What's your take on using band clamps with return piping?

arnonf · Post by **arnonf** » 17 Jan 2006, 21:17

Sometime in my car's past, a mechanic secured all the hydraulic fluid return pipes with band clamps. As I am in the process of renewing all the pipes, I need to decide whether I'll install the clamps again.
As far as I know, band clamps are not originally fitted by Citroen, and the sealing is based purely on the friction between the plastic and rubber pipes.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that by using such clamps, in case of a malfunction that causes overflow of fluid, the clamps will prevent the pipes from detaching, and instead will induce a rupture.

What are your thoughts on this ? A welcomed safety measure, or a source for trouble ?

Arnon

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 17 Jan 2006, 21:37

Clamps ?

I sometimes use nylon zippers myself if the pipes are old and to my personal feeling are too loose a fit on the studs. Also the zippers tends to aid against the rubber hose cracking up on the studs. But would not bother using clamps.

You wont get over-pressure on a Xantia return pipe like the BX could do it. Mainly because the Xantia front struts are an entirely different construction (internally) than the BX struts were.

As I've answered before on exactly this subject : fit zippers or clamps if that makes you sleep better

Post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Jan 2006, 23:59

'Plastic cable ties' we call them over here.

arnonf · Post by **arnonf** » 18 Jan 2006, 05:54

AndersDK wrote:Clamps ?
You wont get over-pressure on a Xantia return pipe like the BX could do it. Mainly because the Xantia front struts are an entirely different construction (internally) than the BX struts were.

Thanks a lot Anders, but my question was actually regarding the BX and not the Xantia (my bad for not stressing this...)

Peter.N. wrote:'Plastic cable ties' we call them over here.

Thanks. I wasn't sure about the correct "medical term" for them...
"band clamps" was the term used on a few web based US hardware stores.

Thanks for the help. I guess my BX will do just fine without them.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 18 Jan 2006, 08:41

a band clamp will be called a jubilee clamps over here in the uk,and cable ties sometimes get wrongly called tie rapps,as Anders said it is usual to use cable ties"zip ties" but not usual to use jubilee clamps,because jubilee clamps could be over thightend
regards malcolm

vanny · Post by **vanny** » 18 Jan 2006, 09:55

Cable ties or in america often Zip Ties
(platic with ratchet catch, no tools required

Jubilee Clamps
(metal ribbed track with wormer screw to draw track in, requires 6->8mm spanner or screw driver)

I'm off the thought that the jubilee clips cut into the rubber on tightening and MUST have a sheath over the original rubber before tightening. Generally only used in a bodge, or to replace the clamps that Citroen use

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 23 Jan 2006, 14:39

The clips that Citroen use are expensive, damn near impossible to fit and a waste of time. I use the Jubilee clip, putting the "mechanism" over the pad. Works like a charm and is much easier to remove next time.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 23 Jan 2006, 16:30

A correctly applied Jubilee clip (also known as a Terry clip to throw in yet another name.......) is most definately not a bodge!!

The best thing about them is that you position them correctly,on, say, a bottom hose,you can get a small socket on them and undo and redo them with a powered screwdriver with a lot less difficulty than those ridiculous Citroen clips.

[/quote]As far as I know, band clamps are not originally fitted by Citroen, and the sealing is based purely on the friction between the plastic and rubber pipes.
[quote]

The big hoses to and from the LHM reservoir have the silly Citroen clips fitted as standard-are these the ones you mean?

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 23 Jan 2006, 19:16

I agree. Jubilee clamps are not a bodge - the original Citroen crimp clamps are the bodge!

They only use them because they are cheaper and lend themselves more to mass production assembly techniques. (One quick and dirty squeeze with a crimping tool compared to precision control of a screwdriver or ratchet adjusting to a certain torque)

I routinely replace the original crimp clamps with jubilee clamps when I either notice they're loose (like the inlet pipe on my HP pump was) or when I have to remove them - like the clamps on the large pipes on the top of the hydraulic tank when I removed it...

Another place where they saved my bacon was I had a leaking power steering rack overflow pipe joint - where it comes out of the right hand end of the rack and goes from a steel pipe to a rubber hose it was weeping.

With very limited access I was able to rip off the original crappy crimp clamp, thread a new jubile clamp over the pipe without actually pulling the hose off the pipe, and tighten it up carefully with a little ratchet I have. All in a location that would have been impossible to use a crimping tool on.

I also know that the type of clamp I used means that joint will never leak again in the lifetime of the car...

It is important to use the correct size jubile clamp for the job though, don't use one thats too big as it wont clamp evenly around the hose... I have a selection of different sizes on hand which match the different common hose types...

Regards,
Simon