Radiator Hose is flat????

[joe_peters]

Just go and buy a "universal fit" lower radiator hose--they are ribbed for your pleasure (the spring is built in to the hose).

ORIGINALLY the lower radiator hoses had a spring in them. Somewhere, someplace along the way someone had a better idea and decided that the SAE engineers didn't know squat, and that hose construction had improved to the point that the springs were no longer needed at all. Please note that "someone" will NOT be riding in your XJ when things go bad.

 

[Tacedaddy]

my issue with this is... i have had two jeeps both replaced with hoses without springs... and neither have ever done this, maybe its just time for a new hose?

 

[88trailcrawler]

Just go and buy a "universal fit" lower radiator hose--they are ribbed for your pleasure (the spring is built in .

I tried this because the universal fit hose was WAY beefier than the parts store lower. I bought both to save a trip. Choose to use the non ribbed parts store shaped hose for two reasons.
1) the universal fit did not have the smaller diameter end at the radiator side
2) the universal fit hose didn't seem to like the tight turns around the power steering and such.

I'd suggest dealer hose and make sure everything else is in working order to ensure the coil hose isn't masking another issue.

 

[kenny811]

my issue with this is... i have had two jeeps both replaced with hoses without springs... and neither have ever done this, maybe its just time for a new hose?

Hose is not even a year old. Again so far everything is as it should be, the ribbed hose ( for my pleasure ) might be the better hose, but the non spring hose should not suck flat, no matter what. And since un-clogging the over flow, its not sucking flat.

 

[88trailcrawler]

Could just be a bad hose. Or heat damage?

The parts store one I bought felt really soft and thin at the lower bend. The one I pulled off was also real thin and seemed kinda melted at the lower bend where it rides against the steering box.