Cool Hose Clamps Needed - Inquire Within

Speedbag · February 03, 2009, 03:28:31 PM

Anybody got a source for cool, preferably stainless steel, hose clamps? I'm talking smaller ones, for fuel and oil hoses.

Not the cheap, boring, ugly, normal auto store worm screw ones that squish the hose through the little slots the worm engages when tight. Something a little more nifty and out of the ordinary. For the record, braided hose with AN fittings aren't an option, too modernish.

Thanks in advance.

Speeddog · February 03, 2009, 04:23:10 PM

McMaster-Carr has a wide selection of hose clamps, starting on page 250; www.mcmaster.com.

Some available in all-stainless, and with a liner so the hose doesn't squish through.

Nothing too outlandish, but good stuff.

They've even got Ti hose clamps.

NAKID · February 03, 2009, 05:21:35 PM

Found this on the site speeddog posted...

http://www.mcmaster.com/#miniature-hose-clamps/=g4xnb

Speeddog · February 03, 2009, 05:34:24 PM

That's the style I use on fuel lines.

Jobu · February 03, 2009, 08:20:40 PM

Quote from: Speeddog on February 03, 2009, 05:34:24 PM
That's the style I use on fuel lines.

Ditto. They work well if you get the right sizes. You can buy that style at any autoparts store, though the quality can be suspect with the cheapo stuff from AutoZone.

Speeddog · February 03, 2009, 10:13:40 PM

I haven't been getting mine from McMaster-Carr, but I may well try 'em.
I'm very seldom disappointed by those guys.

Their 'range' is small, that's the only thing that is a bit of a hassle.
Not a problem IME on Ducs, but if you were outfitting a car, it could be.

Speedbag · February 04, 2009, 04:18:23 AM

I'll have to give 'em a try!

Bigbore4 · February 04, 2009, 07:29:28 AM

We use Oetiker on some of our product lines. Not real "cool" from an aesthetics perspective, but they are cleaner looking once installed. Sizing of the clamp to the hose and barb joint is critical. And the ones we use are one time use.

http://www.oetiker.com/content.asp?idNavig=7&l=4

Oldfisti · February 04, 2009, 08:14:21 AM

How about a t bolt style clamp?

These guys have em in all stainless... http://www.murraycorp.com/index.pl/tb_t-bolt.htm?kc=HIeSi&tsid=googleppc

These guys have em in Ti ... http://www.ticotitanium.com/hinges.php

Duck-Stew · February 04, 2009, 08:17:54 AM

The in-tank vent hoses on the injected bikes use an 8mm (or so) EFI style clamp. I bought mine from McMaster-Carr and they kick-ass. Exact same performance as stock and much cheaper too.

NeufUnSix · February 04, 2009, 08:21:04 AM

Those (the McMaster items) are used in older FI Ducs; they were a problem, in fact. They use them inside the fuel tank to connect the lines to the pump and filter, and over time they cut into the lines and cause ruptures (ever hear about the Superbike fuel tank leaks? I've dealt with them twice on my own bike). The solution is a clip-style clamp, it's a pressed-metal band with a hook and groove. You wrap it and squeeze it with pliers until it clicks together. Very clean looking, but you can't reuse them, and they need to be correctly sized.

Triumph uses the locking clamps, as well as the CPC fuel line connectors, on their EFI models. It's a handy way to get "Duc" parts from another source if you have a well stocked Trumpet dealer nearby.

Duck-Stew · February 04, 2009, 08:25:46 AM

I've had three in-tank vent lines fail on my Cafe-Racer alone. All three of my failures were due to the fuel line splitting and failing and not the clamp. Hadn't heard of the SBK problem and I'll definately have to look into the Triumph clamp.

erkishhorde · February 04, 2009, 11:35:38 AM

My old '95 m900 came with a bunch of the clip-style clamps. They're cool but as stated, not re-usable. Very clean looking though.

NeufUnSix · February 04, 2009, 01:59:10 PM

Duck-Stew

The problem is also due to the quality of the OEM rubber (or the lack thereof) and the tight bends in the fuel system. You can improve it by using heavy duty fuel line (I think I went to some Michelin stuff, it was much thicker and heavier than the old lines and it has held up well. Some people switch to Harley stainless steel lines for indefinite life) and carefully cutting them to a length that minimizes the stress on the bend. The first time on mine it split next to the clamp, the second time was along the bend and the fuel filter split in half along the pressed seam in sympathy.

Generally you shouldn't have to replace the fuel lines for at least several years, sometimes indefinitely - on everything except an old Duc. On those it's recommended you swap the lines and filter every 6-12K (also because the tank liner flakes, clogs the filter, and overstresses the fuel pump - which in turn overloads the fragile electrics and burns out the wiring as well as the pump. It's an amazing daisy-chain of mediocre parts that affect each other in turn).

It's not necessarily all t-bolt clamps that do this, the Duc ones just seem to have a habit of cutting into the lines if they are too tight. And if they aren't tight enough, the line blows off completely (happened on a friend's ST4S).

Jobu · February 04, 2009, 02:08:58 PM

Quote from: erkishhorde on February 04, 2009, 11:35:38 AM
My old '95 m900 came with a bunch of the clip-style clamps. They're cool but as stated, not re-usable. Very clean looking though.

My 750 had those. They can be a pain in the ass to get off without the proper tools. They caused me to jam a pair of needle nose pliers (about 3/4 of inch deep) into the soft part of my hand between the thumb and index finger. Other than that, they work well.

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Cool Hose Clamps Needed - Inquire Within