Pitot hose replacement in J-3

[stang43]

Hey Folks,
I've got a Pitot hose isse; Its dry rotted and needs to be replaced. The problem is i've got a small hole (1.5 inch) in the wing where the pitot tube comes out of the jury strut and meets the rotten hose. I took the wing fairing off assuming i'd see the old rubber tube come out of the wing root and into the interior of the aircraft. Only thats not what I saw. A rubber tube runs from the ASI up along the windshield tube then turns back into a copper tube. This copper tube disappears into a really small whole in the fabric of the wing root. So my question is, how do I fish a new one? My guess is to open up the hole at the wing root so I can attach a new rubber hose thats big enough so I can push it through to the jury strut then just patch it when i'm done. Anybody have any better ideas? What perplexes me is that I can't see the situation inside the wing as the pitot hose is in front of the spar so access panels in the wing don't reveal anything. Its all in front of the spar so I feel like i'm doing orthoscopic surgery!!

 

[skywagon8a]

Just a couple of thoughts.
Go to the local ACE for a piece of plastic tubing which will fit inside the copper tube. It will be small diameter. Try to fish it through until it comes out of the wing. Then using various sizes of tubing couple it up to the jury strut tube. The diameter of this tube is not important as there is no flow through the tube. It is only a pressure sensor.

OR

Perhaps you can fish a piece of stiff piano wire through the wing then snagging the end pulling it through the hole. Then use this to pull a new tube through.

 

[cubdriver2]

http://www.harborfreight.com/mercha...-33-ft-fiberglass-wire-running-kit-65326.html

Glenn

 

[tempdoug]

If you have to open up the hole in the wing root a little, use some tinnermans and make a nice little aluminum cover with a grommet. Same above the jury strut.

 

[cruiser]

Glue an inspection ring on adjacent to the pitot tube. Cut the hole. Replace the hose, it is only a few inches long. Put a cover on the hole.

 

[cubdriver2]

You should be able to remove the left front wing root fairing and push that fish tape out to the jury strut to pull in a new tubing ?

Glenn

 

[Longwinglover]

In the attached picture the copper tubing you see has been replaced with aluminum tubing. This picture is looking down from the top of the wing, front side of the spar. The nuts are on the jury strut attach fitting. Your copper tubing SHOULD extend through the lower fabric and your rotten rubber tube is slipped over the tubing stub and the tubing stub on the jury strut. The rubber tubing does (should) not run the distance inside the wing. The rubber tubing should in reality only be a couple inches long...

John Scott

 

[stang43]

John
I think you're right. I haven't actually been able to see in there but will hold my iPhone camera up to the hole in the wing root and should be able to get an idea. This means i'll most likely have to open up that hole at the jury strut so i can put an all new piece between the two.

 

[cubdriver2]

John
I think you're right. I haven't actually been able to see in there but will hold my iPhone camera up to the hole in the wing root and should be able to get an idea. This means i'll most likely have to open up that hole at the jury strut so i can put an all new piece between the two.

Couple long hemostats and some light

Glenn