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Radiator hose, is fancy aftermarket better?

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225
177
Exp. Type
Autocross
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Colorado Springs
I'm replacing my radiator, considering that my hoses are likely 14 years old, I will just proactively update components. Are fancy aftermarket silicone (Mishimoto, HPS, etc) really worth the extra $ over "standard" hoses?

If so, any general preference on manufacturer and why?
 

Nice article to read through. The short of it is, silicone hoses sweat more water over time than your normal EPDM rubber hoses. Checking/worrying about coolant levels and concentration of water vs coolant is not worth the zero-benefit of silicone hoses. I replaced mine with new Ford hoses
 
898
544
Ford hoses. I have run a set for over a decade on some track-only cars with no issues. I only replaced the last set with the build of an entirely new motor. The old hoses are going in the trailer as spares.
 

xr7

TMO Addict?
706
821
Exp. Type
Autocross
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Minnesota
We used to spec silicone hoses in our fleet for years. We did drop them eventually. Cold leaks, special clamps and cost. Also can't have anything touching them, very poor abrasion resistance. The silicone hoses always came off nicely and seemed to last forever, but finding little spots of coolant under your truck every cold morning was a pain in the butt.
 

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