I have a set of Maguras which needed both hoses changing - the main one was too short to reach the front of a T7 and the crossover tube had a leak. So, I bought a service kit which included some plastic hose, a bunch of fittings, blood and syringe; everything I could wish for.
The main hose was easy enough to change as there are olives on each end. The crossover cable, however, pushes over ‘fir trees’ or barbed connectors. To say that this is tight is an understatement. the plastic hose is not very flexible at all, so my first thought was to immerse it in hot water to soften it up. Then I tried it in constantly boiling water for about 10 minutes, but it still wouldn’t push on. I have tried wafting around a lighter flame, and that can get me on one branch of the fir tree, but it seems impossible to heat it evenly enough to go any more without burning through or buckling it.
I am sure I can’t be the first person to have this problem, but searching on google implies that I am! Has anyone here been able to overcome this problem (without resorting to braided hoses), or have you got any suggestions how I could go about doing it?
i’ve never done it on the maguras but my experience elsewhere suggests a hairdryer is in order, no doubt with your flowing locks you will have one about the house somewhere.
It’s a while since I did this but I remember that there was a two part plastic block in the kit to hold the hose and it needs to be in a vice. It is a tight fit and without the block it’d be very difficult if not impossible but with the block I didn’t have any problems. Did you get the block in the kit?
My flowing locks went about 6 years ago However, I’ve never been the owner of a hair dryer.
logic tells me though that the temperature from a hair dryer would be lower than that of boiling water - unless hair dryer manufacturers get sued for scalp burns more often than I know about?
This is from memory (not as reliable nowadays) but I think the most essential tool in a toolbox will be required - a hammer - I doubt pushing will get it on.
I used a hammer and remember being frustrated. I’d read that you shouldn’t heat the hose (my inclination, too). A friend of mine, though, was smart and didn’t heat the hose, he heated the fir-tree (great description, btw) fitting with a blowtorch, and the hose slid on quite easily–no leaks or anything. You could try that, if you have some spare hose (in case it doesn’t work for you).
I didnt get mine on all the way but I got it on th majority of the way (its not leaking so its seems to be good enough) Me and my brother struggled for ages. We heater the fir tree part on the hob over the blue flame and also heated the pipe. After a few attemps the pipe begins to open and then after a while it should go on. It wasnt eas and it took two of us quite a while, I cant believe theres not an easier way.
I would imagine he means to heat it so much that it melts the plastic hose as it goes in, then sets when it all cools down. That would probably work.
Spencer: That white plastic block is intended to hold the hose while you whack the “fir tree” in. I’ve only ever done it once (we’ve got a set of Maggies on our tandem), and it’s not at all easy even with the block, a vice and a hammer. I’d be tempted to try the hot fir tree method if it’s been proven to work - and anyway it’s not so critical if it leaks on a unicycle as you can still brake with your legs if you have to and aren’t going to be applying big braking pressure anyway.
I’d be very cautious about using heat as it’ll probably not do the materials any good, in fact I didn’t use heat and managed fine.
Rob’s right, it’s not so crucial on a unicycle or at least not normally but when mine leaked all the fluid out I was near the top of Ben Nevis with two more mountains to go and both of my hip flexors strained - I really needed a brake then
Point taken Gary - not a good time for a failure! I just meant that doing unorthodox things that seem to work is not as risky on a unicycle - I certainly wouldn’t fancy doing that with the tandem.
Thanks guys! Once you know what you should be doing it isn’t exactly difficult, but I could have been there for months working out what to do! Not that it was a piece of cake though, because even when the hose is very securely clamped, you still have to make sure that the fir trees go in dead strait, otherwise they rip through the side. All sorted now though.
A bit late, but maybe it’ll help someone who runs into the same situation. I picked up some Maguras on eBay, they arrived yesterday, including a manual. Here’s a scan of the repair page:
That’s really neat and simple. I like that. (I assume you mean the spoke through the fitting thing? Not the custom machines ally clamp? Although I like that too!)
However, I’ve never been the owner of a hair dryer.
