Fuel line decision

Time for me to make a decision on fuel line. Maybe you guys can help me decide.
Originally I was going to spend some $$ and get braided stainless hose, AN fittings, and go to town with the fancy stuff. The more I think about it, I'm wondering if I should just use regular 3/8" rubber hose. If I use good hose clamps at each end and support the hose with Adel clamps, I should get a good life span on the fuel line. I also thought about using 3/8" aluminum or steel hard line for the stretch along the frame. I'm thinking the fewer the connections, the fewer chances for a leak. The black fuel line is available almost anywhere and easy to repair on the trail. But then, the fancy stuff and the AN fittings should last forever. ????

 

Steel line. Cheap, strong, durable.

Buy the highest quality rubber hose you can find for the short lengths that connect the steel to the tank and pump.

Long lengths of rubber hose is just asking for a fire. DAMHIK - not my car, but a total loss.

 

Fires are bad, no long stretches of rubber hose for me. Thanks for the advice Tim.

 

As Tim suggests, long length(s) of steel line, properly secured and insulated on the frame, then short rubber lengths near the tank and fuel pump. You can run steel from the pump to the carb as well, installing fuel filters in the rubber hoses.
my 0.2 worth.

 

I would even consider using some of the newer plastic fuel line. With the ethanol in the gas holding moisture and causing all kinds of fuel system problems, like corroding and rusting fuel lines and tanks an filters, plastic seems like a viable option. Local news channel recently did a story on all the hassles the new gasolines are causing. Very interesting. Changing the game to some degree IMO. My truck will get a plastic tank and lines when I get around to it.

 

Steel or aluminum lines. I recently had a short section of rubber hose on the return side start leaking. It was quality stuff from NAPA. Was only 5 years old and the outer rubber layer was completely checkered. Really an eye opener, I've had rubber fuel line last far longer.

 

Thanks for the input guys. Definitely going to use as much steel/aluminum as I can, followed by short sections of good quality rubber.
Not sure about plastic Dave, I would be concerned about durability.

 

Until you have a flex point you have to deal with, stick with hardlines, and if you have point that might possibly need to flex, run with a Stainless Braided PTFE line. I use 37 degree JIC fittings on everything I build (because they're cheap as heck at work), but there's nothing wrong with 45 degree SAE or even SAE double flare in a fuel line.

 

My '70 CJ has stock plastic fuel line that runs from right over the transfer case, up over the trans to the back of the engine. It's 41 years old & no problems yet...

 

I bought a 70 cj5 for parts a while back. Someone had installed plastic lines on it. I thought, WTF kinda of half @$$*^ set up is this? Well, after examining the lines and testing them, I found them to be abrasion resistant, very difficult to crush and hard to cut. I wouldn't rule it out. Not sure what the stuff costs, though.

 

Many new cars come with "plastic" lines. Use the metal for long runs and rubber for short runs as stated above. When using rubber and alternative fuels (fuels containing up to 5% ethanol, methanol, or MTBE) are possible, use the SAE 30R9, rated for multi-fuel and fuel injection use. It will be a little more expensive than the normal SAE 30R7.