Date:         Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:23:40 +0000
Reply-To:     kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: coolant hose replacement, now coolant distributor replacement
Comments: To: John Goubeaux <john@UCSB.EDU>

You can buy the proper pliers at Harbor Freight for very little money.  Some worm drive clamps like the "zebra" brand clamps that you can buy at your local FLAPS are utter rubbish.  I had one well meaning customer who replaced all of his hose clamps with these and then had a leak.  Brought it to me and with a pressure tester I started hunting leaks.  I had to replace every last single zebra clamp to finally fix all the leaks!  Every single one leaked and couldn't be tightened to stop leaking.  They would get tight but I guess they weren't tightening evenly all the way around the hose.

We have a very nice German stainless steel worm drive clamp that I like to use in place of the spring clamps.  They are the same clamps that VW used on the large coolant pipes on the Vanagon (don't see any spring clamps there do ya!).  These clamps never leak or loose their tension.  The ridges that the worm drive rides against are raised away from the hose so it doesn't cut into the hose and the edges of the clamp are rolled to again keep them from cutting into the hose.

Even though I have the tool to work with the spring clamps I just don't really like them that much so I never replace them with new ones, I always replace them with new stainless worm drive clamps that I have described.  I just feel that they are easier to work with especially in tight places where you can put the clamp in place and then use a socket driver to install the clamp in a controlled manner.  But if you really want the hose clamps, go for it.  Just my preference.

Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com

-------------- Original message --------------
From: John Goubeaux <john@UCSB.EDU>

> This is probably a stupid question but are there advantages to using the
> spring clamps as opposed to standard hose clamps on cooling hoses? I
> always seem to struggle with the spring clamps, but I'm sure if i had a
> proper pair the right type of pliers it would go a bit easier.
>
>
> -john
>
> Pascal Giasson wrote:
> > I bought all my spring clamps from Bus Depot. The VW dealers also have
> > them if your in a hurry and don't mind paying extra.
> >
> > Pascal
> > '84Westy
> >