Hi guys,

I have quite an old LF NV and my strut hoses have all started to split.

They are just held on by zip ties which I can get from work. Any chance I could just buy some new rubber tube from Clark Rubber or Bunnings? Or will I have to buy a hose kite from a kite shop?

Cheers

I have used the clear vinyl pipe in the hoses section of bumrings on Fone kites for that exact job

The hoses on older North kites looks exactly the same as the exercise tubing sold by Clark Rubber so I used that and it seems to be holding up fine. I don't think you need to buy kite specific hose.

Check your pouches as you may have spares hidden in bag, if not fuel line pipe is a better quality than standard Bunnings hose, check your internal diameter as some tube walls are a lot thicker
decent ties also some have poor uv quality, when you snip the waste from ties be sure to make sure no sharp edges as it'll pierce the canopy, you can put them on to avoid this and cover with rubber tubing

Sweet, cheers for the help everyone!

Hi buddy - where are you based?
If in WA then give me a shout as I have the two main diameters in stock at my workshop here in Perth.
Ryan
The Sail Doctor

Fuel pump lines from supercheap or repco...with bigger internal diameters work well and close to home.

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towradgi said..
Fuel pump lines from supercheap or repco...with bigger internal diameters work well and close to home.

Fuel pump lines were not as flexible, I ended up buying a "hand spear" rubber for $10 from local bait & tackle shop, slightly thinner internal diameter but worked perfectly and $10 was enough for 4 strut hoses.

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towradgi said..
Fuel pump lines from supercheap or repco...with bigger internal diameters work well and close to home.

I took this advice and put some on but it seems the thickness of it is putting pressure on the valve nipple as it is bending it sideways. Time will tell if you're right as i suspect it may make the nipple fall off as I have had so many nipples tear off on my valves (even on replaced valves only a year old). The thickness of the tube walls didn't effect how well the tubing stuck to the nipple.

Te hehehe

...nipple

The fuel lines in hindsight may be to stiff in practise..however , coiled garden hose does bend easy for folding kite purpose , as long as diameter is O.K. for nipple...Has anyone tried this ?

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Scottymitcho said..
Hi guys,

I have quite an old LF NV and my strut hoses have all started to split.

They are just held on by zip ties which I can get from work. Any chance I could just buy some new rubber tube from Clark Rubber or Bunnings? Or will I have to buy a hose kite from a kite shop?

Cheers

Not sure what others have said, but Clark Rubber is definitely the place to go for those rubbers. You can buy them by the meter. Look for the 8mm to 10mm varieties to suite your valve. Also a bit of Vaseline on them keeps them lasting for years.
The harder PVC tubes from Bunnings are not really suitable as the crimp clamps are hard pressed to hold the tube shut.

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towradgi said..
Fuel pump lines from supercheap or repco...with bigger internal diameters work well and close to home.

Hmm no.

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NorthernKitesAUS said..

Scottymitcho said..
Hi guys,

I have quite an old LF NV and my strut hoses have all started to split.

They are just held on by zip ties which I can get from work. Any chance I could just buy some new rubber tube from Clark Rubber or Bunnings? Or will I have to buy a hose kite from a kite shop?

Cheers

Not sure what others have said, but Clark Rubber is definitely the place to go for those rubbers. You can buy them by the meter. Look for the 8mm to 10mm varieties to suite your valve. Also a bit of Vaseline on them keeps them lasting for years.
The harder PVC tubes from Bunnings are not really suitable as the crimp clamps are hard pressed to hold the tube shut.

^^^ This advice is right. The Clark Rubber hose was identical to the tubing on my 2012 North Vegas that I replaced - works out about 1/3 of the cost of the kits from the kite manufacturers. Thanks for the suggestion about using Vaseline.

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towradgi said..





The fuel lines in hindsight may be to stiff in practise..however , coiled garden hose does bend easy for folding kite purpose , as long as diameter is O.K. for nipple...Has anyone tried this ?

Ugh, he says that now after I spent an hour and a half getting them and putting them on. Should of just gone sail doctor/clark rubber.

Hey drewpweiner !!! Yeah clarke rubber hoses are pretty good and vaseline too
hope u got this message in time ..i raced to type it in

Good luck..

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timmybuddhadude said..
Hey drewpweiner !!! Yeah clarke rubber hoses are pretty good and vaseline too
hope u got this message in time ..i raced to type it in

Good luck..

Yeah thanks, I went to clark rubber and bought some and will now have to go and remove the fuel lines.. This is the last time I unassumingly trust someones opinion on seabreeze and run with it.. Always got to get multiple opinions first!

Hi Drew sorry your upset...my advice was written 1 year ago , no one disputed it till now , it worked for a mates kite as long as the nipple fitted the diameter easy and he folded kite without stressing hoses and nipples.

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towradgi said..
Hi Drew sorry your upset...my advice was written 1 year ago , no one disputed it till now , it worked for a mates kite as long as the nipple fitted the diameter easy and he folded kite without stressing hoses and nipples.

No worries champ :) i'm glad now because hopefully our posts will help others

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Scottymitcho said..
Hi guys,

I have quite an old LF NV and my strut hoses have all started to split.

They are just held on by zip ties which I can get from work. Any chance I could just buy some new rubber tube from Clark Rubber or Bunnings? Or will I have to buy a hose kite from a kite shop?

Cheers

Yes m8.
Clark rubber has tube by the metre.
Years ago it was grey.
I don't know what it's list usage is but it works great for replacing strut tubes on your old fav kites.
Dont worry about vasilene.
Any grease on your kite will pick up all sorts of crap.
Just heat the kettle up and dip it in some hot water.
This works fine.