Water intake hose questions.
 

Sorry for the dumb questions, but I'm trying to get the cooling sorted out and I've gotten no response from the hose manufacturer. I sent an E mail a week ago to Trident (I bought the Flex 1-1/4" wire reinforced hose) asking what hose clamps to use? They replied the next day with "what's the part number so we may assist you better?" So I replied with the part number (even after telling them what hose and size in my original question) and have not heard back.

My concern is the transom mounted fitting (Bravo 1) is the black plastic style. Plus I'm using the OEM sea pump. which is also plastic.

I want to say I read on Shields site (I bought Trident) they recommend a T bolt clamp or the constant torque clamps.

With it being such a critical component, I wanted to double up the clamps on the fittings like recommended, but T bolt clamps are like 3/4" wide, and you're not going to get 2 on there.

I can get 2 constant torque clamps, as well as the ABA clamps too.

I kind of feel the hose with the wire needs to have a little more torque on the clamp to get a good seal. But I'm afraid of damaging the plastic fittings.

1. Should I replace the plastic transom mounted hose fitting with a stainless steel one from Teague? Do the plastic hose fittings fail? That would still leave the plastic sea pump fitting.

2. What hose clamp are you guys using? And did you double up on them?

T Bolt style clamp https://www.hosecraftusa.com/accessory/T-Bolt_Clamps

Constant torque style clamp https://www.breezehoseclamps.com/bre...nstant-torque/

ABA style hose clamp https://www.fisheriessupply.com/scan...nd-hose-clamps

I like this guy's comparison videos.

Two is one and one is none.

T-Clamps can break, it's happened to me.

Worm gear clamps are very reliable, and generally easy to use 2.

Plastic fitting can get old and brittle. More of a factor with heat related parts. If the Teague part isn't too pricey, likely worth the peace of mind.

Merc Plastic raw water pump housing: you can get metal housing serive kits...but the stainless pumps are cheaper.

Peace of mind on critical water inlet fittings is worth some cost and work to me.

Adding a ball valve and a hose fitting attachement to the raw water hose is also a bonus to run on the hose vs the muff system.

Look, guys, this is not particularly high pressure and a particularly difficult application.

If I think at what hoses, clamps and materials are used for the fancy European V8 in my car, I wouldn't worry the slightest about a marine big block.

Oetiker clamps may be the best, though, if you don't mind that they are not meant to be re-used.

Awab, ABA or Scandvick

Have never had one of those fail.

worm clamps are fine IF you buy good quality ones not the garbage china ones sold at most places. the china ones seem to be made of recycled bud light cans and fail with more than the lightest torque but quality brand ones seem to take the torque and hold good with out issue

Make sure they're the full stainless style.

EU car manufacturers are in love with plastic coolant system parts...often requiring complete preventative replacement ever 80k miles.

I hate cheap hose clamps.

Buddy of mine had a cheap clamp fail on the transom end of that hose. Hose didn't come off but the connection leaked. Almost sunk the boat after sitting at the bar/restaurant for a few hrs. He was lucky his slip/lift was close-by. For whatever reason the auto-bilge pumps never kicked on.

I run 2 Breeze worm clamps on each end of that hose. Never had one loosen-up. I re-use them over and over.

Thanks for the response. The Teague SS transom fitting is just under $100. I do have a ball valve to install at the sea strainer. I really wanted the Hardin fitting that's threaded to put the valve near the transom, but it's way too congested in that area. So it gets mounted to the strainer.

I like the Oetiker clamps and am using them on the fuel hoses. I will look into them for this application too. Thanks

These have recently come to my attention and seemed to be the way I was leaning until I read the T bolt and constant torque recommendation. Will prob go this route or the Oetiker. Thanks

All SS material and quality built for sure. Thanks

For sure

Way too much $$ invested in this build to cheap out on the clamps. Glad your buddy was able to save it.

Along those same lines, not that long ago I read about the guy whose aluminum AN fitting broke on his fuel pump. For that reason, I used SS AN fittings and Oetiker clamps for my fuel system.

Thanks for the replies