Sticker shock... need trans cooler line hose...

[nvrstuk]

OK, trying to reduce and "clean up" routing issues due to sheer bulk of 1/2" rubber trans lines fI currently run from my 6r to my cooler behind the grill. Work great the last 8 yrs but DANG they are big and fugly. Planned on using a braided SS line yrs ago just to "clean it up a bit" with AN fittings but what the heck happened to cost effectiveness here.... looking over 200 just for hose and a couple fittings.

So, I've always recommended steel lines because they help cool but that isn't an issue and I don't own a bender to put a decent radius on 1/2" brake line (or equiv).

Options or good deals on a 1/2" tubing bender that I'll never use again (well, once more on Shorty maybe). Recommendations on a bender type of 1/2" line that is easy to bend w/o collapsing on 90deg bends?

Thanks

 

[AZ73]

I have the newer ridgids but they're close to $200 each. You can get the older models on ebay for under $50. Some of my more expensive tools I bought on ebay, then resold them when I was done. I've tried the cheaper ones on Amazon and wasted more on repurchasing line that got ruined. That's why I finally just spent the money. Of course when I spend the money they were less than half the price they are now.

Here's an older one for $45. Whatever you buy, use oil on the the tubing so it slides easier in the tool

RIDGID 398 1/2" OD 1-1/2" Radius Plumbing / Pipe / Tube Bender FREE SHIPPING | eBay

You are buying a Used RIDGID 398 1/2" OD 1-1/2" Radius Plumbing / Pipe / Tube Bender.

www.ebay.com

.

 

[nvrstuk]

THX.... now I just need to decide if I'm going with flex (braided) tubing or bend ridgid tubing with the Ridgid you posted. Looks like a great deal on it.

 

[ntsqd]

I have from 1/8" to 1/2" in the Rigid/Imperial-Eastman type of bender except for the 5/16". I just don't bend it often enough to even wish for one much less buy one.

I've tried using aluminum tubing for trans cooler lines on the Wagon. Time will tell how well that will work out. Bulkhead fittings in tabs screwed to the frame rail where each hose to tube transition or vice-versa occurs.

 

[nvrstuk]

Looks good TS. I am looking to come out of the drivers side of the trans towards the front of it, then fwd enough to cross between oil pan and bellhousing and cruise vertically up to the oil pan rail to help securely anchor it then towards the front towards the timing chain cover (& huge Exploder bracket) to the frame and up to the 2 AN connections on the cooler btw the rad and grill. Not many great anchoring points and I'm worried about the soft wall thickness of alum compared to copper... need some more great ideas that are different than what I've used b4. lol

 

[ntsqd]

I went up the frame because that power-train is soon to be replaced by an LM7/4L60E, but did consider bracket(s) on the current combo to do the same thing.

FWIW I used 3/8" ATF / PS Cooler hose for all of the hose in that system. I've not been too impressed with the rubber lined braided hose. Seems like it has a pretty short life-span for how much it costs. And if you're looking at -8 teflon lined braided hose then no wonder you've got sticker shock.

 

[ssray]

I have used a v-belt style pulley clamped in the vise in the past to bend steel or copper, but never did any aluminum that I can recall. Either had one the right size laying around orr picked one up at the farm store. Might be worth a look in the junk pile or parts bin. They aren’t perfectly rounded but seemed to work when I found the right width and diameter. If it has to be bent in place itks probably not an option.

 

[ntsqd]

Occurs to me that the wheel out of a rope sheave could also be used like that. The thinner the wall, the harder it is to get it to bend nicely.

 

[ssray]

Occurs to me that the wheel out of a rope sheave could also be used like that. The thinner the wall, the harder it is to get it to bend nicely.

I‘d agree on that. I was likely using more standard thickness tube. Rope sheave would be more rounded…good idea. I do remember one pulley I used was solid construction. I doubt if it was perfectly rounded, but I think the tube bottomed out about the same time as it contacted the sides. So it could depend a lot on the construction and shape.

 

[Kalex]

nvrstuk I have some of this if it will help you out. I think -10 is about 5/8 though versus 1/2. Russell is the brand name.

 

[ntsqd]

-10 is nominally 5/8"

Dash numbers are fairly simple once you know how they work. They're all the numerator of a 16th fraction. -3 is 3/16, -10 is 10/16, etc.
The flaw in the system is that none of them actually measure that fractional size in the ID or on the OD. It is based on what the ID of that size of copper tubing would be. Example: 3/8" (OD) copper tube will have an ID of somewhere around 5/16", so -6 hose has an actual ID that matches the ID of the tubing. Pretty odd until it is realized that intuitively people know what a 3/8" copper tube can flow from years of experience with it. The idea was to size the hose so that same intuition still applied.

 

[ntsqd]

All hail the AlGoreRhythm. Just got offered this while looking at Bridgeport parts.
Ebay Link

 

[nvrstuk]

J

nvrstuk I have some of this if it will help you out. I think -10 is about 5/8 though versus 1/2. Russell is the brand name.

Thanks for the offer! I am going to sit on this decision for a bit until I mount up "another" radiator and see how my dual cold air filters fit in case the radiator has to move a little. Then I'll jump back to this..

Thanks again!

 

[pcf_mark]

If you want to go super low $$ you can run aluminum fuel line with pressure rated piece of hose and EFI clamps on the ends.

 

[ntsqd]

Less expensive to buy the aluminum tubing from a local plumbing supply. That is where I got the tubing in the above pictures.

 

[nvrstuk]

Yes, i looked at alum tubing and the wall thickness is so thin, It spooks me actually. Because I use this thing pretty hard, like really hard compared to 90% of the people that I personally know, i am very hesitant to use alum, at least for the first two and a half feet to at least get me up on top of a frame rail. If it wasn't for the very thick ice that we bust through that has ripped fuel pumps from the frame rails and other miscellaneous pieces it would probably work. No, i'm not afraid of making some sort of skid plate for those hoses to protect them.But where do you stop right?

i can tuck the very flexible AN line with compound curves out of the way a bit better than what I just tried with rigid half inch diameter tubing.

i think i'm going to bite the bullet and go with AN lines. Not just for being able to tuck them out of the way, but for less fittings which all reduce flow. Another factor that I haven't shared is i'm redoing my intake and radiator and that might mean relocating, my trans cooler, (& maybe another) which is not what I want to do but... Heck, it might be easier to extend the fenders and the hood & get more clearance up front... actually.
I've toyed with this idea for a long time.
I

 

[toddz69]

Sometimes I think I have my truck "down" too much for upgrades/repairs and then I think...."Nahhh...I think Brian has me beat!"

Todd Z.

 

[ntsqd]

"If it's done, it's for sale."

Forgot about your penchant for going where a sled would be the more normal choice.
Yeah, I might not choose AL for that either. Steel or SS tubing on top of the frame rail with braided/teflon to make the jump from the trans to the frame would be the most robust I think. Where more protected I'd be OK with the normal ATF/PS cooler hose, but not in that jump.

Staying on the power-train is more exposed. Wouldn't be my choice from standing here on the Coastal Desert but being on said desert I don't have the in-depth experience that might say that it's good enough.

 

[nvrstuk]

HAHAHA TZ.... I do pull it apart a bit but it's been up and running pretty dang good since early last summer when I got it dyno'd. We pulled a lot of timing and lowered the HP/TQ #'s and wow, I STILL had to pull a lot more timing running 92 then adding octane boost to keep it from talking to me all summer. Sure showed up in my sand drag times... worst ever by almost 3/4 of a second... like it ran smooth but no power for 464 cubes that should be screaming with 600+hp.

Anyway, going to slap the radiator in with new mounts, shroud rebuilt to fit everything (again), then build new dual 4" fresh intakes and then .... do some snow bashing...

New 6r hose plumbing with an inline 140 deg t-stat for pre-warming the fluid temp.

 

[ssray]

Curious if you have thoughts on lost power….pistons, cam setup or the change in fuel injection???

I‘d have to agree with everyone on the Al tubing. It would scare me a bit working with it. Fatigue cracking can be an issue. And yet there’s a lot of it in AC lines on vehicles and I personally haven’t run across a line failing. Usually fittings, in the hose crimp or schader valves or compressor seals. Did have a case of an older PU this summer (not mine) that had a leak in the low pressure schrader valve in a fitting on an aluminum line. Discovered it wasn’t removable but had a fitting that could be unscrewed and replaced with one that had a replaceable schrader. But again the properties of aluminum struck and getting the fitting apart on 21 year old vehicle proved impossible. The replacement line we got had a removable schrader in it BTW.

On the weather note, hope you get some snow for a change so you can get out there. Was glad we didn’t get any today!!! The system that came down from your direction brought us high winds. One stretch this morning was 58 mph with gusts to 68. Varied through the day and finally eased off this evening. Would have been ugly if any snow came along for the ride.