Foretravel Owners' Forum

Gary Omel and I have had lots of discussion about fuel lines and our general dislike of the old Winn System on our 320s. He removed his and replaced it with a Winn Filter Head and Baldwin filter with separator and drain. He added isolation ball valves to maintain prime when replacing the filter. I had my 50' of Trident 5/8" ID line in hand ($120.00), but no fittings.
I had been planning to do that, and proactively run new fuel hose (main) to prepare to switch over. Last week I headed down to Gary's (and Sandy's) to do the deed. We got the filter done, but between the rain and trip to Lowes and Ace for parts there just wasn't enough time to contemplate the fuel line. Gary had expressed concern about reaching the tank fittings and I assured him that my coach (no AquaHot) had its tank penetrations very close to the passenger side (all 4 - two out, two return)
Unfortunately in flexing the input line to the filter, a small crack in the old hose became 'something more'. Gary has designed a fuel cap adapter to allow him to pressurize the tank and hoses. This allows you to vent the air from the lines and identify leaks. We had one about 3" back from the 'tank side' ball valve. Gary had some neat rubber sealing pads and applied them to the outside of the line after a thorough cleaning with carb cleaner. He taped it up well, We started the coach and I headed home in a driving rain with pinkies crossed. The need to replace the main line just moved to reactive.
Coach started the next day, and 4 days later it started and still ran fine. High fives all around!
So today I pulled the coach out of storage and drove it to the house. lifted one side about 3" and ran the coach all the way up to give me plenty of room under there. The difficult part of the pull on a 40 footer is last section before the axle. I had trouble trying to push my fish tools out from the bay across the tanks - they would jam right at the bulkhead penetration.
So I decided to go under and fish INTO the back bulkhead penetration and pull the hose back from the bay. No real issue pushing the fish tool through and into the bay. First try I was using a split ring with a tie wrap and when it jammed at the bulkhead the split ring unwound and launched its self into the distance. Pulled the hose back and tried again with two tie wraps - I was able to grab the tie wrap and pull the hoet through. The hard part was then feeding the host the rest of the way though three additional hose runs and over the rear air tank - following the original hose run.
The rear took one hour. By myself. If I had followed my intuition and double tie wrapped to begin with, it would have been 45 minutes. After that, I pulled the rest of the hose out of the box, dropped the cover in the forward bay and pushed the hose through by hand to the fuel tank bay. Since the hose still retained a tight curve it actually curved right out of the bay to the ground.
I used right about 30 feet. I have another hose to make up to go from the new filter assembly to the primary engine filter - that one actually looks worse.
End connectors will be the Anderson Barbed 5/8" swivel double flare - Amazon 7.66 each. Someone else recommended them. Put the end of the host in hot water for 30 seconds and push on.

Hopefully next week Gary and I can get together and finish this up...
For all you 'older coach' people - if your connections are close to the side of the tank like mine - you can do this, Just pulling the hose yourself with save you a ton of labor.

You didn't mention using electrical wire lube from Home Depot. You pulled it dry? I never would have made it on mine without it.

I thought about that - but the only hard spot was that rear bulkhead penetration. Since I only needed another 5 feet after that, it was simple... Plenty of room pointing forward - under 15 minutes.

Dave very good write up. I am curious in your write up you stated no aqua hot. Do you have Primus? 

  If you think Dave got " A LITTLE DIRTY " on this job,,,,,,,,,,  Just wait until next month when we pull fuel lines on my 42' 2000. 
  Gary O

Aquahot was still an option in 95. The original owner (also the owner of Tiger Run in Colorado) didn't want it, so it has propane heat. He also spec'd a jake brake and deleted the side overhead cabinets in the living room and bed room, spec'd all ginger oak floor (even in the bedroom) and deleted window awnings. All waterlines are wrapped in heat tape. The leather is dark green making it very 'den like'. A very custom coach - not perfect, but we love it.

Thanks Dave sounds very unique.

I'll bring the popcorn!!!  :))

If you and Dave need to practice before you tackle that 42 footer, I can bring you a nice 36 footer to practice on. :))  :))  :))
 Bill