When to replace hoses?

[Glenn]

Do you have any recommendations on when to replace the cooling, etc. hoses?
My '92 Explorer has 84,400 miles on the original hoses under the hood. I have never had any hose leaks, and things seem to be in good shape. However, if I can do some preventive maintenance, I'll be happy to take suggestions.

 

[roadkill]

Real Simple Glenn,
Grab the hoses and squeeze them (don't burn yourself, this can be done cold), and if they aren't firm and hard, but soft and squishie, time to replace them. And replace those factory spring clamps with the typical screw hose clamps.
My '92 has 115k, I must be driving it too much (at least on pavement!).

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"Don't go where the road don't go." -Ringo Starr

Wil - '92 EB

 

[Longs]

As a preventative maintenance measure, I replaced radiator hoses and heater hoses on my '93 Limited last year. The water pump failed with less than 70K miles. It was much easier to change the hoses with the fan and shroud removed, and I figured that if I changed them at the time, I'd probably never, ever, have to worry about them again.


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"Whoever said you can't fool all of the people all of the time, was a damned fool" Vincent K McMahon, January 1999

 

[Mainfraim]

I replaced my hoses a little late. Bought my '91 EB with 165,000 on it, it now has 168,000 on it, and less then a month ago, I blew the lower radiator hose, and the heater hose. Both times, it blew fluid all over the inside of the car, and it made is smoke, once on the freeway, the other time at the gas station. Not a pretty site, try to change them out before you have to drive home stopping at all of the gas stations so that you don't run out of water and over heat.

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<<MaiNFRaiM>>
-'91 Explorer EB
-'94 Explorer EB
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