting square cuts when I put it on the workbench to make the cuts. The shrink wrap works great.