Big Blue's Transformation

[Machspeed]

Yes, the PEX clamps are made for a specific situation: PEX tubing on a PEX fitting. So they'd know what sizes they are working with.

 

But I'm not working with standard things. The fittings vary and the hose varies as well due to both the wall thickness and inside diameter differences.

 

So I've done some testing, calculating, etc. And the spreadsheet below holds my measurements, assumptions, and results. (I'd have "printed" it and shown you that, but there may be mistakes in it, so embedding it this way lets me correct or update things and they'll show up here.)

 

To start with, I have four barbed fittings and basically two different sizes within them. And I have two different 3/8" hoses with very different ID's and OD's. So my concern is how Oetiker-style clamps that appear to have only one "closed" size can properly fit a wide range of fittings and hoses.

 

Given that, I decided to see how well I could compress the Flexzilla hose on some spare fittings. I've included pictures of the results below the spreadsheet, but I tried both the clamp that says it is for 12-14 MM and the one that says it is for 15 - 17 MM. I lubed them with synthetic wheel bearing grease on both the screw as well as the two parts that slide on each other. And, on the smaller clamp I put 3 washers under the head of the screw and lubed them. Plus I used a pair of pliers to pull them together in addition to the screw. In other words, I went to lengths this time that I've not done before in order to get as much clamping force as possible.

 

Both clamps basically quit tightening at the same ID - .553". (By that I mean the larger clamp's ears were touching, and I didn't dare tighten the smaller clamp any more for fear of stripping the screw.) And yet they both were cocked on the hose, surely due to the twisting of the screw, so they weren't clamped evenly across. In any event, I think that if you went to the extremes that I went to in order to get maximum clamping force it might be possible to hold the hoses on with the EFI clamps.

 

However, it appears that the better approach is Jim's recommendation to use the Oetiker-style clamps. But which ones? In the bottom right corner of the spreadsheet you can see that the clamp I termed "#1", which is the 12.5-15.3 MM one, will have a .049" smaller ID than the EFI clamps. But the #2 Oetiker clamp, meaning the 15.3 - 18.5 MM one, will have a .049" larger ID than the EFI clamps. So I'll go with the #1 clamps since I don't think the #2 clamps will be tight enough. In fact, I think it would be about like the clamps that have already blown off.

 

 

So you don't have the oetiker clamps yet, Gary?

[Gary Lewis]

So you don't have the oetiker clamps yet, Gary?

No, not until Friday according to Amazon. So maybe Saturday I can put the hoses on - for the third time. I hopes that's the charm.

[Gary Lewis]

No, not until Friday according to Amazon. So maybe Saturday I can put the hoses on - for the third time. I hopes that's the charm.

Speaking of Amazon, I just ordered the C.R. LAURENCE DVL2 CRL Replacement Metal Backslider Latch for the rear window of Big Blue.

I forgot to say that the plastic latch was a casualty on our GOAT trip, coming off in my hand at a filling station. We got the rear window closed using that latch, but it was fiddly and not something I'd want to do very often, so it was time to replace it and upgrading to metal seemed the way to go.

And, for your amusement, I'll describe the scene wherein it came off. We'd just left our B&B and were headed back out to the GOAT for another day on the trail. After a couple of miles, and while we were doing 45 MPH, I looked in the rear view mirror and realized I'd set our little soft cooler on the tool box and it was riding there with its strap waving in the breeze! So I quickly slid the rear window open, breaking the latch in the process, and Janey grabbed the strap to the cooler to keep it from flying away until I could stop.

[kramttocs]

Speaking of Amazon, I just ordered the C.R. LAURENCE DVL2 CRL Replacement Metal Backslider Latch for the rear window of Big Blue.

I forgot to say that the plastic latch was a casualty on our GOAT trip, coming off in my hand at a filling station. We got the rear window closed using that latch, but it was fiddly and not something I'd want to do very often, so it was time to replace it and upgrading to metal seemed the way to go.

And, for your amusement, I'll describe the scene wherein it came off. We'd just left our B&B and were headed back out to the GOAT for another day on the trail. After a couple of miles, and while we were doing 45 MPH, I looked in the rear view mirror and realized I'd set our little soft cooler on the tool box and it was riding there with its strap waving in the breeze! So I quickly slid the rear window open, breaking the latch in the process, and Janey grabbed the strap to the cooler to keep it from flying away until I could stop.

That's a worthy upgrade

Glad to hear the cooler (and Janey) didn't take flight.

[Gary Lewis]

That's a worthy upgrade

Glad to hear the cooler (and Janey) didn't take flight.

Thanks, Scott. I was shocked that the cooler had made it so far at that speed, but through the window we could at least hold onto it.

And if you are replacing that flimsy latch you might as well do it right. For $9 you can't go very far wrong.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Scott. I was shocked that the cooler had made it so far at that speed, but through the window we could at least hold onto it.

And if you are replacing that flimsy latch you might as well do it right. For $9 you can't go very far wrong.

The Oetiker-style clamps came in today and I quickly installed them - and they work! Or, at least have worked for maybe an hour at this point between 150 and 200 psi. The system kicks off at 200 psi then the air slowly cools and leaks out such that the pressure drops to 150 over about 30 minutes, at which point the compressor comes back in and takes the pressure back to 200.

As of now we've survived two cycles, but I'm not going to leave it plugged in overnight. However, while I work in the shop tomorrow I'll leave it plugged in and it can cycle all it wants. Then, when I'm convinced that it is going to work I'll see if I can figure out where the slow leak is and repair it.

As you can see below, the Oetiker clamp, on the right, pulls the hose in more tightly than the EFI clamp on the left. And that EFI clamp is absolutely maxed out with an ID of .553". But by my measurements the ID of the Oetiker clamp is .506", which matches very nicely with the stated value of 12.5 mm, which is .504". And that's the "15.3 mm" clamp, which must mean that the smaller dimension is the clamped value and the larger dimension the open value.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jim! It looks like these are definitely the way to go for high-pressure connections.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The Oetiker-style clamps came in today and I quickly installed them - and they work! Or, at least have worked for maybe an hour at this point between 150 and 200 psi. The system kicks off at 200 psi then the air slowly cools and leaks out such that the pressure drops to 150 over about 30 minutes, at which point the compressor comes back in and takes the pressure back to 200.

As of now we've survived two cycles, but I'm not going to leave it plugged in overnight. However, while I work in the shop tomorrow I'll leave it plugged in and it can cycle all it wants. Then, when I'm convinced that it is going to work I'll see if I can figure out where the slow leak is and repair it.

As you can see below, the Oetiker clamp, on the right, pulls the hose in more tightly than the EFI clamp on the left. And that EFI clamp is absolutely maxed out with an ID of .553". But by my measurements the ID of the Oetiker clamp is .506", which matches very nicely with the stated value of 12.5 mm, which is .504". And that's the "15.3 mm" clamp, which must mean that the smaller dimension is the clamped value and the larger dimension the open value.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jim! It looks like these are definitely the way to go for high-pressure connections.

Im glad that's working out for you Gary.

I certainly hope these clamps will hold in the long term.

They seem to have better engagement and shouldn't be able to loosen up or pop open.

On to the next layer of the onion???

[Gary Lewis]

Im glad that's working out for you Gary.

I certainly hope these clamps will hold in the long term.

They seem to have better engagement and shouldn't be able to loosen up or pop open.

On to the next layer of the onion???

Yes, Jim, I'm sure these are about the best clamps that I could use. I say "about" as I've read that the 2-eared clamps actually clamp tighter. However, I don't think I could use them as I can't get to the back side in most of the places I used them. And, these are TIGHT, so I doubt I would want anything tighter. Plus, none of the 2-eared clamps I've seen have the inner slider that covers the gap of the ear, so there are spots on the hose that don't get clamped. I like what I have.

As for the next layer, that is the bed cover. The weather man says we aren't going to have rain tomorrow, the first time in what seems like years, so I'm going to put Big Blue in the driveway and back Blue up to him. The beds are basically at the same height so with a blanket on Blue's bed cover I can slide BB's bed cover on it, inspect the glides and replace the bad ones, and then slide it back in. But only after I measure the tracks and figure out where it appears to be tight and fix that. Then when I slide it back in I'll check for tightness and adjust from there. Hopefully I can get it working smoothly.

And that is the last big layer of the onion I intend to tackle before the trip. I'll probably add the DC power ports in the bed and the lights, but they aren't needed and won't be a big deal. After that it is little things, like changing oil and filter, rotating tires, lubing tie rods and ball joints, checking all of the fasteners, etc. Starting to feel like I'm almost "there".

'

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, Jim, I'm sure these are about the best clamps that I could use. I say "about" as I've read that the 2-eared clamps actually clamp tighter. However, I don't think I could use them as I can't get to the back side in most of the places I used them. And, these are TIGHT, so I doubt I would want anything tighter. Plus, none of the 2-eared clamps I've seen have the inner slider that covers the gap of the ear, so there are spots on the hose that don't get clamped. I like what I have.

As for the next layer, that is the bed cover. The weather man says we aren't going to have rain tomorrow, the first time in what seems like years, so I'm going to put Big Blue in the driveway and back Blue up to him. The beds are basically at the same height so with a blanket on Blue's bed cover I can slide BB's bed cover on it, inspect the glides and replace the bad ones, and then slide it back in. But only after I measure the tracks and figure out where it appears to be tight and fix that. Then when I slide it back in I'll check for tightness and adjust from there. Hopefully I can get it working smoothly.

And that is the last big layer of the onion I intend to tackle before the trip. I'll probably add the DC power ports in the bed and the lights, but they aren't needed and won't be a big deal. After that it is little things, like changing oil and filter, rotating tires, lubing tie rods and ball joints, checking all of the fasteners, etc. Starting to feel like I'm almost "there".

'

Well, today was a qualified success. By that I mean I got the bed cover worked over but there is still a bit of tightness right at the end. However, it is acceptable.

But before getting into that I did plug the air compressor into an extension cord and kept from 160 to 200 psi on the connections all day today. It would take about 30 minutes to leak down from 200 where the compressor shuts off to 160, where it kicks back on. And it dawned on me that it used to do that before I distributed its parts all over Big Blue, so I'm guessing that the slow leak is in the compressor. And I think I can live with it, so am calling the compressor installed.

And now for the cover. I backed Blue up to Big Blue, as shown below, and used a quilt on Blue's bed cover as a temp home for Big Blue's bed cover. It is amazing that Blue's bed is the same height as Big Blue's. But Big Blue has more ground clearance and the cab is taller. Anyway, the bed worked well for holding Big Blue's cover and letting me inspect the end caps, and I replaced 10 of them.

I took a whole lot of measurements and even drew it up on CAD, and discovered that the distance between the tracks is spot-on and required no change. What did require change was the alignment of the "slats". I'd assumed that they would self-align in use, but apparently not. So I spend a long time getting them all lined up, which I think had been the problem.

[grumpin]

Well, today was a qualified success. By that I mean I got the bed cover worked over but there is still a bit of tightness right at the end. However, it is acceptable.

But before getting into that I did plug the air compressor into an extension cord and kept from 160 to 200 psi on the connections all day today. It would take about 30 minutes to leak down from 200 where the compressor shuts off to 160, where it kicks back on. And it dawned on me that it used to do that before I distributed its parts all over Big Blue, so I'm guessing that the slow leak is in the compressor. And I think I can live with it, so am calling the compressor installed.

And now for the cover. I backed Blue up to Big Blue, as shown below, and used a quilt on Blue's bed cover as a temp home for Big Blue's bed cover. It is amazing that Blue's bed is the same height as Big Blue's. But Big Blue has more ground clearance and the cab is taller. Anyway, the bed worked well for holding Big Blue's cover and letting me inspect the end caps, and I replaced 10 of them.

I took a whole lot of measurements and even drew it up on CAD, and discovered that the distance between the tracks is spot-on and required no change. What did require change was the alignment of the "slats". I'd assumed that they would self-align in use, but apparently not. So I spend a long time getting them all lined up, which I think had been the problem.

Good job! I like the picture!