I bought a set of the stainless radiator hoses for the Mav a few years ago. They come with rubber ends that fit on your water pump and radiator, and chrome plastic covers that cover the rubber ends with the clamps hidden, also. They look good installed. I drove the Mav this morning to go get a haircut, when I got out I heard the dreadful sound-pufft, sisssss......Turned around and looked, a stream of water pouring out. Raised the hood and looked, one of the rubber ends had gotten a hole in it. Barber is right next door to Orellieys, so after I got sheared, I took the old end off and walked over there. Had to buy a $20 hose and cut off the 5 inches I needed since they didn't have any straight hoses. My T Bird water pump is odd, too, the outlet is 1 5/8" instead of being 1 1/2" like most Fords, so I ended up buying a hose that had the big 1 5/8" end and necked down to 1 1/2". Good thing is I've got enough of the 1 1/2" section left to replace the rest of the ends on mine. The apparently Chinese rubber end was cracked all the way around, and looked liked it was 50 years old, instead of two years old! It was also single ply, I didn't notice that when I put them on before. For the price of the stainless hoses, you'd think the rubber would be as good a quality as the stainless, but not so. By the way, these are Summit brand. So if you are buying any rubber hoses, take a good look at them. If they don't say made in USA, they may be junk rubber!
A lot of the aftermarket is getting junk hoses too. We're seeing a rash of hoses blowing in short time after replacement when the factory hoses in some cases are lasting as long as the car itself. At this time, Ford's factory replacements are as good as the originals, but that may change. I sure hope not. So if you buy hoses at the autozones, oriellys, etc where-ever, make sure it looks like a good quality hose. I just got some for my Toyota that I had to specify Gates just to get a hose that didn't look like total junk. Some of the low lines for the parts stores are china sourced too. Compare them side by side if you want to see for yourself, I highly recommend it.
Yeah my Spectre hoses from Summit lasted maybe 6 months before they blew, same as you described braided with decorative ends, replaced with Gates hoses.
I will only buy Gates or Goodyear, if available. I have confidence in them unless something makes me change my way of thinking.
Well, the rubber ends came with the stainless hoses, that's why I used them. I now have enough Gates hose from the one I had to buy yesterday to re-do the others. I'm keeping the stainless, it will just have Gates rubber ends. Just got to figure way to cover the one odd end at the water pump. The original sleeve won't go on the 1 5/8" part, so I had one of those fake AN clamp covers butting the stainless plastic cover. I may have to use two of the fake AN covers butting the plastic chrome piece now. Will work that out one day soon.
Beware of the fuel line hose too! It doesn't even last 2 yrs! I replaced all the hoses about 1½ yrs ago and some are showing cracks at the clamping points!
That goes for brake and fuel lines also. Were having vehicles come back in a year or two with the steel lines rotten again after we replaced them. NAPA steel tube. Turns out its offshore and the road salt is eating it in record time.
