MINI Techs, speak up! Are the OEM clamps re-useable or not? Doing a search on the forum gets conflicting info. Please folks, no heresay, just the facts. TIA.

 

If you're talking about the squeeze to relieve spring tension kind like on the outlet hose at the bottom of the radiator, then yes. I've re-used them several times.

 

one of the things that really pissed me off about my GEN1 was those damn hose clamps; I could never get them back on with the tools I had. Some swear by them, I only swore at them and finally gave up and anytime I removed one [for reason], I replaced with a simple screw to tighten type (or in the case of air lines like the intake just a good zip-tie)

Some say the screw clamp is going to chew up the hose but I've been playing with cars for 40 years and have yet to have that be a problem or a clamp fail (79 I've had for 10 years has 'em all over and nary a problem). And BTW - the GEN2 switched over to screw type clamps . . .

Save aggravation for about a buck.

 

hey capt, did you know there is a tool made just for those hose clamps? i have a cheapie that is not worth buying, and a snap-on that cost too much, but it does actually work, and works well

the rational of the spring type clamps on the radiator hoses is the thermal expansion of the hose material due to the temps they see ... i think this is a case of "over-engineering" and a screw type clamp works just fine

i do agree with you that a properly torqued screw type hose clamp will not damage the hose

scott

 

Don't mean to diss the inputs/opinions so far, but I'm asking for any MINI tech's response if they are instructed as shop practice to re-use the clamps or install new. That's all.

 

Then call a dealer should be re-usable, unless they got screwed up when removing them.

Nik

 

Have him go buy new ones. He seems like paying dealers. These clamps are dealer items as the diameters of these hoseS are all over the place.

Unless the clamp is deformed and have lost its elasticity I reuse them. Be careful with those screw types as I have seen newbies way over tightening the clamp and destroying fragile plastic inlet/out port of the old radiators making the hose job into the whole radiator job.