where to get stock style radiator hose clamps

mo_dingo said:

Any logical reason not to get the aftermarket style???? Just curious.
Scott

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I run all of the worm gear 'standard' hose clamps, but they are pretty ****ty quality. I am thinking that the spring style is a better clamp. The spring style clamp can adapt to the changing diamater of the radiator nipple due to temperature variations and thus heat expansion/contraction. I first got this thought last winter (it gets well below freezing around here) and I had a leak from my lower radiator hose connection. The clamp was looser than I had originally tightened it. I though that this may be due to the nipple slighty contracing and thus loosing the clamp force. A spring style clamp would account for this.

I also don't like the way that the worm clamps dig into the hose.

And I believe that if Ford uses them, while it may be mainly driven by reduced assembly time and error prevention, I'm sure that they feel that they are reliable since they have to deal with warranty claims.

Are these known to be of poor quality/reliability? Or is it just an erronous public perception, due to them being 'stock', and with the worm gear style such a standard and traditional part?

Is there a better option (at a reasonable price) than these two?

Rick