Community Forums

gpounder · 11-15-2019, 03:54 PM

I have a large tool kit and could do most repairs on the road if I have parts.

So my question is what hose parts should I carry?
I can deal with the large radiator hoses. I am concerned about the small stuff for Air, Water, Oil, fuel and power steering. Skipping Air conditioner since I do not have AC gear and it will not cause me to be towed.

Recently I saw a post about a oil line rupture.

Asking if you have had a hose leak, what type and where did it leak?

Thanks

grindstone01 · 11-15-2019, 04:11 PM

Radiator hoses would be the most common to fail, but even then it's not that often. If you are concerned then just change the hoses ever ten years or so. For most hoses, I would carry some duct tape and maybe JB Weld. You can't possible carry all the spare parts for your vehicle, so I would carry things for a temp repair to get you to a parts store.
Now if you are heading to a remote country, your concern for spare parts might be more valid??

Jthigh · 11-15-2019, 04:32 PM

I carry some hose clamps, radiator hose, about 5 ft of heater hose and belts and that’s it. Nothing for hydraulic since all of them are unique. That’s what’s great about having a toad. Can run and get something if not too far away.

CamJam1 · 11-15-2019, 07:18 PM

That's what I do... change out any hose over ten years old. I then keep the old hose as an emergency spare that I carry on the road with me.

gpounder · 11-15-2019, 08:08 PM

This is not about a radiator hose.

There are bunch of other hoses around the engine the are high pressure and made of high quality materials but over time they also breakdown. Hoses also can rub causing them to rupture. Some route to the front like power steering and AC.

I am not looking to prophylactically replace these hoses but rather for a fraction of cost carry a few parts that could fix them in the field.

FatChance · 11-15-2019, 08:13 PM

It will be the one hose you do not have with you that fails. It just somehow works that way.

CamJam1 · 11-15-2019, 09:28 PM

My experience in my 50 years of driving has been that the small curved thermostat "bypass" hoses and heater hoses are the ones most likely to fail. I've never had a power steering hose or A/C hose fail catastrophically, though they can sometimes develop leaks. The ones I would worry most about are those that leave you stranded if they fail. If your a/c fails you'll still be able to drive the rig. I suppose on a Class A motorhome a high pressure power steering hose failure might make the rig undriveable.

Fan belts are cheap insurance too. Even if you don't want to put one on yourself at least you have the part with you for a mechanic to do the work without waiting for one to arrive from the nearest big city.

guardrail53 · 11-15-2019, 09:41 PM

I always carried a roll of rescue tape, wire ties, assortment of hose clamps, good duck tape, spare belts, a couple of the boots for the charge air cooler, bypass fittings for the air dryer, and compression fittings for the air lines, in case a air line breaks! Just about any hose can be patched with rescue tape, hose clamps, wire tires and such, to get you to a place where you can fix it right! Rail!

Alpine36 · 11-15-2019, 09:55 PM

I carry spare hose clamps, gorilla tape, 5' of 3/4" heater hose and safety wire. The most likely hose to fail are heater hoses in my experience.
You can disconnect them at the engine and loop the 5' of heater hose in a pinch until parts are available. Aero quip and jic style hydraulic hoses are a whole other story and not easily repaired roadside. I have seen some pretty creative temporary patch jobs involving rubber wrap, duct tape and hose clamps before though.

Dutch Star Don · 11-16-2019, 01:06 PM

There are only so many parts you can carry. I probably have five times more parts than I will ever use. I find that I use them more for fixing other peoples' coaches on the road than mine.

If I find I have part that breaks and looks like it might be problematic in the future, I carry a spare. As an example, the Kwikee step motors have had many failures in the past few years. I carry a spare motor.

For hoses, I carry "rescue tape". If that won't temporarily fix it, the issue will most likely be too serious to bandage on the road.