Date:         Thu, 6 Apr 2006 09:57:06 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: hose clamp reuse?
In-Reply-To:  <44354055.1040707@verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> If they look good, reuse them.  As long as you haven't taken a torch to
> them they shouldn't have lost any of their springiness.


Agreed. When I redid all my hoses, about half of the originally
spring-clamped hoses had been replaced by the PO's with nasty hose-cutter
wormy screw clamps so I had to order a whole mess of new ones. I was not
able to discerne any qualitative difference between the 15 year old factory
originals and the brand new ones. Given their construction, I think the
spring clamps woud probably outlive just about every other part on the
vehicle.

I have one of the craftsman spring clamp pliers that is cable operated.
>   It sure does make getting into "impossible" areas go smoothly.


Agreed here as well! If you have more than a couple clamps to mess with, get
one of these cable operated spring clamp pliers. You will not be sorry. If
you stick with vise-grips and channel lock pliers, you will curse the day
you were born.
--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"