Any tips/tricks to get neoprene onto plastic drinking tube?

[ShinyPartsUp]

SPU, just a thought, but did you check for direction of assembly arrows on the tube ?
You might be trying to push it in the wrong end . Jus' a suggestin'

:eh-smiley:

Huh?

I got the neoprene onto the clear tubing no problem.

No way to hook the clear and the rigid tubing together... of course I could just use the clear tubing....

Cant' put the bottles on the footpegs, anyway. They'll fit nicely, but that's exactally where I put my feet down... on my Harley! No more FJR.. (

I'll strap the bottles to my luggage, tho, the colors wont' match anymore... blue and yellow way cool bottles.. red Harley... oh well... )

thanks

Mary

the Skyway kit came with a connector.

SPU, just a thought, but did you check for direction of assembly arrows on the tube ?
You might be trying to push it in the wrong end . Jus' a suggestin'

:eh-smiley:

You have to be shatting me, right? Going to look now.

No direction of assembly marks. Merely some print saying it is thermally safe to 160 degrees repeated over and over on the tubing. Nothing on the neoprene. Got fed up and looked for an easier way while I continue to prep for my long ride. Found this on a couple sites and awaiting delivery. Worth $15 if it is hassle free (IMHO). If it doesn't fit, I'll struggle some more with the tubing.

Camel back thermal tubing kit

My only concern is the internal diameter and whether it will hook onto the hard tubing and connector supplied by Skyway, but I can jury rig something workable I think.

 

[krashdragon]

"the Skyway kit came with a connector."

Oh, guess I'll have to go look for one. Mine does not have that connector.

thanks

mary

 

[Wrenchtwistr]

Maybe try the compressed air trick... plug one end of the neoprene end and clamp. start the tube inside it and add compressed air (low pressure)to the other end of the tube as you push it in... as a side bonus you might get some interesting sound effects...

Wrench

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

For all peeps that like cheap solutions, look the other way. But this is what I did and what I would recommend for the lazy or time-limited.

Here is the polypropelene connector suitable for fluids I bought at the local hardware store for < $1:

Here is the skyway tubing on the left and the purchased insulated camelback tubing kit (on the right) as described in an earlier post for $15 + S&H:

I trimmed the skyway hose and used the 2 feet I had forced neoprene onto. Also trimmed the flexible blue UN-insulated tubing off the purchased kit. As shown here:

Here I have connected the sections together and it is ready for insertion into the Rubbermaid bucket. Total length is about 73 inches with the insulated bite valve from the purchased kit. I am keeping the other bite valve in case I want to swap.:

If I was to start from scratch I would purchase two of the insulated tubing kits and connect them, thus saving (for me) hours of futility trying to feed neoprene onto plastic.

Just thought I'd share my solution.

Edit: Here is a link to the insulated kit I bought. I saw it at another vendor for the same price later. A search may find it other places as well. I have no financial or personal interest in the vendor: Camelback Thermal Control Kit

 

[garyahouse]

Hmmm, let's see: slit the neoprene tubing from one end to the other, slip in the hose through it, and wrap the entire length with one continuous length of electrical tape.

OK, dumb idea.

I did like the air nozzle idea as well. It's worked for me in some applications, but I've never tried this one. Maybe wrap a twistie tie around the end of the neoprene. Stick the tube in the same end of the neoprene until it gets stuck. Plug the other end of the tube so air won't pass through it. Hook up an air nozzle to the other end of the neoprene and "blow it up" like a balloon. Slip the hose in place. Same way we get hand grips off, but in reverse.

These ideas may sound like they'll never work, but if ya try enough ideas that sound dumb, sooner or later, one of them does indeed... work.

Just guessing around.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[johnny80s]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

 

[SacramentoMike]

Just soak the neoprene in water till it's good and wet clean through. Put a cork in one end and pump up the other with a bicycle pump till it's expanded nice and fat. Then plug the other end and put it in the freezer. Grease the hose and just slip it up inside the frozen expanded neoprene tube. What the heck could be easier than that?

It's like the farmer who stopped by the local mechanic to have his truck fixed. They couldn't do it while he waited, so he said he didn't live far and would just walk home… On the way he stopped at the hardware store and bought a bucket and a gallon of paint. He then stopped by the feed store and picked up a couple of chickens and a goose.

However, struggling outside the store he now had a problem – how to carry all of his purchases home. While he was scratching his head he was approached by a little old lady who told him she was lost. She asked, "Can you tell me how to get to 1313 Mockingbird Lane ?"

The farmer said, "Well, as a matter of fact, my farm is very close to that house. I would walk you there, but I.m not able to carry all of this." The old lady suggested, "Why don't you put the can of paint in the bucket. Carry the bucket in one hand, put a chicken under each arm and carry the goose in your other hand?"

"Why, thank you very much, he said, and proceeded to walk the old lady home. On the way he says, "Let's take a short cut and go down this alley. We'll be there in no time."

The little old lady looked him over cautiously, then said, "I am a lonely widow without a husband to defend me. How do I know that when we get in the alley you won't hold me up against the wall, pull up my skirt, and have your way with me?"

The farmer said, "Holy smokes lady! I'm carrying a bucket, a gallon of paint, two chickens and a goose. How in the world could I possibly hold you up against the wall and do that?"

The old lady replied, "Set the goose down, cover him with the bucket, put the paint on top of the bucket, and I'll hold the chickens…."

 

[HotRodZilla]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

No kidding...I didn't even know this thread existed. What's funny though, is I went through this fiasco back in January. I have a 100oz CamelBak Mule that I use when I ride dirt. It is the only CamelBak I have that has a neoprene sleeve over the drink tube. When I cleaned it last, I knew I wouldn't be using it for a while, so I took it all apart, and removed the neoprene cover to wash it out and remove all the dust. Taking it off was easy.

What I didn''t know was putting the cover back on was a whole other story. I finally greased the tube up with soap and slid the sleeve on. It worked pretty well, but was more work than I had expected. I'm pretty sure I'll never take it off the tube again though.

I woulda never thought of soaking it, filling it with air and freezing it. I didn't know it would hold air long enough for that to actually work.

 

[RadioHowie]

4 years late to the party, but in my business, we're always wrapping wires with neoprene "sleeves" for insulation and protection. We use "Armor All". Nothing makes plastic and artificial rubber slicker than "Armor All". Works every time.

 

[beemerdons]

4 years late to the party, but in my business, we're always wrapping wires with neoprene "sleeves" for insulation and protection. We use "Armor All". Nothing makes plastic and artificial rubber slicker than "Armor All". Works every time.

I've got to tell you RH, I sure as Hell sure do miss our Shiny's threads! I love him like the Irish Brother that he is to me, but I swear to Jesus that this lad could feck up a bowling ball.

I am just waiting until April Fool's Day to resurrect his Rotella oil thread, that FJR Forum Beauty is so much more Classic than War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy!

 

[302]

OK, so I bought a Skyway hydration system a long time ago and I finally got around to putting it on the bike. The install is going well this afternoon -- until the instructions say to slide the several feet of neoprene insulation tubing over the plastic drinking tube. I've tried some PAM on the drinking tube, but after 30 minutes only about 6 inches are in. (That was an opening for ODOT and friends). <img src="https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" " border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Any tips to make it easier to slide in, from those who have done it before? (That was opening number two for miscreants).

Serious suggestions preferred, but some humor allowed. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" " border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

TIA

Compressed air.

 

[Mike Aldea]

Hmmm, let's see: slit the neoprene tubing from one end to the other, slip in the hose through it, and wrap the entire length with one continuous length of electrical tape.
OK, dumb idea.

<snip>

Gary

darksider #44

Actually the only possible dumb part might have been the wrapping with electrical tape. In my experience electrical tape will eventually start to come loose when exposed to weather.

Instead, go to your local dive shop or REI and buy some of the rubber neoprene cement used for wetsuit repairs to seal the slit in the neoprene. The neoprene will tear before the rubber cement bond breaks open so you never have to worry about it coming apart.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Hmmm, let's see: slit the neoprene tubing from one end to the other, slip in the hose through it, and wrap the entire length with one continuous length of electrical tape.OK, dumb idea.

Gary

darksider #44

Actually the only possible dumb part might have been the wrapping with electrical tape. In my experience electrical tape will eventually start to come loose when exposed to weather.

Instead, go to your local dive shop or REI and buy some of the rubber neoprene cement used for wetsuit repairs to seal the slit in the neoprene. The neoprene will tear before the rubber cement bond breaks open so you never have to worry about it coming apart.

Hell,if you're gonna do that, just use a few small zip-ties up the length of the tube. Then you can just cut them off whenever you wanna remove the tube again.

 

[Chuck35]

I install these under running water. It must work pretty well as I don't recall battling nearly as hard as described above.

 

[luvtoride]

Holy old thread resurrection Batman!