how's your hose clamp

[jlat]

hello peoples: I'm going to replace my heater hoses and control valve on my 86T when the weather gets better. It seems new cars don't use worm clamps but use those squesable ones. I like em but was wondering what youz guys R using. And with the squweez clamps any ideas of the best place to get em.
IBBY

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

I've used both. Worm clamps you can get from the store, get the good ones not the cheap ones. The devil spring ones I've taken enough stuff apart over the years to have a bunch in a bucket however if you have a junkyard close by you can find a few for cheap.

 

[Supercharged111]

They make special pliers for the constant tension clamps. I really ought to get some. The more vehicles I buy with worm clamps, the more I hate them as the ignoramus that inevitably installed them over torqued the ever living crap out of every single one and deformed the hose. The constant tension clamps leave witness marks, so when you reinstall an old one just set the clamp back in those grooves and you're good to go.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

Yea I need that ratcheting tool for them spring ones. I've used the SnapOn one at my buddy's shop and that one is good but I've got a house to pay off before I can afford that stuff..

 

[Ugly1]

You actually (for the most part) are better with the worm styled ones. But like supercharged111 said just don’t over tighten! After many years of doing it you get the feel for it. Even then the little buggers want to give you grief. The actually make a tool to in crimp the copper and brass necks. Usually it’s a radiator shop thing and comes in different ones for different sizes. 1/2 up to 3” I believe.

 

[-dw-]

I pinch those dam things everyday. Some fight but all in all I like them since theyre self tightening. Rarely a comeback with a hose leaking with the spring clamp vs worm. Last fri I put a new radiator in a 09 Dodge 1500. Someone who worked on this truck previously musta hate the spring clamp, all were replaced with worm clamps. lol

 

[69hurstolds]

I’m using Ideal worms on the 85 heater hose pieces and the bypass hose because it’s what it came with. The Olds water pump inlet end has a special belt guard riveted to it. The other three rad hose clamps are the double wire type.

If I didn’t worry about modding anything I’d probably be open to the constant tension types. Camaros never had a problem using them.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Spring clamps have issues too. They tend to be brittle and crack easily, especially if they have the slightest bit of rust. You also can't adjust the tension of spring clamps like with worm clamps for odd sizes and you can deform them by accident. Both spring and worm clamps suck, just in different ways.

 

[jcelk]

I have had trouble with the spring clamps with older hoses now i have a thin black worm clamp at the very end of the hose and a spring clamp after that

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

I'm typically a fan of the worm style clamp for many reasons but the spring style definitely has its place. The problem I always seem to have with them is that they're in an awkward position and I can't get pliers on them very well. That leads to bent or broken clamps, scraped up hands, and a string of expletives so I bought a cheap version of the correct tool for them and it's a game changer. This particular one is currently unavailable but was $25 when purchased.


I still need to get the "crimp" style setup.