I'm doing some service on my '01 LC this weekend, including replacing the heater tees (plus the radiator and all of the rubber heater hoses under the hood). Do people generally reuse the factory spring clamps on the new hoses or do you replace them with worm drive clamps (or something else)? Thanks in advance.
Which clamps for heater tees?
- Thread starter CharlieS
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Reused mine, but faced them out instead of in this time so it's not such a PITA if ever needed to do again.
I used the pex brass T's from Lowes and worm drive clamps... I hate the look (like the stock spring clamps) but such a PIA location I went with tried and true
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Have to admit, part of me is just cheaping out. If I bought breeze clamps for all of the radiator hoses I'm replacing, it'd be a lot of money... Since others have used the stock clamps and they seem to work, it gives me confidence to do it.
It's really nothing to get worried over. Just reuse the clamps unless for some reason they are messed up. Be done with it! Save the worry for getting the broken pieces of the old tees out of your hoses. 
Springs wear out due to compression and expansion, not by sitting there at temperatures very well below what it would take to cause the spring to relax. I don't understand why they cannot be reused. The only cooling system parts that need replacement per Toyota are o-rings and gaskets.
As to the Breeze clamps...we're running a system here designed for 13-15 psi at ~200 def. F. We're not attempting to re-plumb the liquid oxygen system on the space shuttle.
What helped me a bunch when replacing my T's (with oem parts) were long long-nose pliers. Four different tip angles for < $20 at Harbor Freight.
Steve
I tried Breeze constant tension clamps.
They were pretty much garbage.
I have gone back to OEM spring clamps on both my 60 and 70 series.... At their price range and the quality that Toyota uses on them, it's a no brainer.
That said, I do think the upgraded T's that @cruiseroutfit is suppling is a great upgrade and a very smart upgrade. Kurt is smart.
Don't upgrade s*** that works great from Toyota. Upgrade the stuff that is problematic from a design point of view.
Remember, Toyota is all about not increasing the cost inherent in the design and build of a truck (sale is something completely different). Understand they are always going to use the cheapest supplier within their keiretsu system (Tier 1-4) especially within the Japanese production matrix.
So for example, with the heater T design, it is actually a part that has not been redesigned in ages (at least since 8/1992) when the 1FZ-FE was installed in an 80 series. The heater T part number (87248-60460) has been around since then with no changes when they installed into the 100 series iteration.
So that part number has been around at least 24 years. Cheap and generally designed to last the specifications of the initial design program.
They were pretty much garbage.
I have gone back to OEM spring clamps on both my 60 and 70 series.... At their price range and the quality that Toyota uses on them, it's a no brainer.
That said, I do think the upgraded T's that @cruiseroutfit is suppling is a great upgrade and a very smart upgrade. Kurt is smart.
Don't upgrade s*** that works great from Toyota. Upgrade the stuff that is problematic from a design point of view.
Remember, Toyota is all about not increasing the cost inherent in the design and build of a truck (sale is something completely different). Understand they are always going to use the cheapest supplier within their keiretsu system (Tier 1-4) especially within the Japanese production matrix.
So for example, with the heater T design, it is actually a part that has not been redesigned in ages (at least since 8/1992) when the 1FZ-FE was installed in an 80 series. The heater T part number (87248-60460) has been around since then with no changes when they installed into the 100 series iteration.
So that part number has been around at least 24 years. Cheap and generally designed to last the specifications of the initial design program.
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That said, I do think the upgraded T's that @cruiseroutfit is suppling is a great upgrade and a very smart upgrade. Kurt is smart.
Where are Kurt's T's?
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- #17
I have the craftsman version of that tool, and it works great. I also have the long straight, 45 degree and 90 degree angled needle nose pliers from harbor freight. I should be all set.
I have almost all of my parts here - Waiting on the set of Toyota tees inbound (Thanks, @beno).
I have almost all of my parts here - Waiting on the set of Toyota tees inbound (Thanks, @beno).
Hopping in here gents. We do stock the T's in both 5/8", 3/4" and I think 7/8" too, they are used with many of our Helton Shower system installs and some have used them on the 100's as well, pretty sure I used them on mine now that I think of it? They will outlast even a Toyota
Nate, I don't recall our spring clamp conversation, perhaps I was thinking the cotter-pin type hose clamps that I have not had great luck re-using. The newer clamps are just fine so long as they are not tweaked. The brass t's we offer have 3-4 rows of barb so they seal up quite tight sans even the clamp. Any clamp should be fine.
Nate, I don't recall our spring clamp conversation, perhaps I was thinking the cotter-pin type hose clamps that I have not had great luck re-using. The newer clamps are just fine so long as they are not tweaked. The brass t's we offer have 3-4 rows of barb so they seal up quite tight sans even the clamp. Any clamp should be fine.
No matter. I bought these ones off amazon. At $3.85 for ten I'm certainly not going to lose the house. I've had this stuff since October sitting on the bench, we'll see if I can get them swapped out on Monday.