Cool/Heat: '53 2R17 radiator hose routing

[LeoH]

So, on a 2R truck with the Commander 245 engine, I have a lower radiator hose #677344 and I have the radiator pipe that is supposed to fit into the hose #677343 however, the position of the lower radiator inlet and the water pump outlet are telling me there's something wrong with the routing. Does anyone have an original 2R truck with the Commander engine and the pipe and hose routing they can post photos of how the hose and pipe are supposed to run? Supposedly there is another hose that is also supposed to fit between the water pump and the pipe!
I have the pipe for the 170 Champ engine and I have seen how that routing goes, so, I am prepared to see some weird path for the coolant on the 245 as well, but this is challenging my sense of spatial object orientation.

[LeoH]

I've evidently forgotten how to read a tape measure. The water inlet pipe to the thermostat, that is a 1.25" OD diameter, correct? I had measured it more than once, but still came away thinking it was 1.375". D'oh!

[Skip Lackie]

That lower hose is way too long. The correct two lower hoses are maybe 6" long (not near my truck so can't check it). Parts book says lower hoses are 2" ID and upper hose is 1.75" ID.

[Lynn]

Should be the same as my 49 2R16A with the 245 engine (now gone).

I have the radiator out and still have the hose set up. I will try to remember to take a pic or two when I get down to the garage tonight.

[Lynn]

Hard to get a good pic. It is sitting in the back of my truck right now.

[LeoH]

Thanks Lynn, that definitely looks like how this should be routed. I measured tonight and it looked like it is 5 to 5.5" from the radiator body out to the centerline from where the water pump neck would extend and 5.5" from the water pump neck fully out to the centerline of where the radiator inlet neck would extend. Supposedly, the pieces I have in the photos are Studebaker radiator parts for the 2R.
So, I'm just going to go to NAPA tomorrow, get a piece of straight radiator hose and a piece of curved radiator hose and get a piece of metal tubing and clamps and make this shape happen. I'm done dicking around with trying to find the 'correct' Studebaker pieces. This photo is very helpful, many thanks!

[LeoH]

1.75 " OD? I'd better measure that tomorrow. I had a clamp for a 2.25" hose around the neck and it barely made it around so I was assuming it was a 2" OD.

[jackb]

my 2R6 with 245 cid engine has a 1 piece NAPA hose that fit perfectly as far as I can see. I can't read the hose part # as to how its positioned, but I'd like to know that number without removing an old hose ?!?.. Anyone using a 1 piece hose on these engines ? Also... what would be the benefit of 2 hoses and pipe vs. 1 hose ???

[Lynn]

The only benefit would be resistance to collapsing. Years ago, most manufacturers put a coiled up wire in the lower hose to keep it from collapsing as the pump was "sucking" from that hose. Many have stopped doing that.

As long as your lower hose is reinforced, there would be no benefit to the two hoses and pipe set up.

[Skip Lackie]

Thanks Lynn, that definitely looks like how this should be routed. I measured tonight and it looked like it is 5 to 5.5" from the radiator body out to the centerline from where the water pump neck would extend and 5.5" from the water pump neck fully out to the centerline of where the radiator inlet neck would extend. Supposedly, the pieces I have in the photos are Studebaker radiator parts for the 2R.
So, I'm just going to go to NAPA tomorrow, get a piece of straight radiator hose and a piece of curved radiator hose and get a piece of metal tubing and clamps and make this shape happen. I'm done dicking around with trying to find the 'correct' Studebaker pieces. This photo is very helpful, many thanks!

I found a used lower hose if you want it for a pattern, or could probably be used temporarily.