M
You would need a fitting but as long as you tied on the engine side of your thermostat it would be the same difference really. You might want a valve to shut off the flow.
M5
M5
Coolant heated handle bars
- Thread starter M5-
- Start date
M
Partially installed on a KTM XCW...On the top end I'm going behind the bars, between clamps with two 45 degree brass elbow barbs. The inlet and outlet will both angle downwards. I'm thinking the fittings could angle off to either the left or right then spiral loop both flex hoses as a pair around the front of the steering column, behind the headlight mask to the opposite side, where both hoses will tuck behind the radiator to and route downward to their respective connections below. This way the hoses will do a spiral on their way down making them more naturally flexible. Trying to avoid restricting my steering action as I plan to leave the whole set up installed all year long (hand heat for those colder, wet fall days as well).
The alternative to this would be to flex one hose to the left and one to the right but both still starting behind the bars is preferred rather than starting them facing them forward, which would put the hoses right into the back of my headlight mask and odo, also competing for real estate with the brake and clutch hose routing.
The alternative to this would be to flex one hose to the left and one to the right but both still starting behind the bars is preferred rather than starting them facing them forward, which would put the hoses right into the back of my headlight mask and odo, also competing for real estate with the brake and clutch hose routing.
K
If that is vinyl tubing you opted to use I would strongly reccomend you reconsider. It's usually rated with an upper temp limit around 120F if I remember correctly.
M
I was hesitant about that but this tubing was recommended in the first page of this post. It's apparently rated to 150 deg. F according to McMaster Carr's website (or 250 psi @ 72F). I know temperatures can get above 150 when it boils but I'm hoping the winter will keep it cooler. Pressures should never get over 30 psi with my rad cap relief valve.
I wanted to be able to see the fluid in the line and to be able to monitor the air bubbles etc. so hoping it will work...anyone?
I wanted to be able to see the fluid in the line and to be able to monitor the air bubbles etc. so hoping it will work...anyone?
N
Ha broken taps... hate em. Id say you had a very very dull tap.
As far as the line goes I used Fuel injection hose from WPS. 22-0061CL Zero issues so far and Ive been running it for 3 years now.
Besides the look isnt as clean why dont you guys just tap your bars out by the handgrips for your fittings? It would eliminate the tube in the bars and the epoxy. And dont tell me it weakens the bars to much because that is BS.
As far as the line goes I used Fuel injection hose from WPS. 22-0061CL Zero issues so far and Ive been running it for 3 years now.
Besides the look isnt as clean why dont you guys just tap your bars out by the handgrips for your fittings? It would eliminate the tube in the bars and the epoxy. And dont tell me it weakens the bars to much because that is BS.
M
Newduck, on page 2 post #32 of this thread you suggested:
wps 12-7130, wps 22-0061cl or mcmaster 52375k12
I ordered the clear vinyl McMaster hose with nylon reinforcement so that I can see the coolant. Have you tried the clear hose already or just the fuel injection hose? I'm thinking I'll also put a 1/4 shut off in case there's a leak at the beginning (and to throttle the heat if needed down the road). However, up in Ontario we're still fighting the Indians it seems...can't find either the Motion Pro or the Raider shut off valves at Crappy Tire or Princess Auto. Do any Canucks out there know where I can get these light weight 1/4 turn valves or a similar one that allows unrestricted flow?
wps 12-7130, wps 22-0061cl or mcmaster 52375k12
I ordered the clear vinyl McMaster hose with nylon reinforcement so that I can see the coolant. Have you tried the clear hose already or just the fuel injection hose? I'm thinking I'll also put a 1/4 shut off in case there's a leak at the beginning (and to throttle the heat if needed down the road). However, up in Ontario we're still fighting the Indians it seems...can't find either the Motion Pro or the Raider shut off valves at Crappy Tire or Princess Auto. Do any Canucks out there know where I can get these light weight 1/4 turn valves or a similar one that allows unrestricted flow?
N
Have not ran the mcmaster style only the fuel injection hose(which is clear also) but you should be ok. Take everything's top rating and add 30% right?
This is the stuff I used in the first pic. Second pic shows what I meant about just running the fitting towards the grip. Would of gone closer but there was already a hole right there.
This is the stuff I used in the first pic. Second pic shows what I meant about just running the fitting towards the grip. Would of gone closer but there was already a hole right there.
M
Being you are in Toronto you should be able to get anything you want or need. Let your fingers do the walking for industrial hydraulic hose suppliers and manufacturers. There must be a ton of them, there are 1/2 a dozen here in Calgary which will make hoses to any spec. I've had all kinds of lines made up over the years. Forget about retail like PA or HD or CT industrial is where its at. Spend the money and get a set of proper lines made up it won't be very much and they won't fail when you least want them to. JMO.
M5
Edit, this is who I use
https://www.greenlinehose.com/
They are in Toronto as well
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M
My guess is that the coolant (heatant :face-icon-small-win in this case) will work its way around and probably heat up the bar ends around the grips almost but perhaps not quite as well as you've done. As long as they're warm I'd rather have the hose discretely tucked out of harms way and keep the handlebars cleaner for other things like clamps for the hand guards etc. as I do want to keep them hooked up year round.
M5, yes, I can get whatever custom stuff I want up here in the big smoke and I am well connected to lots of industrial supply and machine shops but when it comes to shelf items like those valves all of a sudden it gets harder to source. Any of the industrial solutions are always more bulky and heavier whereas bike stuff like the Raider and Motion Pro valves are locked up by hungry distributors that mark everything up by 100% or more. Everyone one wants their take which is understandable but when it ups the consumer price to 2 or 3x ...amazon.ca lists those $14 Walmart valves for $93. That's ok though, us NICE Canadians don't mind paying the piper as long as we apologise in the process. :face-icon-small-con If I drive one hour south to Niagara Falls I can get those valves in Walmart or Home Depot but not up here for some reason.
M5, yes, I can get whatever custom stuff I want up here in the big smoke and I am well connected to lots of industrial supply and machine shops but when it comes to shelf items like those valves all of a sudden it gets harder to source. Any of the industrial solutions are always more bulky and heavier whereas bike stuff like the Raider and Motion Pro valves are locked up by hungry distributors that mark everything up by 100% or more. Everyone one wants their take which is understandable but when it ups the consumer price to 2 or 3x ...amazon.ca lists those $14 Walmart valves for $93. That's ok though, us NICE Canadians don't mind paying the piper as long as we apologise in the process. :face-icon-small-con If I drive one hour south to Niagara Falls I can get those valves in Walmart or Home Depot but not up here for some reason.
M
I bought 1/4" 1/4 turn ball valves at Fort Garry which sells stuff for 18 wheelers, mine are for air brakes but also rated for fuel so antifreeze won't be an issue. 10 bucks per. There must be a Fort Garry or Kenworth or ??? shop. Skidoo made a nice valve for their carbed sleds, not sure what they cost or if they are still available. Do you have Gregs Distributers there?
M5
M5
M
Has anyone tried this temperature gauge:
http://www.gnarlyparts.ca/Tusk-High-Pressure-Radiator-Cap-with-Temperature-Gauge_p_2571.html
I like analogue gauges but I wonder if it's the best place to check your temperature - right on the top of the radiator?
http://www.gnarlyparts.ca/Tusk-High-Pressure-Radiator-Cap-with-Temperature-Gauge_p_2571.html
I like analogue gauges but I wonder if it's the best place to check your temperature - right on the top of the radiator?
I'm generally a fan of Rocky Mtn ATV/MC and Tusk products, but I tried this radiator cap on my 500 EXC and it didn't work at all. Out of the box, it was impossible to get it to twist all the way on. So I put just enough of a bend on the two tabs so I could get the cap installed. But then it leaked badly when the coolant temp was only up to 120 or so. I went back to the stock cap along with a Trail Tech temp gauge and haven't had any trouble since. But this was the only time that I've ever had any issues with a Tusk product, and I know that there are plenty of guys who use this cap and like it.
I live by tusk products but im with you on this one. I thought it would be a good idea for temperature redundancy. About 5 miles from the truck i was overheating and my coolant was gone. Luckily snow is water but had to be real careful getting back to the truck. Figured i just got a bad one. Works like a charm on my Yz250x. (Different cap)
M
By the sound of it it seems that the problem was with the fit of the caps you guys tried. This one fits nicely but it is tight on my KTM 300 XCW. We will take the stock caps as redundancy on the first ride to make sure the Tusk unit does not leak and let us down.
Yes. It will probably work fine. Im sure 98%of them do. I carried my stocker around on my summer bike for a few rides too. Thing was though, mine seemed to fit just fine. No problem going on and seemed to havd a good seal. Just bring your stocker for the first ride or two.
K
I want to know my coolant temp immediately as it exits the cylinder head. Seeing my top tank temps are of little interest since I run a t-stat. Plus it is further away and can be much cooler.
Does the cap pressure match what you currently have on your bike?
M
Actually, I got the (29,5 psi) 2 bar pressure relief spring under this gauge. The stock cap is approx. 1.8 bar (1.8 x 14.7psi = 26.5psi) or there about. Not concerned about the exact temperature, just wanted to monitor it for comparison (at a quick glance) and figured as it is at the top it would indeed be a little cooler than the hose at the cylinder exit.
As I was boiling over often in the summer, I thought a little more hold down on the cap would be better?
I sill have not figured out where the best points to T my two handle bar hoses into the system. I have the stock KTM 300 thermostat. I'm thinking one T at the cylinder exit and the other T going back into the pump. The logic being this would partially bypass the radiators and keep the engine heat higher in the winter. A 1/4 turn valve would put all flow back into the radiators for summer conditions.
As I was boiling over often in the summer, I thought a little more hold down on the cap would be better?
I sill have not figured out where the best points to T my two handle bar hoses into the system. I have the stock KTM 300 thermostat. I'm thinking one T at the cylinder exit and the other T going back into the pump. The logic being this would partially bypass the radiators and keep the engine heat higher in the winter. A 1/4 turn valve would put all flow back into the radiators for summer conditions.
Did you use a power drill to drive your pipe tap?? Thats your first mistake if thats what you did use a normal tap holder wrench and cutting fluid and you shouldnt break any taps
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M
The milling machine set up was only to square up the drilled hole and start the tap so that everything was parallel. After turning the chuck by hand just to start both taps so that it was square, I then took the bars out of the vise and used a t handle to tap deeper which is when the tap broke. I find the 7075 is really tough even with lots of tapping fluid. Luckily, the tap was not too deep when it broke so I was able to salvage the hole and tap deeper but one should beware of tapping for pipe fittings in the bars. Turned out fine in the end.
