Anybody replaced the 4 long steel lines that run under the floor to the rear heat & AC? Seen & read some discussion on using flexible 'rubber' hose as an alternative to the overpriced FORD OEM. Not even sure FORD still has, what was a set, available for my '92. Considered making/fitting copper or aluminum, but balked at the funny connectors.

Is it as big of a nigthmare to replace these rust prone steel lines as it looks?

Anybody got any tips, suggests, secrets to share on this possibly all to common problem?

 

I replaced mine with rigid copper lines. I sweated dozens of fittings to a specific angles to go around the frame and wheel well. At certain spots where I couldn't get the angles just right, I joined the copper lines with heater hose and two clamps per side. That was a couple years ago now. Next time it might just be 20 feet of hose tie wrapped into place.

 

Since when will "heater hose" withstand the high pressures & circulating oil in AC lines?

How about the all important question of how to attach alternatives to FORD Quick Couplings? Or did you eliminate them & use "two clamps per side"?

Can we presume you decided that it was to expensive & difficult to replace w/OEM steel lines?

Wouldn't soft copper & careful pipe bending have been easier?

 

I used 5/8" heater hose from tranny/motor junction to the rear hoses hanging outside the body from underneath the body (just cut off Ford connectors and use nylon 5/8" hose menders) . I'd leave a/c lines alone til they actually break. Any decent sized a/c shop will have new lines/crimping connectors to repair old ones. A lot less expensive than factory parts.......All of my Ford vans have had the rear heat coolant lines rust away.......

 

Here in FL I'm much less interested in the rear heater & consider it a miracle that the AC lines have not rusted through yet. My thoughts were to kill 2 birds with 1 stone & restore both, the AC being essential in this climate.

Odd that the coolant lines seem to rust 1st. Guess they go through hot/cold cycles every time the van is run.

Funny that I did not even think about an AC shop fabricating lines & having FORD type Quick Connectors to use. Will have to call around & see who can make up a direct replacement.

 

UPDATE: FORD says the steel AC & heater lines are NA, however the dealer has online capability to locate obsolete NOS parts from other participating dealers & found AC lines in WI for a whopping $280 EACH! Obviously there'd also be a costly shipping charge for these ungangly items. I had thought that all 4 lines came as a unit, the main reason they were so expensive & no way to order just the 1 you need.

I did not have a chance to inquire at AC shops about making up something yet.

The good news is that the lines apparently remained the same from '92-'99 which widens the possibility of finding a good used set of steel lines.

Still curious if anyone can comment on the pratfalls of R/R these cumbersome lines.

 

AC lines are not the same material as the ones that carry coolant, I found this out when dealing with AC lines under the hood of many other vehicles in the past. I'm sure everyone who has opened the hood and noticed that AC lines sweat, if they were cheap metal, they'd rust immediately, leaking refrigerant into the atmosphere, no way the EPA would stand for that so they are required to use a material that is rust free.
I'd like to replace my heating lines with stainless steel, I've found that the stupid things have rusted at the hold downs, likely from rubbing, water and salt that they are subject to under the van.

 

I very seriously doubt this. If my '92 Club Wagon is any indication all 4 lines are the same plain, marginally plated, steel.

From all outward appearances all 4 lines are made out of the same quality steel. The AC lines certainly show rust, but not at the accelerated rates of the coolant lines. All 4 lines are equally attracted to a magnet. I suspect that the coolant lines rust more quickly b/c they're subject to hot/cold cycles every time the van is run. In sharp contrast, the AC lines are only subject to similar cycles when AC is used.

AC lines should never rust from the inside out since the system is carefully evacuated before charging, removing any vestige of water.

Coolant in lines must maintain good anticorrosion additive qualities or rust begins on the inside too!

Locally, the best alternative I've found is to have an automotive AC shop custom bend a replacement set of lines in aluminum. They have FORD type Quick Connectors & use the old lines as templates to form all the bends with what looks like a miniature exhaust pipe bending machine.

 

Is this an R12 or a R134A system? I'd guess its an R12 by the year, usually a shop that makes hydraulic hoses can make refrigerant hoses, if the hose ends are resuable(where they connect to the components) there was a compression type of connector to connect your ends to the new hose assembly. These were available from the hose manufacturers IE Parker, Airequip, or Gates I'm not 100% sure these are still available they were popular during R12 to R134 conversions

Good luck, Ron

 

My '92 Econoline is R12, although I'm considering converting to R134.

Don't need "refrigerant hoses" the hoses have checked out OK. Its the long steel lines that run the length of the frame that are rusting. I've seen a conversion van that had hoses running the length, but am not a fan of the idea.

I'd like OEM steel or custom made aluminum replacements. The local shop assured me they had the proper FORD style Quick Connectors. Will take a look around for good used OEM steel lines before sinking $$$ into the custom aluminum lines

 

Hi everyone! I'm a newbie to the forum.

For the heater lines I used plain old 5/8" ID Ford heater hose. It comes in a 50' box and is relatively cheap.

I used household foam pipe insulation over the hoses and carefully zip-tied the hoses to the frame minimizing risk of metal rubbing through the hose.

There is no reason to use metal lines.

Plain old automotive type 'heater hose' is already there connecting the rear steel tubes and the front heater core under the dash. If it works for the heater core in the front, and also used to connect the steel lines (rear) to the engine, it will work all the way to the rear heater core too.

My van is an early build '99 bought in '98, the steel heater lines were rusted through by 2001. The rubber heater hose has been in there ever since with 260k on the odo. No sign of a problem.

I wonder why Ford opted for the steel tubes in the first place... Engine coolant is critical for proper operation and shouldn't be risked.

The two AC lines are relatively corrosion free and still intact, even after all the salt on the roads every winter. In contrast, there are sections of the steel heater lines that aren't even there anymore! Completely rusted away!

 

I've replaced both the heater and AC lines on my 92 club wagon about 5 years ago. I used heater hose to run all the way from the engine back to the lines going into the rear heater. Auto parts stores sell lengths of hose, just measure how much you need and they will roll off some to what you need. I then tied it up to the frame with cable ties. It has worked great for years, only problem I had was one hose was to close to the rear springs and almost rubbed through. For the AC, I got the AC garage to replace my steel lines with high pressure hose and they ran it back all the way for me and put on the ends to connect it. I've had no problems for years. The only regret I have is that when I had the lines done I changed from R12 to R134a. The new stuff is ok but is noway near as cold as the R12 was. I wished I had kept it but you can't buy it here in CAnada.

Owl