Thread: Lower Radiator Hose Solution?

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I am having a hard time finding a lower radiator hose for my 29A does anyone have any suggestions. I did not retain the old hose when I pulled the engine.... my mistake! I have tried the standard OEM rubber flex hose with no luck.

I found a possible product on-line called Coolflex that might produce a solution provides the bending radius is not to restrictive. I will give their tech-line a call.

Have any of you experience with this product?

jcc

If you check the gallery I have posted a recent photo of the engine shown the clearance needed.

I like to do mine with a peice of appropriate sized stainless tubing, mandrel bent to fit, and a couple of straight radiator hoses, works great.

Dave, thanks for the tip your suggestion may be the only way to go.

I have it on my '29 and it has worked good, it is quite flexible and has a good look to it. I have it on both top and bottom hoses.

NAPA carries a ton of universal flex hoses with a number of different sizes, even 2 different. They also have them with 90's on one end. If you have an idea of length I might try that too. I like the mandrell bent stainless though. Sounds tough.

Zoo Keeper, what length of hose did you use on both the top and bottom locations?

jcc

Hi Guys, quick note on using stainless in the centre of your rubber radiator hoses.
I have heard of fractures being invoked into the top and bottom tank of radiators by the non flexible nature of stainless. I understand you will be using rubber to mate the two, but ensure you give as much rubber as possible to absorb those vibrations.
A busted header tank is one of those things that becomes a "SHOWSTOPPER" on a long trip.

Andy.

Originally posted by 29arod
Zoo Keeper, what length of hose did you use on both the top and bottom locations?

jcc

It comes in 12" & 24" lengths and I bought two of the 24" kits, my top hose is around 15" long and the bottom is about 17" long. The stuff is easily cut with a good hacksaw and you can twist and bend it in all different directions.

My lower hose is made from copper plumbing pipe and elbows. After cutting & fitting the pipe & elbows and trial-fitting on the car, I soldered them together and added a bead of solder around both ends to help retain the hose connections. Next, I buffed and polished the whole thing, gave it a coat of high temp clear, and installed it with rubber hose at the water pump and a rubber elbow at the radiator. I've had so many favorable comments on that little touch af polished copper that I think I'm going to make a top hose to match!

Be careful about using those straight, ribbed hoses. They'll push on the connections and tanks and may cause fractures.

I had a similar problem with my truck, to make it worse, the radiator was a different diameter than the water pump. I ended up searching through a stores hose supply for about 2 hours. I had to buy two hoses and cut the one on either side of the bend that worked for me, and then use a sleeve of the smaller diameter stuff and double up on the radiator.

Been running for a couple weeks now and NO LEAKS. . . .from there at least.