Factory Five supplied corrugated metal coolant hose, yes or no?

[Jimmy B]

Have most people used this supplied radiator hose with success? My radiator is in and now I am looking with skepticism at this supplied hose....

[gbranham]

I think the general consensus is to throw all those bits in the trash and buy better parts. Breeze makes some good solutions. I.E.427 has a nice video that explains his solution that appears to be a great alternative to the FFR bits.

I'm using the Breeze pieces, along with (thanks IE427) upper rad hose by Gates #21211.

Greg

[cv2065]

I have one if anyone wants it.

[Jimmy B]

"I have one if anyone wants it"

I almost spit my IPA out...

[F500guy]

Put a couple rivets or screws in the rib to give the hose clamp something to stop it from working off when clamped and they should work, I also double clamped the ends. I only have very few miles on mine, but seems good so far.

[gbranham]

Put a couple rivets or screws in the rib to give the hose clamp something to stop it from working off when clamped and they should work, I also double clamped the ends. I only have very few miles on mine, but seems good so far.

This should tell you all you need to know about the FFR solution...

[Valkster]

I'm in late build with a version of the FFR hose setup. I've been go-carting with it and so far, it is ok. I don't like it due to the number of splices/joints and it isn't very subdued...seems to be a future headache or roadside failure. I have an older engine type (B.B. FE) and haven't looked at posts on what options I would have. Still, it got me going while working on other parts of the build. The pic shows the upper hose, my lower looks really bad, climbing over the frame and turning sharp 90 degrees.

hose.jpg

[Dgc333]

Based on the number of hot rods I see at car shows using the corrugated stainless hose it seems to me that it is reliable. I finished my 33 and got on the road in June, I have put about 2000 miles so far and have not had an issue with it.

[MaxVmo]

I used the Boig Cool Tubes and had them coated at the place that used to coat them. I’m on the road otherwise I’d have the name—Boig could tell you probably.

https://www.boigmotorsports.com/

[rickyracer]

Hit me up if some of you want to get rid of your tubes

[Jryasko]

I have a new set in the box. If you want, just pay shipping. Email me yaskojames4@gmail.com

[MB750]

I used it, but just from the rad outlet to the pump inlet, and I bought T-bolt clamps instead of those cheap hose clamps they gave me, and I bought a silicone reducer for the transition out of the radiator instead of using that coupling thing with the rubber reducing ring.

250 miles, no leaks. The T-bolt clamps were the best idea IMO. You can really crank down on those.

[GoDadGo]

The Factory-5 Corrugated tubing does work; however, many folks come up with more elegant solutions.

[mrglaeser]

I ordered a continental hose that cross refrenced with the gates hose in IE 427s video. It didn't work. But I found a hose at napa with all the right bends. I cut out the peices i needed and it fits great. NAPA 9543

[cv2065]

The T-bolt clamps were the best idea IMO. You can really crank down on those.

They look cool too!

[Nigel Allen]

I am only using it for the lower hose on my Coyote. Pressure tested OK. No problems in 10 years and is a cheap and cheerful solution. It is not pretty looking, so only used it on lower hose. I reckon the corrugated pipe is ok, but the supplied couplers are a bit poxy. I used radiator hose for coupling instead. I plan to swap it for a better solution one winters day......

Cheers,

Nige

[BEAR-AvHistory]

No FORD F150 upper hose & Breeze Lower kit.

[Papa]

Another vote for the Boig CoolTubes. They are high quality and fit perfectly. I also used the Breeze lower bracket.

[J R Jones]

I used to do hydrodynamics for a living, I also build headers. I look at water flow as critically as exhaust flow, especially with the engine in back and the radiator in front. What impressed me about FFR 818 plumbing initially was rubber sleeves to get diameters to match. I started from scratch. I find aluminum tubes are easier to work with than stainless steel.
jim
IMG_0500.jpg

IMG_0501.jpg

[Mike.Bray]

You can always make your own aluminum hard tubes. Fill the tube with fine sand or salt to make a poor man's mandrel and bend away. For the beads use one of these.

https://www.holley.com/brands/earls/...tools/beaders/

[Rian_Colorado]

Boig cool tubes, no question!

Mr. Boig passed away a few years ago, they are now sold by Tubular Automotive
I'm pretty sure you can still order them from the Boig website though.

If anyone has come up with something cool you can build with the FFR parts, let me know...... I have two sets laying in the shop!

Rian

[J R Jones]

You can always make your own aluminum hard tubes. Fill the tube with fine sand or salt to make a poor man's mandrel and bend away. For the beads use one of these.

https://www.holley.com/brands/earls/...tools/beaders/

Art Quillian and I fabbed our own bead rollers, Art went first.
jim
As usual, my photos will not insert again. Thanks Dave.

[Blitzboy54]

I am sure I am in the minority here but I really like the flex hose look. I've used it on 2 builds and honestly prefer it. I think it looks kinda awesome. As I am typing this I now wish I had powder coated it.

[TTimmy]

I used Boig pipes for my Coyote/coupe. Love them.

Boig was unreachable when I was working on my roadster so here is what I came up with:

Mocked up the rad with a Breeze shroud, hinge mount and lower support. It’s all really high quality stuff and seems a good value. The instructions are great and the contents of each kit are complete, including all hardware, rivets, etc. The packaging and identification of the individual components is very well done also. While I could have fabricated everything but the shroud, I probably could not have done it for much less money. And it super high quality.

For the upper hose I replaced the entire FFR setup in favor of a Moroso filler and a Gates hose that I cut up and pieced back together. Fewer connections and much cleaner looking. I’m much happier with this setup. The hose I had is a Continental E70621... For a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham... because that's the kind of classy guy that I am! Needless to say, with an application like the Cadillac, you get lots of hose and lots of twists and turns... plenty of material to work with. I'm about $50 all in for the Moroso filler T and the hose. After working out which bits of the hose to use I cut out little half-circles on each side of the filler cap so that everything marries up cleanly. Used a sharpy to color the Moroso piece where there might be a visible gap. While I like the TDMotion piece a lot, it's hard to justify $500. Maybe another time. Only four connections, for which I’m using the Gates PowerGrip clamps. They are single use, so nothing gets fastened until I am certain I’m ready. For the lower hose I’m going with the Breeze kit. It was just delivered- Again, high quality stuff.

[MB750]

I am sure I am in the minority here but I really like the flex hose look. I've used it on 2 builds and honestly prefer it. I think it looks kinda awesome. As I am typing this I now wish I had powder coated it.

So do I, I just made sure to ditch those crap hose clamps for something with some cohones to keep the leaks away.

I suppose if you bent it to the approximate shape before powder coating it could work, but I'd be worried about it holding up if you kept flexing and bending it during the install.

[CW_MI]

One could always go with a complete -AN set up. It's expensive, but nice.

https://autoplumb.com/

[Jim1855]

CW_MI,
Thank you for the link. Might solve my plumbing problems.
Jim in GR

[Mike.Bray]

One could always go with a complete -AN set up. It's expensive, but nice.

https://autoplumb.com/

Not for a street car, those big AN hoses are too stiff and will pull the necks out of your radiator. Don't ask me how I know.

[CW_MI]

Not for a street car, those big AN hoses are too stiff and will pull the necks out of your radiator. Don't ask me how I know.

Interesting. Makes sense though. I've never messed around with a -20 line, but could imagine how stiff they are.

[Avalanche325]

I did the rivets, clamped them down super tight. They worked fine for warmup and about 50ft when it came off and made a nice mess.
Cool tubes for me.

[Just 1 More]

Not for a street car, those big AN hoses are too stiff and will pull the necks out of your radiator. Don't ask me how I know.

So far so good on the Camaro somewhere around 5,000+ miles 20240613_163817.jpg

Built one for my FFR 33 also 20250216_123709.jpg

[cv2065]

So far so good on the Camaro somewhere around 5,000+ miles 20240613_163817.jpg

Built one for my FFR 33 also 20250216_123709.jpg

Those AN hoses do look cool!

[efnfast]

the corrugated piping will work - i ran it in my 65 cobra for ~18 years and in my slc for ~12 years

however, when i took it off the car it basically fell apart in my hands, so it was basically a ticking time bomb

i've since replace it with traditional epdm rubber hoses and/or welded stainless coolant tubes

so while it did work for a very long time (almost 2 decades), seeing how it aged versus the rest of the cooling system parts (which were primarily rubber hoses, aeroquip startlite hoses and welded stainless tubes), I wouldn't use it again.

[mtcoriel]

My son tig welded mine out of 1.5" and 1.75" 304 stainless steel tubing DSCN1945.jpg

[Jimmy B]

My son tig welded mine out of 1.5" and 1.75" 304 stainless steel tubing DSCN1945.jpg

That is pretty nice. My brother is a great TIG welder....lives out of state.

[JCB52]

I used them on my MKIV donor budget build because $$. My thought was to replace them Asap. Over 5K miles latter, their still on there, still performing and not a drop of leakage. I’m not a guy that follows the mantra “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. Just ask my wife about my drag car. However, even being drop dead ugly, their still functioning and there are more important components that could use some improvements.

[F500guy]

One mans "trash" is another's treasure. I used it for the top hose, think it looks great. Seen many cars that powdercoat those to match engine parts, so lots can be done with them.

[AA-ron]

I ran the corrugated hoses for about 5000 miles without issue.
However, I did swap them out for good old fashion rubber hoses when my plastic fill cap (the one supplied by FFR) failed. I'm not sure what happened, but it formed a small crack and gave my engine a bath. I may have over tightened it, but its odd it waited for 5k before it blew. I replaced it with an aluminum version-- which feels safer to me. At $19 seems like a good upgrade. FYI, I'm not nearly as experienced as most on this forum, so take that advice for what it's worth.

[David Hodgkins]

Now that I've taken out the trash we can get back to the topic at hand.

I used the corrugated hose on my first build and it lasted several years. My lower hose did spring a leak where it was rubbing the frame so I replaced them with the popular mandrel-bent hard tubes.

As is the case with so much of our builds. the supplied stuff will get you down the road, but there are other options readily available! To each their own!

[rich grsc]

So I see you decided to delete any comments that point out FF5 poorer quality parts. So much for freedom to give opinions that don't fully endorse FF5. This forum has always been open to point out the good & the bad, guess you decided different, thats a shame, and yet you left you post. Thought you were fair