Original Cheney Clamps

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Koll
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu May 08, 2003 2:58 am
Location: Seattle, WA
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Post by Koll »

The state-of-the-art water hose clamps are those throw-away spring type clamps found on new cars. http://www.rotorclip.com is a OEM supplier. They call these CT clamps or "constant tension".

I say 'throw-away', because most people do just that. One look at them and they say, "I can't torque down that guy at all!" and off it goes to be replaced by a worm-type clamp. And they look cheap and not chromed cool. Plus, they can be a PITA to install sometimes. Bad decision.

Hoses have to give on the heat cycles. Worm type clamps do not. The hose industry calls the process "bedding" where the clamp beds into the hose body. It's a failure point. As you know, rubber is a deteriorating material and bedding it will accelerate it's demise.

I retrofitted my car with ct clamps all the way around. Some from Toyota, some from Nissan and Chrysler and a couple of samples direct from RotorClip. Boring work because all these from car companies are not "sized" in a measurement unit, but have distinct part numbers.

It is the best way to go for reliability.

Note, ct clamps are not the best application for hard lines (power steeering, intercoolers, intake). Standard worm clamps work best there.

Some manufacturers make clamps with little springs in them. Breeze does as well as the German manufacturer Oetiker. These are ct clamps as well, but usually come in large sizes for radiators, etc.
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