Engine: Radiator Hose Clamp Questions, 283 V8

[Studebaker1965]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some advice on hose clamps. I am trying to get the car as close to "how it left the factory" as possible - its a fun challenge for me. Its my 65 Commander with 283 V8. The parts and body catalog lists the spring type clamps for both the upper and lower radiator hoses. It also lists adjustable clamps, which SI does carry. Did these cars come with upper hose spring clamps and lower hose adjustable or what? The reason I ask is that in the factory picture from Ed Reynolds Lark book shows upper hose and heater hoses with spring clamps, but lower hose has adjustable. Any reason for this? I am hoping someone will remember this from back in the day or an original car. Stu Chapman, do you remember? Thanks guys for all your Stude help.

Nate

[Stu Chapman]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some advice on hose clamps. I am trying to get the car as close to "how it left the factory" as possible - its a fun challenge for me. Its my 65 Commander with 283 V8. The parts and body catalog lists the spring type clamps for both the upper and lower radiator hoses. It also lists adjustable clamps, which SI does carry. Did these cars come with upper hose spring clamps and lower hose adjustable or what? The reason I ask is that in the factory picture from Ed Reynolds Lark book shows upper hose and heater hoses with spring clamps, but lower hose has adjustable. Any reason for this? I am hoping someone will remember this from back in the day or an original car. Stu Chapman, do you remember? Thanks guys for all your Stude help.

Nate

Good morning Nate. To the best of my knowledge ALL hose clamps should be spring type. I can only guess that on the Ed Reynolds car someone felt it was easier to use adjustable clamps on the lower hoses. But who knows.

Stu Chapman

[2R5]

Nate if your trying to make your car for judging I don't think they dock you for modern hose clamps anymore because the new hoses aren't as thick as old ones therefore those spring clamps don't hold the hoses good enough . As long as all your hose clamps match its OK but if you use different ones through out I think you'll get docked.

[Studebaker1965]

Thanks for the replies. I have modern clamps on it now. I think I may just leave them go if they don't take off points anymore. Thanks

Nate

[Stu Chapman]

Thanks for the replies. I have modern clamps on it now. I think I may just leave them go if they don't take off points anymore. Thanks

Nate

Just to be sure, check it out with the Chief Judge.

Stu Chapman

[GTHawk]

Worm drive clamps are accepted because of thinner hoses. However do not mix the types." All should match."

[Studebaker1965]

What are most of you guys using? I am concerned about the spring clamps leaking since the car sits during the week quite a bit.

[63 R2 Hawk]

Actually, contrary to what I always thought, the spring clamps are more reliable than the worm or adjustable ones...when used with the correct hose AND manufactured from the correct steel. The spring clamps are used on aircraft because of their reliability. Because they are indeed a spring, they allow for the constant expansion and contraction of the cooling system hoses. The rigid band clamps cause the rubber hose to expand and get squeezed against them when hot but stay squeezed when cool, thus eventually causing leaks if not tightened periodically. There are a number of engineering studies on this if you want to do some clicky...

[studegary]

On later Studebaker built V8s, three radiator hose clamps were spring steel (single loop) and the lower, engine end, clamp was a flat adjustable clamp (not a worm drive). I believe that the main reason for this was ease of assembly.
Now, as far as 1965-1966 engines, I do not remember.

[Studebaker1965]

Studegary,

That may be how the engine pictured in Ed Reynolds book is as well. I can only see the engine side of the lower hose. It is adjustable. The rest are spring clamp. 62, that is very interesting but makes sense. Thanks. I didn't look at Dover, but keep the consensus coming as to what most of you guys are using.

Nate

[Felix]

I know this is an old post but rather than start a new one I will add to this.

I have just spent about three months battling with spring clamps. Wanting to use what is considered the best style of clamps, constant pressure spring type, I installed them on all radiator and heater hoses. What a disaster. I have lost gallons of coolant trying to get them to seal.

As it turns out, and previous post here confirm that, that the newer hoses indeed have a thinner wall thickness. If I use the correct size spring hose clamp I will have a leak. If I use a slightly smaller spring clamp I have a leak. Believe me I have used the best clamps I can find. Even getting some upper radiator spring clamps sent from England. They are the only spring clamps that fit and hold on the upper radiator hose. All others I have had to swap for worm drive or band clamps.

Not happy about that, but what can I do, as the hoses will no longer allow the use of spring clamps for a good seal, and I bought the right tool to install them.

I'm also wondering if these newer hoses have been enlarged slightly, by only a mm or two, to accommodate modern metric uses. Maybe not but there is still is an issue with these hoses.

I did use Gates Safety Stripe hose.

If anyone has a found a hose and spring clamp combination as a solution to using spring type clamps I'm all ears.

[bezhawk]

Avantis always had the adjustable type. On lark types, and I would assume hawks, the uppers were spring type, and I do believe the engine side was an adjustable type, and the radiator side was spring. What does the parts book say?

[Felix]

Update. Swapped out the best spring clamps this morning. They were the last two. The one at the thermostat housing kept moving away from the housing under pressure, a small leak was evident.

Not so now. I will have none of that.

[r1lark]

As mentioned, new hoses are thinner. But many different cars used those spring clamps in the '50s/'60s, so there are a lot of sizes available. In the past I would pick up boxes of NOS spring clamps really cheap at swap meets (cause no one wanted them, maybe that should have told me something? ). Most of my Studebakers use the spring clamps, just have to find some that fit tight. Stay away from used spring clamps. Personally I like the way the spring clamps look.

For example, just got done driving 90 miles each way to a Studebaker meet, 65-75 mph, no issues with the spring clamps on the '54. It can be done.

[stude1964]

Nate
I use spring clamps on my cars-top and bottom. Yes even with the correct pliers they can be a challenge to install. I noticed a slight weep on the upper hose but that was after installing a higher pressure NOS radiator cap for judging. My radiator guy says to run a 7 lb. cap. Glad to hear the Commander is coming together.
Rob in PA.