Gruven heater core T-connectors

Its debatable, you can google the topic and find as many for as against re-using spring clamps. Ive re-used spring clamps as well, mostly with success, but sometimes they do relax slightly and leak slightly. Not same steel or thickness as a leaf or coil spring, lol so that comparison is silly. And why chance it though ? A proper screw clamp, tightened down firmly onto a metal fitting would never leak, so why bother risking reusing ?

And Especially when this billet tee comes with the new clamps ... also the spring clamps are much wider profile, so Im guessing they just wouldnt fit here and its not even an option if you go billet on the heater core tees.

jatkinson8755 said:

Its debatable, you can google the topic and find as many for as against re-using spring clamps. Ive re-used spring clamps as well, mostly with success, but sometimes they do relax slightly and leak slightly. Not same steel or thickness as a leaf or coil spring, lol so that comparison is silly. And why chance it though ? A proper screw clamp, tightened down firmly onto a metal fitting would never leak, so why bother risking reusing ?

And Especially when this billet tee comes with the new clamps ... also the spring clamps are much wider profile, so Im guessing they just wouldnt fit here and its not even an option if you go billet on the heater core tees.

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Actually if you Google reusing spring clamps it’s hard to find anybody that says to NOT reuse them. They last longer than the life of a vehicle. They will fit fine in this application or any other application. Yours is another factless opinion, so I’m calling you out on it. Don’t take it the wrong way, it’s not personal. Just keep it to facts though and if it’s an opinion, why not just say it is. The comparison to a coil spring isn’t silly, they’re both spring steel. Spring steel doesn’t “relax” after a couple uses. Or a few years. Screw clamps ARE known to leak though, that is a fact. The hose expands and contracts a thousand times and the clamp doesn’t which causes the hose to leak unless it’s re-tightened.

I saw a used spring clamp laying on the pavement in a Walmart parking lot. I picked it up in case I needed one.

HiHoeSilver said:

View attachment 229101

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Tonyrodz said:

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Hose clamp of choice.

HiHoeSilver said:

Hose clamp of choice.

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Oh hey check out my new sig pic thanks to @Sevenevez !

@Rocketman - put the discussoin on hold a minute since you and i will disagree, and actually post a link to a spring clamp less than 3/8" in width that you could fit in this spot. Since you know everything, you know that any wider and it would not fit the billet tee and would be impossible to install here.

Im all for a good argument but this is totally pointless - there isnt actually a spring clamp that fits in tight spaces like where these billet coolant tees go. The spring clamps are much wider than the screw clamps.

Which is probably why they went with the ultra compact screw type clamps to begin with.

So what, then leave the ****** brittle plastic tees in there to break when you least expect it ? I guess at least you would have your aweome spring clamps, along with a 1/2 diameter hole in your cooling system.

jatkinson8755 said:

actually post a link to a spring clamp less than 3/8" in width that you could fit in this spot.

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https://www.helixracingproducts.com/clamp-2



These seem to be about the right size for the application being discussed.

However I could be wrong. If so, I do sincerely apologize.

jatkinson8755 said:

@Rocketman - put the discussoin on hold a minute since you and i will disagree, and actually post a link to a spring clamp less than 3/8" in width that you could fit in this spot. Since you know everything, you know that any wider and it would not fit the billet tee and would be impossible to install here.

Im all for a good argument but this is totally pointless - there isnt actually a spring clamp that fits in tight spaces like where these billet coolant tees go. The spring clamps are much wider than the screw clamps.

Which is probably why they went with the ultra compact screw type clamps to begin with.

So what, then leave the ****** brittle plastic tees in there to break when you least expect it ? I guess at least you would have your aweome spring clamps, along with a 1/2 diameter hole in your cooling system.

Click to expand...

I’m not interested in these overpriced metal tees that require a bunch of clamps. I figure if the original parts last 150-200,000 miles then worst case scenario is to replace them as preventive maintenance with OEM (NOT DORMAN pieces of shit) at these intervals. It takes minutes. All the problems people have after replacing them come from using Dorman parts. There’s a few places where I will use their parts but this is NOT one of them. And Im not going to go out and research spring clamps that will fit in the space necessary. They’re out there. If you want, you can go find them yourself. I’ve used them on my supercharger intercooler and it’s accompanying recirc tank which has hoses in even worse places than these. I have been customizing and building cars and motorcycles for over 40 years. I’m telling you from experience- if you have a hose that needs a clamp and it’s in a hard to get to place, the proper spring clamp tool and a spring clamp is way easier to install or remove than a screw clamp where you either need to get a screwdriver or ratchet onto it. It clamps the spring clamp open with a ratcheting mechanism, you slip the clamp over the hose end, the tool rotates to stay parallel and close to the hose , and you can use the tool to pull or push on the clamp until it’s in just the right position, and release the ratchet with a touch and you’re done. But Im willing to bet you’ve never laid a hand on such a tool because if you had, you’d know what Im talking about and would have quit arguing about it. And there’s no need for you to be a smart-ass to me. I’ll use OEM quick disconnects and you can use whatever you want. But you’re not going to convince anybody that there aren’t spring clamps out there that will fit. BTW I don’t even understand why for the love of it that you think these require clamps no wider than 3/8” anyway. Did you actually look at the tee? The hose slips on about an inch it looks like, just like every other hose fitting on any vehicle. There’s room for any damn clamp made on there. If you want to keep arguing, go right ahead. I can demonstrate for you if needed.