new radiator hoses ... spring or no?

My mechanic just put on a new upper and lower radiator hoses in my Jeep. I felt the lower hose and it doesnt seem to have the internal spring that the OEM one had. Will this be a problem? It looks like the hose is constricting in the last bend right before the radiator.

I think the upper hose seems fine, except for a slight tight bend before entering the engine. Any problem with that too?


!worried

If you can squeeze the center of the bottom hose shut with your hand, it will probably cause trouble. The top doesn't usually need the spring. Getting a new spring in the bottom hose is a major undertaking. The local Jeep service center here, cuts the spring into three pieces and sticks those in there.
I usually look around and buy one with the spring already in it, if possible.

do most aftermarket lower hoses have the spring built in?

dakotus said:

do most aftermarket lower hoses have the spring built in?

Click to expand...

The ones I've seen do.

anyone know the part number for the lower hose (with spring) that I can get at autozone/advance/or napa?

99 xj 4L

If you don't have the spring in the lower hose, then you might want to replace it. The lower hose is the suction hose, and could collapse once it gets broken in. The upper hose is under pressure (although slight,) and should not collapse. If it does, you've got bigger problems...

I usually get Gates or Goodyear hoses at the local - and both of them have springs. I don't recall the part numbers offhand.

A word on "big chain" stores - don't. If you have a little "mom-and-pop" local or a "short chain" (say, half a dozen stores or so,) you're better off going there. They'll have better brands, will usually hire better help, and have a greater network of local warehouses that they deal with. I don't go to "big chains" for anything other than fluids or solvents - haven't for years. I've got a "short chain" that I deal with (total of four stores,) and I've often dealt with the owner personally.

I find it's also easier to get the parts guys broken in properly at short chain stores - they're more adaptable. They've quit asking me "You want what?" about five years ago - and the new guys get handed to me when I walk in so I can get them thinking properly.

Also, small shops and chains are more flexible (generally) about pricing - I've been given NET15 when I really needed it, and my prices have otherwise gotten steadily better over the last few years. It will be a shame to leave them - I guess I'll have to start a parts house once I open my shop...

5-90

Here is my breakdown

Dayco-Pep boys and advance NO SPRING
Gates-Mom and Pop + NAPA Spring
Goodyear-Surprisingly no spring on the one i got but some have it (ref 5-90's post)
Kelly(goodyear company) autozoo no spring

If you dont have a mom and pop store, napa is always a safe bet.. Their hoses and carquests are Gates

yea I have the dayco hose on it now, it seems real flexible. Im going to shoot for a carquest tomorrow and see if I can pick one up with a spring.

The dealer was maybe $4 more expensive than the AA and National auto parts stores here...

the gates lower hose I got from a local chain didn't have the spring. I took the one from the old hose and put it in, just twist it in, almost as if you're backwards threading it, will cause the spring to go in just fine.

i'll check out carquest, and see if the Gates has the spring. IF not i'll head to the dealer and see how much they want for it. My mechanic said the upper and lower Dayco hoses were $50 total. I know I can get a cheaper better quality hose.....somewhere

Good Lord! With his markup, maybe - but I think I've been able to get Gates (best, IMO) and Goodyear for $30 or less (usually somewhat less - about $25 for both.)

Servicing hoses only got expensive when servicing the heater hoses - check my website for how I solved that dilemma. It now takes about a foot and a half - total - to do the job. I've got to refine it a bit, but I'm happy so far...

5-90

well, i just checked out the local Carquest. Service was horrible, maybe "the family business" aint doing so well. I looked at the Gates hose they had for the lower rad, it did not have the spring inside. It felt maybe just a TAD thicker than the dayco hoses I have now. Im not sure its worth the hassle taking off the dayco and swapping the Gates, then seem reletively similar.

The spring is nice to have IF you have an old radiator that is constricted with deposits and won't flow 100%. It then will keep the hose open - but it won't keep the pump from cavitating due to low flow. It's a pump gallons per minute vs. hose flow rate thing, and I bet the engineers aren't paid to have it run outside the flow map - they leave it to the bean counters. Like the stock one core radiator on the XJ.

I have seen lower hoses with no spring, small block chevys always have one. They seem to be applied selectively - so maybe there is a chart at Gates, etc., that gives them the go/nogo to add it on the assembly line. Of course, if they think it's not needed, they won't spend the money on it. And if a car could possibly be clogged up enough at the end of the OEM hose life, they might include it.

When I replaced the hoses on my 91 4.0 motor, I took the spring out of the old hose and put it in the new one. It was a pain, but I got it done eventually.

I just replaced the hoses today. I found a quick / easy way to install the old spring into the new hose. Thread a small string through the hose and tie it to the end of the spring, I used a big loop so it would be easy to cut off the spring. pull the spring into the hose while twisting it. It should slide in pretty easily. once you get the spring into the position you want, just cut the loop in the string and pull it out. The whole process took about 2 min.

Hopefully this will help someone. I wasnt sure if i was even going to be able to install the spring. But I am glad i was able to get it in and have it set the way it should be.