Has anyone found a better solution for hose clamps than the standard worm gear clamps? I've been looking all over for the oem style spring clamps with no luck so far in the larger sizes. 2" is the biggest problem finding, I've rounded up a few old 1 1/2"s.
I have annoying consistent leaks because the darn things won't stay tight, and some of them are in very difficult places to reach. All my clamps are stainless, and probably made in China. I'm thinking I need to make a trip to a salvage yard and see what I can find there for oem's.
Rich, you might want to try heavy machinery equipment stuff, from CAT stuff to big rigs or even petrol industry std and the like. Might even get lucky with agricultural surplus. most all of the food industry has ss plumbing and clamps as well. For HD applications or even exhaust joints I use ss steam and acid machinery clamps. they are like a ss band with 2 loops on each end and dowels with a hex head machine thread bolt. Of course I am talking about Euro specs metric stuff, but I am sure these are used and available in different sizes and all around the world.
Nope, I didn't edit your post above. I've got too many buttons to play with now, and I just hit the 'modify' button instead of reply.
Good ideas for possible sources. In fact, right across the highway from me is a farm/ranch supply store. They always seem to have better stuff than the regular hardware stores. Also, down about a mile is a commercial industrial hose distributor/fabricator. They can make any type of hose, and I'll bet if anybody has them around here, it'll be them.
Has anyone used the T-bolt type clamps? The Chevy guys have repros available as oem replacements. I'm talking about the ones that have the screw perpendicular to the hose. Not even sure how that works, never having had one in my hand.
Do you mean the style on the bottom ? Iv'e only ever seen this type on the short bypass hose and heater hoses, on Fords anyway.
(https://i.imgur.com/HooJE7Z.jpg)
Yes, the type at the bottom. Not sure how they'd work anyway.......still have a screw that could loosen. I'm gonna hold out for some spring type clamps. They are not too pretty, but they are self tightening even if the hose shrinks a little with drying out. Gates makes a heat shrink type rubber clamp that I found interesting, but they are a one time usage. If you have to remove them, they need to be cut off, and they are expensive. Not good if you are on the road and blow a hole in a radiator hose. Of course, if your looking for a parts store to pick up a radiator hose............
I have no idea why the word "remove" is in blue, but it's tied to an link with a download. Hope I didn't pick up a virus somewhere. There is now one word in each of the above posts that have one word in blue and underlined tied to a weight loss download. Anybody else seeing this?
Fixed it........it was on our computer. Firefox picked up an unwanted extension. I saw an icon for it on our tool line, so just clicked "remove extension", and it went away.
everything appears normal to me.
I was talking about this type of 'Gelenkbolzenschelle' DIN 3017-3 1.4301 AISI 304
I have no idea what that is called in English. But I do know that they are German made, and they are 'tough' ! :003:
(https://cdn1.louis.de/content/catalogue/articles/img298x298/10027013-14_07.JPG)
I had similar to that type on my air intake, by Spectre. Made in China crap. Threads stripped off the t-bolt. If I could find some German made ones here, I'd go with them.
Yeah, 'Gelenkbolzenschelle'..........that's what we call them here.
Ford used the T band clamps. I never used them twice.
Quote from: gasman826 on 2019-05-05 18:02
Ford used the T band clamps. I never used them twice.
Agree!
When I worked at the Ford dealership, we always replaced them with the stainless screw band clamps.
Using these screw band clamps allowed us to replace the FE "by pass" hoses, without pulling the water pumps.
Original Ford tower clamps as on 57 Fords don't loosen but mostly a one use item. Has anyone actually gotten a stainless worm type clamp that had a stainless screw. Lots of failures over the years on snow melting/ removal equipment. Cant even seem to be able to find any made in USA anymore.
I bought the stainless ones I use at Lowe's. Not sure if they are USA made, don't think so, but none of the screws on the ones that have been on the car for 3 or 4 years show any signs of the screw rusting, so I have to think the screws are stainless as well. I just went out and checked mine. As I said, no signs of rust at all. They are magnetic, so that test is indecisive.
The worst ones I had were the ones that come with the flexible stainless hose kits. Couldn't even tighten those without the worm gear jumping the band. I could really tighten up on the ones I use from Lowe's, they just won't stay tight.
Rich, do you have a shop around your town that specializes in vintage Volkswagen ? Either VW buses, beetles or even Rabbits and Vanagons ? ( The squarish looking 1980s/1990s VW camper vans). I am sure that if you had a pro shop or speed eqpt dealer for these, that they might offer the HD clamps ( probably rather named exhaust pipe or muffler clamps).
Rich, these appear of the HD ss T bolt type I meant. good list with all applications. metric + inch dimensions, reasonably priced.
QuoteT-Bolt has a heavy duty, high strength all stainless steel design with a 1 inch stainless steel band with shoe and floating bridge, a 1/4 inch T-bolt and hardware. Designed for a wide variety of automotive, industrial and marine applications.
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/A~gAAOSw1VJZyAZB/s-l1600.jpg)
here is the link to the ebay shop
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-44-47-MM-1-73-1-85-IN-HD-304-STAINLESS-STEEL-T-BOLT-HOSE-CLAMP/253172574466?hash=item3af242e902:g:A~gAAOSw1VJZyAZB (https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-44-47-MM-1-73-1-85-IN-HD-304-STAINLESS-STEEL-T-BOLT-HOSE-CLAMP/253172574466?hash=item3af242e902:g:A~gAAOSw1VJZyAZB)
I saved the link. Very little clamping range on those, so have to take some close measurements after I get my new hoses/adapters. Then I can see if he has them in the range I need. Haven't noticed a good view of the bolt. It appears to be a bolt into a barrel nut, which would be preferred over a t-bolt as the bolt/screw could be replaced.
Thank you sir!
Rich, that is exactly what I was trying to tell you all the time but was lacking the right words for. sorry.
it is not a T bolt but barrels ( what I referred to incorrectly as 'dowels') and yes you can replace the bolt of course or use a higher grade if needed. I believe you would crunch the hose together with the radiatorwater neck before the bolt, barrel nut or twin ss loops would give in.
I use these kind of clamps for mufflers to quench slotted (exhaust) tubing ends.
of course they are pretty wide and somewhat clumsy to use in tight areas.
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bToAAOSwceVZyBCQ/s-l1600.jpg)
Thanks for the confirmation, Guenter. I am really surprised there is only about 1/8" total range on these clamps.
I'll post a pic later of what I found today. At the industrial hose place about a mile from my house. They had very similar to what you posted last, Guenter. The only difference is the "barrel nut" is actually a formed piece, but it is not a "T-bolt", so that is good. They have the whole range of sizes from 1/2" or so on up to something I'm sure big enough for 4" intake fittings. Theirs are made in Spain. 5 bucks for the 2 1/2" (I think 55-59mm) I got. Not too much range, so I'll measure all my stuff before getting the rest.
that sounds great Rich, especially when you have a local supplier that you can take back things that don't fit or try several different sizes with zero postage and delivery time. $5 each sounds very reasonable. you could even buy one extra first and try mangle it in the vice and see when the bolt gives in...just for the sake of knowing what they can take.
concerning the diam range. remember that the circumference of the clamp will be 3.14 ( pi) times diam. so 1/8 ( 3.175mm) diam range will translate to 3/8 (10mm) thread length (approx) of the bolt. that is nearly twice the thread diam ( probably 6mm approx 1/4"). spanner size probably 10mm. if you are lucky a worn out old 3/8" open end wrench will work on them.
My daily drivers and my 4.6 engine are all metric. I now have almost as many metric tools as sae. Just last week I bought complete sets of metric offset wrenches and flex head ratcheting wrenches. I'm kinda a tool freak. Pet peeves..........buying a sae bolt or nut that has a metric size hex, and "universal wrenches and sockets. They've got to fit one or the other, if universal, they'll mess up the bolts/nuts that are too loose for the tool.
The hose clamps I found locally.........
I like the looks of that clamp. Did you find at a national parts house?
Austin Hose. A mile from my house. You pass right by them on your way to Kelly's family. They are on the 27 surface road south of the 45th st exit (west side)I think they may have a website........ www.austinhose.com .....haven't checked it out, but it's on their business card. I just got back from there 20 minutes ago with 9 more for the rest of my coolant hoses. Each clamp does have a limited range, unlike the worm gear type, and they are sized in metric.
If you have a hydraulic or industrial hose company in the Springs, they'll probably carry then. At Austin they call them T-bolt hose clamps, although they are (imho) the preferred bolt and barrel nut clamp.
https://www.austinhose.com/products/search/?Keyword=T-bolt%20hose%20clamps
Their website shows them in inches. They have 6 locations
And on to my next project. I've got an issue with the paint peeling from the firewall area. You can see some of it in the steering linkage pic above. My guess is it is heat related, but what is happening is weird.
When I did my complete undercarriage and firewall, it was totally cleaned up down to bare metal. Treated with Zinc Phosphate acid etch, and por-15'd. Because of adhesion problems with por-15, I then sprayed it with Bulldog adhesion promoter, before two coats of a latex based paintable undercoating, followed by single stage Torch red.
So, why is it peeling at the firewall? not sure, but how it is peeling is what seems weird. The two coats of undercoating are separating! The bottom coat is still on the car, and the top coat is coming off with the paint.
None of the areas that are currently peeling are in a high visibility area (when the engine is in, lol ), so I just cleaned up the firewall, masked things off, and sprayed it with a Rustoleum "Sunrise Red" that matches pretty close.
hose clamp is looking good Rich !
Time between coats? Weather day of the second coat? Given it is sticking to the fire wall area and lifting off that coat something has caused the second coat to not adhere? A spray in bed liner that I am looking at for the Ranchero has very explicate instructions with respect to a second coat. It is a two part covering vice a latex product. Might be you needed to scuff the first coat?
The underside of the car was done about 8 years ago, can't remember what application window was. I've always been very careful with time windows though, but given the fact it was the underside of the car, and the body basically was on jackstands and very difficult and time consuming to move around on my back while spraying, I could have missed the correct time window by the time I got to the end.........just a guess. I'd be more more inclined to think it was a heat issue given the location of the peeling, but the first coat is not lifting at all.
It was a made in Italy coating, btw. Something my paint supplier recommended. They shortly afterwards stopped carrying it, and haven't seen it since.
Also, it was all done outside, weather could have been a factor, I just don't remember.
Sorry guys, I'm getting my threads mixed up. This was about hose clamps, lol