Which Hose Clamps to use when replacing hoses?

[Tumbler510]

I had to disconnect several different types of hose clamps when pulling my engine, and was wondering which hose clamps are used for what purposes.
Basiclaly, which clamps can I replace with standard hose clamps, and which ones do I have to replace with the standard?

There are a few of these clamps:


A few of these bastards (Now in multiple parts in my garbage can):


And a few of these:


Thanks for any help!

[omgwtfbbq!]

The last type is a t-bolt clamp. I wouldn't use it unless you're continually blowing charge pipes off under boost. I have a few that came with my frank-inlets and they're a bitch. Every OE type clamp I've ever removed I've replaced with worm drive clamps (nice SS ones not shitty chinesium ones from walmart). The only exception is the CV boots on the axles since the rebuild kits came with OE type clamps and I had the tool anyway.

[jpurre]

Get the Swedish ABA clamps from ECS. I used them on my Frankenturbo install. They work great and stay in place.

[Tumbler510]

Get the Swedish ABA clamps from ECS. I used them on my Frankenturbo install. They work great and stay in place.

They look like glorified hose clamps?
Do your regular hose clamps tend to wander?

[01audia4]

God I hate the OE clamps. Seeing them make me cringe.

I use the #1 clamp, for smaller hoses, all my intercooler hoses have T-bolt

[Tumbler510]

God I hate the OE clamps. Seeing them make me cringe.

I use the #1 clamp, for smaller hoses, all my intercooler hoses have T-bolt

Can you shed some light onto your logic for that selection?

[blmlozz]

Can you shed some light onto your logic for that selection?

Pinch clamps are 1 use clamps that were used in a lot of the vac lines and various other places audi thought they would suffice to provide constant tension for 'the life of the car'

the ABA clamps or other similar rolled edge/soft hose safe clamp are the only clamps I'd use. The regular steel hose clamps eat into rubber and eventually cause leaks.

[Smitty2A4]

Pinch clamps are 1 use clamps that were used in a lot of the vac lines and various other places audi thought they would suffice to provide constant tension for 'the life of the car'

the ABA clamps or other similar rolled edge/soft hose safe clamp are the only clamps I'd use. The regular steel hose clamps eat into rubber and eventually cause leaks.

+1, my only input here is the same, try to use hose clamps that are smooth on the inside, unlike the first one you posted but more like this...



The first type will quickly cut into the rubber/silicone hose once you start to clamp down on it. They also have clamps that have a thin metal part sitting inside to prevent this, they look like this...

[jaychen]

You think there is a reason most F1 teams use worm clamps and not t-bolt clamps?

I'm not saying that some don't, but in EVERY picture i've ever seen of F1 engines, all positive charge pipes used worm clamps.

[blacks42000]

http://www.verociousmotorsports.com/...el-Liner-Clamp

i use those on everything, on every boosted car I've owned. a good buddy of mine works at a well know local shop building 350z's, and is personally obsessed with FWD SR20's only uses worm clamps on everything. his car runs are 30psi on a decent sized turbo. he says a proper bead roll will go a long way and there is no need to t-bolt clamps unless pushing crazy high levels of boost. plus t bolts have the tendency to patch other problems, or more often over tighten and oval the pipe causing boost leaks.

[jpurre]

They look like glorified hose clamps?
Do your regular hose clamps tend to wander?

The regular worm drive clamps cut into the rubber hoses. I replaced my hoses with silicone ones and used the smooth ABA clamps to prevent any kind of cutting of the hoses. They have worked very well so far, 1000 miles on my new Frankenturbo's. Everything is in place.

[blmlozz]

You think there is a reason most F1 teams use worm clamps and not t-bolt clamps?

I'm not saying that some don't, but in EVERY picture i've ever seen of F1 engines, all positive charge pipes used worm clamps.

i've never had good experience using T-bolts. I would tighten them down until the bolt was bent on my previous cars and they would consistently fail. A quality high strength steel worm clamp with a metal sleeve to protect the hose is what I use.

[Tumbler510]

I guess I'll be ordering a slew of clamps from McMaster for the hose clamps that were removed.

[Bruch]

I was just going to post a link to McMaster-Carr, you are already there. They do have a great selection. What you guys are calling OE are called Oetiker clamps. I use them for the clean look and they don't cut your forearm open or stab you under the fingernail when reaching into deep dark places. But I have been called clumsy, so maybe its just me.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-hose-clamps/=pv3it1

[blmlozz]

I was just going to post a link to McMaster-Carr, you are already there. They do have a great selection. What you guys are calling OE are called Oetiker clamps. I use them for the clean look and they don't cut your forearm open or stab you under the fingernail when reaching into deep dark places. But I have been called clumsy, so maybe its just me.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-hose-clamps/=pv3it1

You can pickup the pinch clamps at lowes or home depot in various smaller sizes. I use them too for the same clean/oe reasons.

[jaychen]

i've never had good experience using T-bolts. I would tighten them down until the bolt was bent on my previous cars and they would consistently fail. A quality high strength steel worm clamp with a metal sleeve to protect the hose is what I use.

yep, agree 100%.

[Tumbler510]

Are the smooth hose clamps available at any stores?
Lowes?
OSH?
Home Depot?
Grainger?
Autozone?
O'Riley?

[blmlozz]

Are the smooth hose clamps available at any stores?
Lowes?
OSH?
Home Depot?
Grainger?
Autozone?
O'Riley?

you can find t-bolt style small 'fuel line hose' clamps at auto parts stores. I wouldn't recommend them. They're fragile and cheap.

[Tumbler510]

you can find t-bolt style small 'fuel line hose' clamps at auto parts stores. I wouldn't recommend them. They're fragile and cheap.

Yeah. Not T-Bolts.

These:

[blmlozz]

Yeah. Not T-Bolts.

These:

sorry, was inferring that 'no' you can't, but you 'can' find smoothe bore t-bolt style clamps. wasn't clear.

[jpurre]

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Aba_Clamp/ES2932/


May have to wait a few days, but worth it.

[omgwtfbbq!]

What the hell are you guys doing that cuts your lines? Almost every clamp on the top of the engine in my car has been replaced and literally none of them have been cut by anything other than me when I spliced in my boost gauge.

[jpurre]

What the hell are you guys doing that cuts your lines? Almost every clamp on the top of the engine in my car has been replaced and literally none of them have been cut by anything other than me when I spliced in my boost gauge.

As you know, the rubber hoses tend to get brittle on occasion and weaken. This accompanied by the engine moving (if you had bad engine mounts like me) can cause the clamps to chew into some hoses. The throttle body boot is a prime example. The smooth type clamps seem to not do this as much. Switching to silicone hoses also helps. Another thing I noticed when changing intercooler hoses is that the stock clamps really dug into the hoses and caused weakening at the ends. Over tightening is a contributing factor as well.

[FlyboyS4]

I had to disconnect several different types of hose clamps when pulling my engine, and was wondering which hose clamps are used for what purposes.
Basiclaly, which clamps can I replace with standard hose clamps, and which ones do I have to replace with the standard?

I've gone back to using the Oetiker clamps for most of the smaller hoses. Now that I know how to get them off without needing to mangle them I don't mind using them. I got a pack of 50 for about $15 on Amazon.

I've used t-bolts for the IC hoses, but I wasn't aware of the uneven distribution of force illustrated above, I'll probably find some good quality worm gear clamps to use instead.

[AudiSportB5S4]

How do those Oetiker clamps come? I can't envision how you get them on and tight. I know there is a tool to remove them so you don't have to rip them apart, but getting them on how does that go?

[rtl5009]

How do those Oetiker clamps come? I can't envision how you get them on and tight. I know there is a tool to remove them so you don't have to rip them apart, but getting them on how does that go?

There is a special tool that crimps them.

[omgwtfbbq!]

You can also use regular diagonal cutting pliers in place of the tool in a pinch.

[AudiSportB5S4]

So they come a little larger than the hose, and then you crimp to tighten? I'd like to eliminate the 400 worm clamps that have moved into my engine bay replacing them. It doesn't look as clean..

[omgwtfbbq!]

It looks cleaner. It's also much more of a pain in the ass to remove anything.

[blmlozz]

It looks cleaner. It's also much more of a pain in the ass to remove anything.

ehh, once you figure out how to take em off (small screw drivers) they're not so bad, still a PITA, but not nearly as when I first bought my S4.

you can also pickup that tool at most local autoparts stores, it might be called a CV boot clamp tool or similar.