Hose Clamps
SAE International and the US Military TACOM maintain the following specifications for hose clamping and sealing;
- SAE J1508 is specifications for thirty-two different hose clamp designs, including screw, spring, and t-bolt styles.
- SAE J1610 is specifications for the testing the sealing of hoses.
- The US Army TACOM maintains Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-52506 that provides for the standardized acquisition of hose clamps by the Department of Defense; the CID references the SAE specifications.
This CID superseded Federal Specification WW-C-440 for hose clamps in 1994.
If that didn't turn your brain to jello... you can see why it's fairly easy to use the wrong clamp for the job. There are so many to choose from... including clamps that are not suited for the job.
Worm gear clamps are a good example. Just because you can spin a 1/2" ID worm gear clamp down to squeeze 3/8" OD hose, or you can buy one at NAPA labeled 3/8" OD hose, doesn't mean it's working as well as a clamp designed and sized for that job.
Here are the ones that can and should, IMHO, be used on our vehicles.
-Worm Gear Clamps Or Jubilee clamps
I avoid worm gear clamps if I can. They do have their place but there are usually better options.
Better quality Worm Gear Clamps are available for a little more money with extended unslotted bands on the inside to protect hoses from damage and a better worm assemby.
Google "Breeze Liner" worm gear hose clamps for an example.
Amazon has a pretty decent selection of
Breeze Liner Worm Clamps.
Application:Low pressure large hoses such as Radiator hoses, Heater Hoses, Fuel tank filler hoses.
Not suitable for hoses smaller than 5/8" (16mm) outside diameter.
Pros: - Re-Usable.
- Cheap and very available.
- One clamp can fit a range of hoses.
Cons: - Not pretty.
- Loosen over time.
- Can be overtightened.
- Adjuster can cause clearance issues.
- Worm slots tend to damage hoses by extruding outer jacket through slots if clamp is not equipped with protective inside tang.
- Worm drive tends to push band into hose and stall before proper tension is achieved.
- Not suitable for hoses under 5/8" (16mm) diameter because the worm can't properly engage band slots.
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-Fuel Injection Hose Clamps
https://www.google.com/search?q=ABA+...lamps&ie=UTF-8
Application:18mm @11/16" OD and smaller Fuel hoses, Oil Cooler hoses, Power Steering hoses, and Transmission Cooler hoses.
Removable to service inline fuel/transmission/power-steering filters, fuel tank selector valves, and inline electric fuel pumps.
Pros:- Re-Usable.
- Inexpensive.
- Excellent for small diameter hoses.
- Excellent for high pressure hoses.
- Will maintain high clamping force over time.
- Clamping force is applied equally around the circumference of the hose.
- Will not damage hoses by extruding hose jacket through clamping surface.
Cons:- Can be overtightened.
- Adjuster can cause clearance issues.
- Not available for larger diameter hoses... There are better choices for intercooler and radiator hoses.
- Each size fits a narrow hose diameter range.
- Good selection of sizes hard to find locally.
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-Constant Tension Band Clamps
Band of spring steel with release tangs.
https://www.rotorclip.com/hose_clamp_overview.php
Application:Radiator hoses, Heater Hoses, Fuel tank filler hoses, Transmission cooler hoses, Power steering return hoses, Low pressure fuel lines.
Pros:- Re-Usable.
- Inexpensive.
- Can be installed with pliers.
- Tool available to ease installation and removal.
$35-$40 OTC 4525 (locks with 4 detents) or the nicer $60-$75 Draper 89793 Ratcheting are fairly inexpensive.
- Release ears are lower profile for better clearance.
- Excellent for small and larger diameter hoses.
- Will not loosen and maintains high clamping force over time.
- Clamping force is applied equally around the circumference of the hose.
- Will not damage hoses by extruding hose jacket through clamping surface.
Cons:- Not good for high pressure hoses.
- Each size fits a narrow hose diameter range.
- Good selection of sizes hard to find locally.
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-Constant Torque or Constant Tension Hose Clamps
Spring loaded screw adjustable band clamp for larger diameter hoses. Narrow diameter range for each clamp. Available in Worm and T-Bolt.
Application:Intercooler hoses, Radiator hoses, Fuel filler hoses, and Air intake hoses.
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-T-Bolt Hose Clamps
https://www.google.com/search?q=t-BO...lamps&ie=UTF-8
T-Bolt clamps provide uniform sealing pressure for a positive, reliable seal. Designed for use in high vibration and large diameter applications common in heavy trucks, industrial machinery, off-road equipment, agricultural irrigation and machinery.
Hybrid
Constant Tension T-Bolt Clamps with tension spring around the adjuster stud clamps are available.
Application:Intercooler hoses. Radiator hoses on Medium & Heavy truck engines, Buses, Tractors, and Construction Equipment engines.
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-Crimp on Band Clamps, Pinch Clamps or, Ear Clamps... Sometimes called Oetiker Clamps
McMaster Carr sells them
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/309/=10ztabc {Thanks Ken and ElGracho}
MSC Industrial sells
Oetiker individual clamps and the crimping tool or shop kits that come with with the crimp tool.
http://www.mscdirect.com Oetiker Ear Clamps
http://www.mscdirect.com Oetiker Ear Clamp Kits
Amazon has individual Oetiker clamps and shop kits as well for pretty good prices. Search "Oetiker Clamps" on Amazon there are several hundred hits.
Application:Axle Joint Boots, Power Steering lines, Transmission cooler lines, Fuel Injection lines...
Pros:- Cheap.
- Even clamping force.
- Low clamp height easy obstruction clearance.
- Low weight will not unbalance rotating assemblies.
Cons:- Throwaway part. Single use.
- Can damage hoses boots etc if the installer is not careful.
- Needs special tool for application and can't be installed on vehicle in low clearance areas because of tool clearance.
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-Wittek Type Tower Hose Clamps
I included these because someone will ask. 
These are generally expensive and only a handful of suppliers sell them.
I'd use these if you want or need a "Correct" replacement hose clamp on your antique that used these as original equipment.
Application:Antiques. Will find them on Vintage Tractors, Trucks, Corvettes, and Cadillacs among others.
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Special Tools For Brake and Cooling Hard Lines
Tube Bead Tools
Parker Beading Tool
VERY pricey but Parker is the gold standard in tube beading tools.
You will pay as much for a decent used set as brand new ones. Used go pretty quick if they are 20-25% under new.
This means you can sell em for a pretty dear price if you take care of em and are willing to wait a bit.- Aircraft Tool Supply sells a complete set of new tools in a blow moulded case.
http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/de...oduct_id=AP145
- Graham Tool Co. sells single beading tools. How many of us need to bead 3/4" to 1.25" tube? Why buy the whole set of three if you only need to bead 1/4" to 3/8"? OTOH Pay attention...
The price of two tools and the holding fixture, if you don't have some other mandrel to hold the tube from spinning, can come very close to cost of the full set of three beading tools with the holding fixture... and you get the blow moulded case.
http://www.grahamtool.com/tubebeadingtool.aspx
Earls EZ Beading Tool
If you're only doing a few tubes the Earls EZ Beader is OK.http://www.jegs.com/p/Earls/Earls-EZ...40092/10002/-1
Shop Made Beading ToolI've seen pictures of something similar to the Parker Type tools made by modifying a copper pipe cutoff tool.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=51655
Flare Tooling
http://www.eastwood.com/....tips-tricks-brake-lines
Mastercool Inc.
Pretty pricey but again it's the gold standard of flare tooling. Easily the most versatile of all the flare tools I've owned. If you intend to do a full set of brake lines you'll love it.
Like the Parker tools it will hold its' value. I almost never see used sets for sale and when they come up they're gone quick.- This is a hand held tool. You do not need a vise so you can flare lines on the car or truck.
- With a full set of dies it will make GM Push Connect Transmission cooler and Fuel line, Metric ISO Bubble flares, and 45° and 37° inverted double flares.
- The "Universal" 71475 set contains every die available except 37° inverted flare dies and 3/8 GM Push Connect transmission die. There are several less comprehensive sets for less money. Any additional dies can be purchased later.
- Universal die set and Hydra-Flare set 71475 with blow moulded case. @ $300 at this writing.
- SAE 45° Hydra-Flare set 71300 @ $260 at this writing.
Eastwood Pro Flaring Tool
Leveraged Manual Double Flaring Tool.
One of the best manual tools I've seen. The Base tool doesn't do GM fuel and Transmission line crimps or 37° flares. The only optional die set is the 37° flares. No GM fuel or transmission line dies exist at this writing.- This is not a hand tool. You need stout vise mounted to something that's not going to move.
- If you only intend to make 45° brake lines this is an excellent tool.
It is priced roughly the same as the Mastercool 71300 Base SAE 45° Hydra-Flare set when they aren't on sale so...
When you tack on the 37° dies the price is pretty close to the Mastercool Universal set.
IMHO If you have European cars in your stable, or you ever intend to make the GM fuel/transmission lines, get one of the Mastercool sets.
- Eastwood Pro Brake Tubing Flaring Tool
- Eastwood 37-degree Flare Dies for EW Pro. Flare Tool
Wing Nut Hand Operated Flaring Tool
Various levels of this tooling exist some good some bad. Pricing from $20 - $100. You can rent em from AutoZone.
Fairly difficult to get good flares with this tool. I'd only use one if I only had a few lines to flare.
Small Diameter Tube Handling Tube Bending Tools
Eastwood sells some very nice individual tube handling tools that make it easier to bend and straighten 3/6" - 3/8" brake and oil cooler lines without kinking them.Eastwood Tubing Bender and Forming Pliers Kit Item #13621
The pliers are available separately if you already have a mandrel bender.- Pliers for making short bends at the ends of 3/16" & 1/4" tubes and making slight adjustments to X-Y-Z axis of bends without kinking the tube. This seems to be fairly exclusive to Eastwood. I haven't seen a knockoff of this particular tool.
- Mandrel Tube Bender for 3/6" - 3/8" tubes. NOTE: I have a similar mandrel bender that I picked up 20 or more years ago at one of the big box stores. Eastwood is not the only outfit that carries them but the package is convenient.
Coiled Tube Straightening ToolsHandheld KWIX-UK type.KWIX-UK Tube Straightener Review by Canadian Paul Short
One or two passes straigtens the line right out.
Very convenient. Hand held and don't need a vise. You can use em under the vehicle if you need to.
Has slot for "Sharpie" type Marking Pen to provide a registration line to make it easier to put bends in the proper X-Y-Z axis orientation.
They are for straightening one specific tube size so if you want to buy 7mm, 3/16, 4.5mm, & 5/16 tubing you need four. Two Straighteners are cheaper than the Brakequip etc and Inline Tube units. Three or more starts to get expensive.Where Do I get em?- KWIX-UK makes some real high end handheld tube straightening tools for sale in the UK, Europe, and Canada.
- Eastwood sells a re-branded version of the same high end tool in the US. Under $100 US for one tube size as of this writing.
"Bundy" Bench Mounted
These will straighten any thinwall tube size that will fit through the rollers.Where Do I get em?
***NOTE: I have listed several tools from Eastwood Inc. I do not own stock in or work for said company. They are a decent convenient tool and finish resource for the home shop, hot-rodding and, restoration community with what appear to be reasonable to OK prices. Everything I've bought from them has met or exceeded my expectations. They have not provided me with free tools or any other compensation.