Radiator crossover tube clearance

[CopperBronco]

I’m installing a crossover tube for my lower radiator hose. Bought Wildhorses 5.0 tube… it did not come with rubber end connectors to attach on each side. Cutting my own.

I’m having clearance issues. Either it wants to touch my PS belt, or hit the crossmember of the frame. I bought some hoses with some different shapes / ends and have been cutting to size trying to get perfect, but just not quite there. A couple of questions:

How much clearance do I need between belts and hose?

Can I use a flexi-hose for a crossover tube? Or does anyone know of any cuttable flexi hose I could attach to metal crossover tube?

Can I just wrap hose with some rubber to protect against it vibrating against crossmember?

Has anyone used Gates power grip thermal couplers? You hear shrink the coupler onto the hose connection, curious if you’ve had luck as my hose connection doesn’t line up perfectly flush.

Lastly any parts recommended for a crossover tube for a 302 and a 4 core radiator? Mine is from TBP.

See photos of the fit mocked up here.

 

[CopperBronco]

Looking at these parts, has anyone used these?

48" Black Stainless Steel Radiator Flexible Coolant Hose Kit With Caps Universal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FQHBCW/?tag=classicbroncos-20

Some other threads suggested this but it doesn’t look right to me. It’s 7.3 diesel hose:https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...e/15ec5eb8149c/gates-radiator-hose/gat0/22690

Was looking at this for reference, although I have a 302: https://bcbroncos.com/shop/cooling/...-stock-conversion-pipelower-for-early-bronco/

 

[spap]

Mine hits the cross member slightly, I took another piece of radiator hose larger than the tube and split it. To cover the small area that touches

 

[CopperBronco]

Mine hits the cross member slightly, I took another piece of radiator hose larger than the tube and split it. To cover the small area that touches

You cut the metal tube portion out and put a coupler between them?

 

[spap]

Nope to many connections just put the new spilt radiator hose around the metal one to insulate it. You just don’t want metal on metal contact

 

[CopperBronco]

Yeah I’m not sure I can clear my belts and crossmember… might just cut crossover tube before it makes the bend up into water pump and put a flexi hose on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[toddz69]

I think the Gates hose couplers will probably work pretty well in this case - they really clamp down tight when installed correctly. I have them on some connections on mine - not on the connections at the radiator/water pump/thermostat housing though that come off a lot. And I carry spare hose clamps if I need to do a field fix.

I'm not a fan of those metal flexy hoses - I think they look janky but more importantly they're usually made out of copper. I used one for awhile when I first did my 5.0 conversion back in the last century and found that when it came time to take it off, it was extremely difficult to get loose. One way to get them loose is prying with a screwdriver.....which work hardens the copper and can make it leak....

Todd Z.

 

[904Bronco]

You are suppose to use a factory Bronco lower Rad hose. the 90* end is cut off and is used at radiator. The other end of the hose is used at the water pump. The middle section is tossed. Sometimes the clearances are tight, you can use a section of a rad hose as an isolator as said or you can install a large Zip tie that has a mounting hole on it, which places a light tension on the pipe to keep it away from obstructions....

A 4 core rad probably makes it and even tighter fit.

 

[spap]

Hope this helps stock radiator with a fuel injected 5.0 it kinda looks like your hose that connects to the radiator isn’t long enough.
‘but very had to tell from the pics

 

[spap]

One more

 

[CopperBronco]

One more

Thanks! Good to have reference! I wish I could get mine more straight to crossmember… how much clearance do you have between PS belt? Mine might only be a 1/4”… hoping it works.

 

[spap]

It’s buried down there like 5 inches. But it’s an early serp set up.
just curious why you have a reverse rotation water pump with a v belt set up.
is it a later motor , can you change the water pump and have the output come out the normal way on the pass side ?

 

[CopperBronco]

It’s buried down there like 5 inches. But it’s an early serp set up.
just curious why you have a reverse rotation water pump with a v belt set up.
is it a later motor , can you change the water pump and have the output come out the normal way on the pass side ?

It’s a 1978 reman 302… I didn’t set it up that way, came that way when I bought it. Been too lazy to get after it.