I notice my radiator hose clips are now not much more than metal bands. No way to remove without destroying them.
I remember a Polo C though from 85, that had `spring grip` in other words you compressed the top of the band with a pair of pliers and moved it off.
Is this sturdy and convenient clip still made? and what have you used when doing the antifreeze on your current car for the first time? Replacing the bottom hose clip, that is.
I know there`s always the jubilee clips, but you would think there would be a more elegant solution.
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Ford were still using the spring grip type as late as 2003 (the newest Ford I've worked on.) They have an irritating habit of slipping from the pliers and settling a few degrees around the hose from their original position. If they're in a confined space, it can make things very difficult as it can get to the point where the pliers won't reach the new position. I had this with the bottom hose on the Mondeo, and it was incredibly frustrating.
You can buy special pliers with flexible ends for these clips.
I have always been able to re-use these clips once removed, but if not would just fit a standard jubilee clip of the correct size.
Cheers
DP
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Good old jubilee clip, but preferably one with a 7 or 8mm nut as well as a slot for screwdiver, many times in awkward positions its so much easier to slip a quarter drive socket on.
Do you also put a drop of coppaslip or similar on the threads...guilty as charged.
Don't even mention those spring clips, i've lost count of the purple blood blisters caused by those things. Apart from that they had a habit of cutting through the hose when they got a bit older.
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>>with a 7 or 8mm nut
No, they're awful! 1/4" is much better. This allows you to use the hex in the end of a standard interchangeable bit type screwdriver to drive the clip.
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I thought i was the old fashioned one NC, and you're determined to stick with outdated imperial sizes. They'll be talking about you at the engineers branch of the masons or whatever qualification it may be..:)
Are we talking about the same thing, i meant by using a 7mm socket on a 1/4 drive socket.
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Just replace them with Jubilee clips. So what if they don't look quite so elegant, whos going to see them anyway?
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I'd have thought that the Jubilee type clips had potential to crunch up the delicate plastic connectors from modern radiators. The springy type at least had a pre-set force as must the crimp type.
Don't think I could even see the actual radiator connectors or most of the radiator of my departed Passat.
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Where can you buy a `quality` jubilee clip? In `you know where` they seem built down to the minimum amount of metal and nothing like the sturdy things I remember.
I long for Victorian engineering in components....;)
Edited by oilrag on 10/06/2008 at 22:35
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Where can you buy a `quality` jubilee clip?
Jubilee clips have Jubilee written on them. Spurious imitations are "worm-drive hose clips". tinyurl.com/5e47xm
Edited by L'escargot on 11/06/2008 at 08:53
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>>Are we talking about the same thing,
I suspect not. I'm on about 1/4" AF, which is just a little over 6mm, being driven by the empty socket end of a screwdriver which normally takes inter-changeable bits.
Something like this;
buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&ite...g
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"The springy type at least had a pre-set force as must the crimp type."
By the way, how do you get the crimp type off? Best technique that is as I can`t see it close up.
(I can`t believe I`m asking this about a hose clip)
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I'd use a pair of side cutters if it is soft metal. Otherwise prise with a screwdriver (keep plenty of sticking plasters handy).
I note the Terry brand hose clip is still a rival to the Jubilee brand. I'd boxes of the things when I were a lad in the '70's. Seem to recall the screw could drop out of the Terry type but was captive in the Jubilee. We had to make our own entertainment in those days.
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How many posts can a discussion about jubilee clips run.
Only in the backroom............
I still prefer the 7mm nut on the jubilee, remembering some really awkward ones over the years where a 1/4 drive socket on a nice small ratchet would undo the problem one very easily, the socket also tended to stop the jubilee clip sliding round the hose, so when room for one hand only (thinking French here), they could be a real bonus.
I only had one car with those one use clamps, and can't for the life of recall what it was, i think i levered the clamp away with a screwdiver and cut the blighter off with a junior hacksaw.
Until the wind took it down (must get a proper wall pole), two jubilee clips were holding our Union Flag pole in place, the clips didn't break, the pole did.
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>>two jubilee clips were holding our Union Flag pole in place
Query, pedant mode.
I used to think that a union flag was only called a union jack when flown from a jack-staff. I've subsequently been told this is wrong!
We can really ramp up the responses to this hose clips thread ;>)
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jubilee clips are handy for repairing broom/mop heads when the plastic threaded part tends to split down one side causing the handle to fall out
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I used to simply remove the radiator cap, set the heater controls to hot. and open the little tap on the bottom of the radiator, leave 20mins, and re- fill! - no need to bother about clips!
Billy
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I've found the pela which I normally use for oil changes to be very effective for draining coolant - especially in cross flow radiators where you can probe the side tanks. Usually the level can be brought to below top hose level by probing the expansion tank.
The low viscosity of the coolant makes draining a quick process, and there are no spills at all.
I hate taking full bottom hoses off - if you do it from above, unless your catch tank is huge, you'll always spill some, and if you do it from below..., well, I hate the taste of coolant!
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What are the hose clips like on your quality motors Chaps? Maybe I could get a better one from another Marques Parts counter.
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you'll always spill some and if you do it from below... well I hate the taste of coolant!
Oh, Mr Negative! AntiFreeze is a perfect salve for all those cuts and grazed knuckles you get when fiddling about in miniscule engine bays.
Note that the hand which has been immersed in close to scalding coolant always heals faster then one which hasn't!
:>)
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This is turning into a somewhat surreal script proposal for an episode of "Last of the Summer Wine" !
Carry on like this Oily and you will be forever imprinted on my mind as a variant on that myopic car buff character who was (I think) married to Thora Hird ! The rest of you have still to be cast but never fear, I'm working on it.
Makes a welcome change from fuel prices et al mind. Keep it up chaps.
;-)
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;)
Alternatively what about these?
tinyurl.com/6ntxpy
They look MUCH better quality than in `You know where`
Galvanised or stainless steel? Doesn`t stainless steel, tend to corrode if oxygen is excluded?
How about the back of the clips?
In general that is, not referring to these actual products...
Should I buy a (small hose) clip from the parts dept of the `Bavarian 3 Litre In Line 6 cylinder?` Or would it ruin the ambiance of the engine bay?
;)
Edited by oilrag on 11/06/2008 at 08:34
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I was quite surprised that my new Mondeo is festooned with worm drive clips on all the inlet hoses ... most of which were badly positioned and not sitting in the recesses were they should be.
Very satisfying sorting them out :)
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Job done now. Dealers hose clip was at least twice as substantial as the ones at a major chain of accessory retailers.
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I found it satisfying to see that every single clip on my Skoda Superb was correctly positioned absolutely central to the datum lines on the hoses and that they were all oriented correctly for easy removal.
Having pulled this car around quite a bit to do such jobs as fitting a towbar and replacing an undertray broken by a dealer, I must congratulate the assembly workers in the Czech Republic for making a cracking job of putting a Passat together. It's much better assembled than the version with the original badge.
I would derive no satisfaction whatever from sorting out Ford's or anyone else's poor assembly. Which factory was your Mondeo assembled in? What about the bits you can't see?
659.
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We had a long - about 20ins - screwdriver for undoing bottom hoses - very satisfying to use provided the screw head was pointing upwards.
I also have a Snap-on screwdriver, standard size, which ends in a hex socket which fits every clip I've come across.
We also had 'universal' Jubilee clips - an open clip with a long band you cut to length.
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Don't know which factory, I haven't checked the codes ... I've been round all the hoses now and they are all aligned correctly now.
In fairness to Ford, I had to do a similar job on the vac hoses controlling the VNT and EGR on my Passat 5.5, many of those were poorly routed and, in a couple of cases, not very secure on their spigots. Disincentivised German assembly line staff ...? :-/
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Vac hoses on the Superb are neatly routed, clipped and pushed on. At least a vac hose pulls itself on - water hoses and inlet charge hoses certainly don't.
659.
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>>scalding coolant <<
The Automotive "Baked Alaska" me thinks!
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