1950 EL Gas Tank Crossover Line

[41craig]

Are all aftermarket gas lines bend to fit ? Or, does anyone make replacement lines that installs without any trouble ? I'm trying to button up this bike and the line that I bought a few years ago from Deluxe H-D Restorations doesn't want to go on. At the same time, I bought a pair of Peek manifold seals that just dropped on with NO interference. I tried to do a bubble test and I didn't need the soapy water. As soon as I put a little air to it, you could here the air leaking. The same happened after I tried to tighten the nuts further. This is with an N.O.S. intake. Luckily I found an N.O.S. ( or close ) pair of seals in one of my boxes. Back to the original question. I have a nice, new paint job on the tanks and don't want to bugger them up.
Craig

[Rubone]

I doubt you will find anything that fits right off, even NOS factory lines aren't a perfect fit due to variances in tank mounting. All the more reason why a "COMPLETE" dry build is important. Fit first, paint later.

[exeric]

If your cross over line is cad plated, you should be able to work it to fit. If it's chrome, it probably won't work. At worst, you could bend your own line from copper tubing, and use the fittings from the reproduction. This is the stuff that comes up when you build a bike; but you really have to take your hat off to the original manufacturer that built thousands of motorcycles and spare parts that did fit. In defense of aftermarket; they take their best guess at decades old Harleys that have been horribly messed with.

[41craig]

Robbie; I bought this bike from the family of the original owner. It was a daily rider. It was pretty much original, except for the headlight, front tins, and wheels. I think he or a family member took it to a "shop" for something and was talked into putting shiny stuff on it including a chrome crossover line. I didn't think that the crossover line would be a problem. I put a repop line on my ULH over 20 years ago and it just needed a little tweak.

Eric; It's cad plated. The U-bend is in the wrong place. I'm going to work with it.
Craig

[Chris Haynes]

I. At worst, you could bend your own line from copper tubing, and use the fittings from the reproduction. .

In most states it is illegal to use copper for a fuel line. Vibration causes it to break.

[Rubone]

Are you sure you weren't sent one for a Knucklehead? Bend would be wrong.

[exeric]

In most states it is illegal to use copper for a fuel line. Vibration causes it to break.

That may be the case, Chris; but properly brazed, or soldered fittings on copper tubing are very durable. I've seen half-assed steel fuel lines fail and I attribute that to the fabricator. This conversation could quickly go way beyond my knowledge of metallurgy so I'll bail out now

[T. Cotten]

I routinely cut up "Twist-Worthy" brake lines, Folks!

Always easy to form, a breeze to soft-solder, and looked the way they should.

Probably extinct, too.

....Cotten

[41craig]

Are you sure you weren't sent one for a Knucklehead? Bend would be wrong.

Robbie; This is what I have and it doesn't look like a Knucklehead line.CIMG1459.JPGCIMG1460.JPG
Craig

[exeric]

The cross-over lines I've bought from Old Dude have the strain relief circle more in the center, and that is what you see in the H-D Spare Parts book.

[41craig]

I bought this line thinking it will be better than a V-Twin "replica" line. Now I'm thinking that I paid retail for a V-Twin part. Not good, because I'm a V-Twin Dealer. I'm trying to tweak the line. The problem is the circle is hitting the left leg of the frame. If it becomes too much of a problem I may check with Old Dude's son. I believe that he is running the show these days.
Craig

[Rubone]

Robbie; This is what I have and it doesn't look like a Knucklehead line.[ATTACH=CONFIG]25946[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]25947[/ATTACH]
Craig

Your right, it doesn't. It also doesn't look like any H-D line ever...Like some kind of bastard child of a Hydra-Glide and Duo-Glide line...

[41craig]

I'm not a Pan guy, so I depend on reputable vendors to sell me something that I can work with. Evidently this piece of crap needs some work. Nobody ever said that it would be easy !
Craig

[41craig]

Well, after a lot of @*#@ ( foul language ) trying to make the line I bought fit. I got lazy and bought what Tedd calls a '48 only line. And sure enough, it won't even get close to working. The circle bend interferes with the horn which in 1949 moved to the front frame legs. Attached is a pic of the '49-'56 line on top, that I will go back to trying to make fit. Center is the 1948 line. And the bottom line is what came on the bike that the OEM shutoff rod seat will not slip through.CIMG1461.JPGCIMG1462.JPG The second pic is the Eaton fitting on the top 2 lines.
Craig

[Robert Luland]

Craig, Stop wasting your time. All those cross over lines are made in Dennis Corso's kitchen no matter where you get them, there is only one company making them. Work with what you have. Bob L