Heater hoses - molded bends or bend the hard lines?

[Cantedvalve 128]

I am hooking up the heater at my son’s request.  I want to do hard lines for the bulk of the engine compartment portion, knowing I will need soft lines on both ends.  Question is, do I try to bend 5/8” stainless for 90 degree turns, or just get a molded 90 degree hose and use straight sections of tubing? I don’t have a 5/8” bender, so I would be doing the sand and heat trick while bending it around something with a 3” radius.

I’m starting to think I would be better served with the 90 degree molded hoses.  I donkt know if I can make successful bends in 5/8” stainless.  Has anyone here done it successfully?

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

you must have a highly modified  build?  the heater hoses on mine are just the normal rubber type hose.  in any case I've bent 1/2" stainless in a hand tube bender and that was pretty easy to do and they looked great. I have a 5/8 tube bender used for aluminum and it had longer arms, so likely it could do stainless also.

 

[Cantedvalve 128]

Not highly modified. Just... a bit modified. Actually, it’s getting closer to stock every day. Stock form had one line that was all rubber (went in the choke cradle) and one line that had a steel tube over the intake. I have an aftermarket carb now and don’t need the soft line for a choke anymore.  So I wanted to run stainless hard lines in place of them. I think I’m gonna just get the molded elbows and leave it at that.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Why not just use all rubber heater hose?  Get the type with molded 90 degree ends where needed.  By the time you have hose-stainless tube-hose plus all those clamps it won't look any cleaner, just different.  Might be making more work than needed.  Plus stainless conducts heat much faster than aluminum or steel so those tubes will get extremely hot.  I ran my heater hoses along the right shock tower and strapped them to the export brace.  It gets them off the motor so the motor looks a little less cluttered.  I needed the type with a 90 degree molded end for the firewall end where they attach to the heater core.

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

1 hour ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

  Plus stainless conducts heat much faster than aluminum or steel so those tubes will get extremely hot. 

Actually stainless has a much lower thermal conductivity versus steel (a lot lower than aluminum).

It's one reason people like to use stainless for headers as opposed to steel, because it doesn't transfer heat as well.

[barnett468 418]

Here's another possible option. These were used on 69/70 BOSS 302's.

[Cantedvalve 128]

@barnett468 I didnt know those even existed.  That is something new to consider.  351C engines had a single tube setup like that.  I considered getting two of the 351C tubes and welding them together, but ultimately decided against it.

@1969 Mach1 I had stock routing of the hoses previously, and I thought it looked trashy (with the original intake, carb, and air cleaner it worked, but I am not using any of those anymore).  No offense to anyone who does it... I just didnt like it.  As far as having all those clamps, I am going to use Oetiker clamps, so they will be fairly minimal.  Who knows... maybe I dont like it later and swap it out.

[barnett468 418]

19 hours ago, Cantedvalve said:

@barnett468 I didnt know those even existed.  That is something new to consider.  351C engines had a single tube setup like that.  I considered getting two of the 351C tubes and welding them together, but ultimately decided against it.

@1969 Mach1 I had stock routing of the hoses previously, and I thought it looked trashy (with the original intake, carb, and air cleaner it worked, but I am not using any of those anymore).  No offense to anyone who does it... I just didnt like it.  As far as having all those clamps, I am going to use Oetiker clamps, so they will be fairly minimal.  Who knows... maybe I dont like it later and swap it out.

You could also use some fancy band clamps too if you don't like the look of the tower clamps or hardware store type worn clamps and clock the clamp so the screw is on the bottom side. I use band clamps frequently, even on fuel lines unless I am doing a stock, show type build.

[Cantedvalve 128]

Nah. I got my oetiker clamps. I’m happy there

[1969_Mach1 333]

Those band clamps look like the cheaper bands for what are known as a Tri-Clamp setup for process piping.  There are ferules (or flanges) welded to each tube, an o-ring type gasket in the middle to seal the connection, and the band clamp that cinches everything together.  I'm always amazed when car builders use this stuff on things like exhaust and they think they are using trick new technology.  But it's been around for probably 30+ years for process piping and they're actually using some of the cheaper components on cars. 

[mwye0627 44]

7 hours ago, Cantedvalve said:

Nah. I got my oetiker clamps. I’m happy there

I too like the Oetiker type clamps and have used them for many uses on vehicles and in industrial applications as well.

I have even seen modified versions of them in use on Air Conditioning hose connections intended for "in the field" installation on applications such as farm implements,, construction equipment, Semi Tractors, etc...   

I have even successfully used them on Show vehicles where I could install the hoses to the metal tubing prior to installation in the vehicle. That way I could orient the "pinch" portion of the clamp to a position where it would not be noticable, leaving only a smoothe band exposed.

Great clamps for a large variety of applications!!!   :)   

[barnett468 418]

On 12/13/2018 at 1:12 PM, 1969_Mach1 said:

Those band clamps look like the cheaper bands for what are known as a Tri-Clamp setup for process piping. 

I'm always amazed when car builders use this stuff on things like exhaust and they think they are using trick new technology. 

I used that image merely as one of several different styles of band clamps that are available as opposed to the cheap looking hardware store worm clamps.

I have never seen anyone use the type of clamp I posted on the exhaust.

 

 

[barnett468 418]

Oetiker makes several types of pinch clamps plus a screw type clamp, so to simply say "I use Oetiker clamps" doesn't help people to understand exactly what type one is using.

 

 

 

 

[mwye0627 44]

On 12/14/2018 at 7:22 PM, barnett468 said:

I used that image merely as one of several different styles of band clamps that are available as opposed to the cheap looking hardware store worm clamps.

I have never seen anyone use the type of clamp I posted on the exhaust.

 

 

The clamps that you portrayed look very much like the V-Band "Marmon" flange clamps that we used almost exclusively on  exhaust systems when I worked in automotive engineering.  The Marmon flanges are virtually leak free and easily serviceable in an prototype application.  Other than the expense, I really don't understand why they are not in wider use on specialty exhaust systems.   The shop I currently work at does a lot of contract work for the U.S. EPA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These vehicles, which are actual consumers personal vehicles that are on loan to the EPA for legacy and on-going emission testing, have been fitted with such Marmon / V-Band systems for easy exchangeability and serviceability while under test, so I still see these systems on a weekly basis...   Good Stuff!!!

[barnett468 418]

4 hours ago, mwye0627 said:

The clamps that you portrayed look very much like the V-Band "Marmon" flange clamps that we used almost exclusively on  exhaust systems when I worked in automotive engineering.  The Marmon flanges are virtually leak free and easily serviceable in an prototype application.  Other than the expense, I really don't understand why they are not in wider use on specialty exhaust systems.   The shop I currently work at does a lot of contract work for the U.S. EPA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These vehicles, which are actual consumers personal vehicles that are on loan to the EPA for legacy and on-going emission testing, have been fitted with such Marmon / V-Band systems for easy exchangeability and serviceability while under test, so I still see these systems on a weekly basis...   Good Stuff!!!

Are they used on pipes that are flanged on both ends, like to maybe hold the muffler or cat on? I restore vintage cars and they don't use those types of clamps.

[mwye0627 44]

On 12/16/2018 at 9:12 PM, barnett468 said:

Are they used on pipes that are flanged on both ends, like to maybe hold the muffler or cat on? I restore vintage cars and they don't use those types of clamps.

 They are typically used on all exhaust joints on the prototype and EPA cars that we work on.

They are really great for connecting cats, because the self-aligning interlocking flanges and clamps are 304 Stainless and make pretty much foolproof, leak-free joints on these vehicles which commonly have the cats, mufflers, resonators and tailpipes swapped out for testing several alternative components.

I have found out that these flanges and clamps can be bought for a fairly reasonable price...   The attached photo is for an 2 1/2" ID connection and contains 1 - 304 Stainless V-Band clamp, 1 - Male 304 flange, 1 - Female 304 flange....    Jegs Part Number: 555-30856   and sells for $16.99

With the flanges properly welded and the clamp oriented to hide the t-bolt, they really can be aesthetically acceptable on most vehicles.

They are also used extensively used on plumbing both the hot and cool sides on turbo installations on street cars, race cars, and off road vehicles.   They really make turbo system maintenance and repair quick and much easier and they can handle much more pressure that other clamping solutions, and do so while remaining leak free...   :)   Part Number: 555-30856