For a second opinion, do you slide the rubber hose over the plastic or use a fitting as previously mentioned?
I've always just slid it over the plastic tubing myself. Never had a problem with that method. Although, if you can source a barbbed fitting that would work with the plastic tubing, that would seem to be an even better option.
Is the plastic tube 5/16 also?
Just visually I'd have to call it 3/8" from memory. Whether it's exactly that, or some metric equivalent (not common back then, but not unheard of either), the 3/8" ID rubber line seems to fit fairly well.
That holds true of the factory pump inlet sometimes as well. I say "sometimes" because I've seen different designs, where on one the inlet is a cast-in fitting that works with a 3/8" hose, and another one has a threaded hole that fits standard tubing ends. Depending on what fitting you find, you could use 3/8" or 5/16" in that application.
I'll have to go back and check out the one I just did a few weeks ago to remind me what type it was, but it took 3/8" for sure. This particular Bronco had a pre-bent line kit which is a 3/8" hard line with threaded barbbed fitting like this:
http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Fitting_3-8_BARB_1-4_NPT
I may have used the same type of fitting on the pump side, or I might have cut a 3/8" pre-flared hard line down to just a few inches to use as the pump inlet.
Don't remember, but it was something along those lines.
Paul