German Hose Clamps and an Indy Shout Out
 

Just got my TD back from the Indy. Radiator, Alignment, and Klima Anlage fixing. Wow, what a difference that made. Since the climate control issues were vacuum servo related, the car shifts better now, too.

Do you DIYers use german hose clamps? My Indy replaced the american ones with german ones. Apparently, they are narrower and clamp better.

For those of you in Tucson, I highly recommend Bart at Group One Motorwerks. (Is there a list of member recommendations somewhere?)

"Do you DIYers use german hose clamps?"

Yes, always.

Steve

^^^Yes, go down to "Good Mercedes repair shops" section below. Find "Arizona" within there, and post up your recommendcation there. It will be read and appreciated!!

Cool. Where do you get 'em?

Interesting... I heard the opposite. I heard that the wider ones gives more surface area and clamp better. My thermostat neck had corrosion on the clamping area and left "pot" holes. I attributed it to the narrow clamps and wrong radiator fluid added by the previous owner.

But this is a good question to find out what is right.

You can get them at the dealer. In my opinion, the why question goes something like this.
If the factory designed the car to use this style clamp, then I am going to use them. It's not like they wear out quickly. They are cheap. Also if you eyeball the german clamps side by side with typical clamps, the difference in design and build quality will be apparent.

I read a post at some point explaining the difference. I think it had something to do with the precision of the adjustment. I really don't remember specifically.

Steve

Those German clamps work better because they do a better job clamping the entire surface vs. the crappy threaded hose clamp style tend to focus the pressure just under the screw.

Additionally, the German style clamp design prevents the worm gear from cutting into the hose.

Steve

Well if the German clamps are wide enough, then you all have a point. But here are some posts concerning about the Behr radiator necks breaking. They seem to think it is caused by the clamps being too narrow.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=148132&highlight=wider+hose+clamp+radiator

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=16127&highlight=wider+hose+clamp+radiator

I think the cause is more likely attributed to some bone head bracing his hand (weight) on the neck when wrenching.

I think more important than the clamps is how they're torqued, should not be more then 4-6 lbs. And German clamps went to stainless steel in the 116/123 era. Before that they were cheap tin that rusted to smitherines and generally got destroyed just removing them with pitiful philips screw tighteners that always froze solid. Same as MB fabric covered fuel lines, German hose clamps have always sucked.

I know that ford europe along with a bunch of other companies like the German ones that we have on our mercedes. but if you want the same screw style (no holes in the band) and a wider band/ clamping area, you can use what Saab and Volvo use. Pict below.

http://www.tryckluftsteknik.com/slangklamma.JPG

I have a good friend that goes to the yard and gets a 100+ pounds of hose clamps that are in factory condition and has them cadmium coated. Its cheap and because he uses a lot of them, nice to have on hand. German style for the fords etc. and Swedish for other cars, depending on what is getting clamped.

I prefer the German ones.....
 

I prefer and use the German hose clamps.....and I get mine from.....

http://**************.com/

...the main reason is that the German hose clamps do not cut into the hose when tightened......

...also, it seems that the quality of the US style hose clamps has deteriorated in recent years....maybe most of them are now made in China.....

SB