Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 23:55:34 -0500
Reply-To: John Anderson <janderson@IOLINC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: John Anderson <janderson@IOLINC.NET>
Subject: Re: Fuel Line and Clamp Prices
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>myself and these are the ones VW uses as well.
>
>N 241222 Mini Clamp Injector to Fuel Rail (4 req)
$1.20ea
>N 10258201 Mini Clamp For all other FI Connections $1.25ea
>
>Why are these better? Aftermarket worm-drive clamps can cut into the hose
>if overtightened, which leads to premature deterioration and possible
>leaks. The factory style clamps are a "band" type that the screw (7mm hex)
>goes through a threaded piece on the opposite side of the clamp. I just
Well I'm not about to fully argue the point, I like that the OEM Bus style
clamp Jim sells has a full circumferential band that prevents crimping the
hose, I don't like the fact that the screw rusts and they become annoying as
hell and I've seen them rust through at the nut to band junction. So a
better solution, McMaster-Carr sells the exact same style clamp in
galvanized or stainless steel for less than German prices (not to knock Jim,
I'm sure his price is great for OEM). They will be a SAE screw size and are
3/8" wide a bit wider than stockers but for full SST construction, hard to
beat I'd imagine, I may try them next time myself but have a couple boxes of
marine grade worm drive around so maybe not.
Installing my catalog shows.
range PN(galvanized) price per 10 PN(304 SST)
price per ten
25/64 to 31/64 53175K45 5.81 53175K65
9.82
7/16 to 17/32 53175K46 5.81 53175K66
9.82
15/32 to 9/16 53175K47 6.10 53175K67
9.95
33/64 to 39/64 53175K48 6.10 53175K68
9.95
Other sizes 15/64 to 11/16 are available these just seem to me probably
about right without looking at a piece of hose off hand (about 1/2" OD?)
I'm sure the galvanized would be equal to OEM in function and life, the
stainless should be the last clamp you need to buy at under $1 a pop. I've
seen these clamps, the edges aren't quite as rolled as the German clamp and
they are a bit wider but still are designed specifically not to crimp into a
soft hose and to clamp evenly. Quite nice.
The number I call for McMaster-Carr is (732)329-3200 for the NY Philly area
but there are local distribution centers all over. I believe their entire
hardware catalog is available in painstakeingly slow Adobe Acrobat form from
their WWW site, but is well worth it for any piece of hardware you ever
wanter (any size metric fastener by the piece, you can order anything the
sell by the piece usually including these clamps.) Getting a CD catalog
requires sainthood status (well they slipped when they put me on the list,)
getting a paper catalog (the bible) requires you to be at least a minor
deity, they typically give 5 catalogs a year to businesses doing $70M a year
and think they are giving too many out, that sort of thing.
www.mcmaster.com
do a KEYWORD search for "smooth-band clamps" on the WWW to see the clamp.
Anyway worth consideration for people wanting an incredible clamp.
I note the marine SST worm clamps are about the price of the galvanized
clamp above, the regular SST worm clamps about $3 the box, so decide what
you need. Still $25 for clamps for a van is cheep insurance. The clamp I'd
like to see Jim or any list supplier get is the little blue spring loaded
self tightening job that came out in about '90 or so and they used as
retrofit for fuel clamp (crimped) problems. I tried once to order these
from VW to no avail, never got me the right style, they are blue in color
and have neat little rolled over ends you press together then release.
John
janderson@iolinc.net
