simonrh
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 01:22 PM |
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Vulcoflex hose
Does anyone have a good working knowledge of these?
I have a couple to get around an awkward bend in my bottom rad hose. I bought them from CBS.
Unlike a wire reinforced hose, the internal wire spiral that you would assume initially was there to keep the tube's shape is only a bit of
crappy galvanised wire, it isn't bonded or moulded in (just pushed inside) and at one of its ends the spiral is loose with a few spare turns
pushing out into the end socket and a deliberate kink / bend put across the end of the wire to make it come across the centreline of the hose (this is
true of both bits I have) that smacks of being made to grab with pliers. It isn't a fault as they are both like it and the fold is
deliberate.
So the free end blatantly looks like it is there to grab and pull out once the tube is formed and in place (it looks the same as the removable
reinforcement inside cold shrink tube that we use at work and also the little snap off tab inside the end of a helicoil.
The wire just does not look like something that is designed to stay in, particularly when these tubes are supposed to vulcanise into shape once
fitted, i suspect you are then supposed to remove the wire spring once it has adopted the final shape.
Photo attached.
So what do you know?
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loggyboy
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 01:30 PM |
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The trademarked vulcoflex does have it moulded in.
linky
I would suggest that's cheapo ripoff using some old coat hangars!
[Edited on 24-9-14 by loggyboy]
Mistral Motorsport
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 01:46 PM |
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You used to be able to buy springs (only ever seen stainless) to fit inside hoses to stop them collapsing. In fact I keep a couple in case I have a
heater hose etc go, and I can then use a bit of hose off the roll.
Best to ask CBS I reckon, see if they know how the product they sell works?
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owelly
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 01:49 PM |
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I've seen these spring inserts used before. My Subaru had them as standard as I found out when I replaced a couple of hoses. I had to pull the
springs out and stuff them in the new hoses.
As for the Vulcoflex stuff, I dunno....
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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prawnabie
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 02:42 PM |
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I think you may have the wrong end of the stick here. Proper "vulcoflex" hose or "green stripe" as they are known in the
states won't vulcanise into a specific shape, they are just ultra flexible universal hoses and will remain a constant bore size from end to end
due to the wire spiral in them (which is moulded into the hose on the genuine product.
The hose may retain some of its shape long term due to the metal former, but the vulco part of it is just the name of the hose.
Shaun
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simonrh
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 03:01 PM |
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OK, I got the vulcanising to shape thing from Gates.
https://ww2.gates.com/europe/brochure.cfm?brochure=2462&location
_id=5160
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simonrh
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 03:02 PM |
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But reading that link it doesn't say the spiral is moulded in and could be a loose internal one.
Will have a chat with CBS
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prawnabie
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| posted on 24/9/14 at 05:25 PM |
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I think the description is a bit wayward as each gates site describes it differently. I have used this hose quite a few times in temporary cooling
systems for my previous job, It is basically a central rubber hose with a metal spiral in it with a outer cover (the outer part you can see in the
pictures. The hose can be bent in all manner of shapes but the metal former inside will limit with radius of bends preventing it from collapsing.
We never used the CBS stuff - only the gates hose with the CBS stuff looks like a copy of as the metal is in the hose, not between the hose and the
cover.
If the cooling rig was left attached for 1 week + then when taking the hoses off they would partially retain the shape but could be bent back to near
enough straight suggesting it was the metal that was keeping the hose bent. I would get clarification from CBS but I think this is what you are going
to find out.
ETA - these 2 gates site just list it as EPDM hose.
http://www.gatesunitta.com/vulco-flex-ii®-coolant-hose
http://www.gates.com/products/automotive/agricultural-and-grounds-maintenance-products/cooling-system/coolant-hose/green-stripe-vulco-flex-coolant-hos
e
[Edited on 24/9/14 by prawnabie]
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