Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Silicone Hoses - Are they "Life-Time" parts?

[TBora]

I have been considering silicone hoses - aftercooler as well as coolant. I don't plan on doing any turbo boosting, so the only way I can mentally justify them is if they will last 15+ years.



What do you guys think... ... "Lifetime" in a non-salt enviornment?



Anybody have any preference on brand (Mr Bob, Scheid Diesel etc)





Thanks!

 

[cluckmaster]

Maybe the intercooler boots, but I wouldn't waste the money on the others. Just replaced my coolant hoses at 265k mi and they didn't even need it. I will replace the intercooler boots w/ silicone when the need arises. I think Schieds uses Mr. Bobs hoses. Same product. -Josh

 

[BarryG]

I replaced mine about 90k ago. When I replaced mine I was thinking as you are might as well do them all and not worry about them again for a very long time. After I got them I was second guessing myself on whether I should have spent the money on them. Well as I started replacing them one by one first I found that the turbo boots are a real pita to change out due to the thickness and stiffness of the new ones. The stockers are total garbage comapred to new silicone or other heavy duty replacements. In any case my lower pass side boot had worn to within a fraction of an inch to having a hole. Apparently a sensor had worn through the initial layer of rubber and had cut through at least one layer of fibers. I am confident that it would have gone within another 10k or so. It was in a spot I never would have seen. So that helped my inital buyers remorse. Then onto the coolant hoses.

My truck had about 130k at time of the swap. The lower rad coolant hose looked good from the outside but once I got it off it was very spongy and soft. No wear spots but very spongy particulary in the bend. I doubt it would have went anytime real soon but it certainly was a candidate for replacement. So more softening of my buyers remorse. The upper rad hose was a bit soft but not nearly as spongy as the lower one was. The heater hoses seemed ok. So I was feeling ok about my buyers remorse until the very last hose, the upper heater hose.



As I was removing the end attached at the firewall outstretched just as far as I could be on my tip toes the milk crate I was standing on slid out from under me. I came crashing down on top of the fender and cracked a darn rib. That hurt for several weeks.



All this to say I do not regret purchasing them and am confident that they will last a very long time (and dont use milk crates for stools).

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Mr. Bob's hoses are very good quality and durable.

 

[Bob4x4]

If you price the silicone vs. the stock factory hoses the silicone comes out the winner and they include all high quality ss clamps.



Bob

 

[Regcabguy]

Silicone turbo hoses.

I had the silicone turbo hoses on my '99 and there's no comparison to the stocks which are a notch up from balloons.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Mr Bobs all the way.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

If you happen to have a 3rd gen, the hose from the turbo compressor discharge to the pipe (before the intercooler) is very susceptible to failure. Mr. Bob can supply a high quality replacement for it, in blue or black.

 

[JFaughn]

What no link for the Mr. Bob ?

 

[RHebert]

http://www.mrbobsdistributing.com/siliconehoses.html