I'm getting ready to replace the outlet elbow and bottom radiator hose on my truck, and am going to try the Gates Power Grip heat shrink clamps. I haven't been able to find anything really negative on them aside from the aspect of "single use" and the fact that you have to "cut them off".

I'll probably toss in a few worm clamps into my tool bag in the truck as emergency solutions on the road, but I like the clean look they provide and their potential for outlasting my hoses.

If they hold up through the winter, I'll probably collect a few extras to have around the house in the event of needing to remove the radiator for some odd reason.

Anyone else in here have any experience with them? Positive or negative??

LINK... Thermoplastic Clamp Offers Maintenance-Free Hose Connection | Gates Corporation

Thanks ahead of time for your input.

 

Never heard of them before but they look pretty cool.
I bet they would work well. I once forgot to install the clamps on my lower radiator hose as well as the hose from the degas bottle to the lower tank and I towed a 17,000 lb trailer up to the forest and the hoses never came off. I actually didn't discover the issue until 2 or 3 months later during an oil change.

Either I was extremely lucky or the hoses grip pretty well on their own and the clamp is just extra security anyway....

 

Subscribing for the follow up post in a year or two.

 

You know I'll do it, too.

 

I've only seen one fail . They can be a PITA to remove ! I personally do not like them though .

 

I don't mean to sidetrack your thread, but this might be worth a look. I picked up one of these tools at a county fair after seeing a demonstration. I usually never get sucked into those hard sales pitch style booths, but after seeing this one in action, I spent the $40 for the cheapest version and am glad I did. It uses T304 stainless wire, and you can create any size and strength of clamp, which exerts 100% even pressure around the entire diameter of the hose. I have not yet replaced any clamps on my PSD, but since I make all of my biodiesel processing equipment, there are plenty of applications I use it where I used to use worm clamps. Definitely the best money I've spent on a tool in a long time.
Here's a link to their website: ClampTite is the perfect tool for making custom clamps | AKcooltools

 

Both tools are pretty cool.

 

No sidetrack at all... perfectly in the spirit of what I'm dealing with, and I like the concept of that tool. I'll probably get several of them... my truck, my garage, my son's truck, my other son's car, my Excursion, my other two sons' for future vehicles... looks like a great Christmas stocking stuffer!

THANKS

 

I like both of the clamp set ups the shrink wrap one said it comes in sizes up to 3 1/8 and I think a good test for one would be a IC tube boot since there is more pressure there than a cooling hose. Just for the sake of seeing what kind of pressure will it hold to.

Now the other tool is pretty cool it reminds me of an other take on a safety wire pliers. I too can see where this tool could come in handy but in tight spots it would be hard or next to impossible to lock the wire. I think it would also be a good tool to throw your friends off by asking your buddy who knows everything if he know what it is? HeHe I want one too.