Hose clips

Is there a special tool you can get from VAG to undo these damned hose clips on a 1989 Golf? I'm trying to remove one so I can drain out the coolant, and I find I can't even do that. I managed to kind of bust the clip trying to remove it...

Trev

 

There probably is a special tool but once I managed to get them off I just replaced them with worm drive clips.

 

yeah there is special tools for em..alot of cars use these...vise grips may do the job if your having trouble

 

I use a set of water pump pliers .



Original clips are far better than using jubilee clips IMO
Edited by: DAVE 2227

 

I think I got confused about the ones you meant, in which case if its the ones with two prongs that need squeezing together use some molegrips put them on the prongs and start to tighten it up until the point that when you squeeze them it will still clamp down.

 

I managed to squeeze the prongs together, opening the clip a bit, but couldn't get the hose to come away from the bottom of the radiator. Maybe I'm being far too gentle with it. But at this time of night I don't want a damaged hose to contend with.

If there is a tool that makes this a hell of a lot easer then I'm gonna get one!

So they are better than jubilee clips, are they...?

 

i use mole grips too, really good for the job, move the clip along the hose away from the rad before trying to pull the hose off - just makes it easier, also twist the hose rather than pullin it (sorry if i'm statin the obvious!). and if its really really suck on i've heard that rather than pullin it and riskin damage to the rad - cutting the hose and replacing that is better - but thats only if its really stuck.

mike

 

If you use the molegrips as described they're easy to get off, no need for a special tool.

 

Alright, thanks. I'll give it a go. Maybe I need to upgrade from my Wang Chung Bargain Basement Special molegrips to some proper ones. Then I wouldn't have any trouble.

 

I've got the proper pliers, they're not much money.

Lots of cars use them so I had to buy them for work



handy pliers
Edited by: G_V_K

 

I've got this type of plier:

Hose clamp pliers

Handy for getting at those hard to reach clips. Mine are made by Bergen though and cost about 18 (wouldn't pay 116 for them!!)

 

Hrm, I think I'll get me some of these. I wonder if Halfords have anything like this.

 

Trev, you can buy them from that link i've posted

13

 

Aye, I could. In fact, I'll order it tomorrow. Even easier than driving over to Halfords. Thank for the help, really appreciate it.

While we are at it here, where do you guys recommend for obtaining replacement hoses? Like the coolant one that goes from the bottom of the rad to the pump, for example. VAG seems to be insanely expensive for these things. Just wondering.

So is it better to re-use these original clips than the worm drive things?

 

I reuse them, and have never had a prob with them leaking

Some hoses are VAG only, and cost a fortune

 

I'm wondering if it's worth stripping anything like that from the Driver before it goes...

Damn, it's got such a nice engine.

 

I take the hose clips off all the cars I scrap - far better than jubilee clips, even without the right pliers!
maybe you should take the whole engine..... think they'd notice?

 

No, they'll be too busy wondering why it's on bricks.

 

I personally would remove every single useful part including complete engine for the hell of it.
As it would be good practice for future reference.

 

When I bought mine it had a few random rad pipes in which blatently were not the right fitment (ie doubled over etc), just got new ones from local VAG parts specialist. (small VW/Audi specialist shop in Hatfield).

Cost me 9 for a new rad top hose, plus pennies for random lengths of the thinner overflow pipe. (I know that 9 seems expensive, but was having coolant problems and wanted it sorted asap)

I used new Jubilee clips, dont see the problem with them, whats better about those damn annoying spring type ones? I used pipe grips like 'Dave', to get them off, although I rushed it and fecked the radiator, made a hairline crack on the top pipe part because I was desperatly trying to pull the top pipe off...




Having said all that, 13 seems reasonable!