Which Silicone Hose Brand? (Now sorted)

[Mavic82]

Some advice please.

 

After replacing my water hoses with Caterham rubber items last summer they have perished already. So I am going to bite the bullet and get silicone ones. BUT I am not keen on the caterham branded ones.

 

Looking for recomendations for an alternative. I want black hoses and it is for a 2.0VX so I need the top hose, bottom hose, hockey stick, expansion bottle hose and most importantly the small 90 degree bend hose that goes from the inlet manifold to the sub tube. Should I go for SFS, Samco or a another? Samco only show a 4 hose kit and SFS only K series kits???

 

Thanks

 

Guy

 

Edited by - mavic82 on 13 Apr 2010 16:51:36

 

Edited by - mavic82 on 16 Apr 2010 16:29:55

[Colin Mill]

After replacing my water hoses with Caterham rubber items last summer they have perished already

Where do Caterham source their rubber-goods from? I thought my car set something of a record (steering gaiters and top hose perished before it got to the SVA) but obviously not!

 

BTW its worth checking the short (300mm) fuel hose that connects to the fuel rail - mine was dog rotten and I've just sorted it (£1.50 of hose and clips from the local motor-factor as the complete hose+fittings from CC is over 50 quid

[k.russell]

Guy just done my VX with the K kit from Sfs, i have the top and bottom rad hoses, a length from the back of the head to the sub, this was 16mm i think opening at the bend to 22mm, and a straight bit from the sub to the expansion bottle, 16mm i think.

 

Kevin R

 

black(but sometimes orange)-ali HPC

here

[Mavic82]

Thanks for the comment Colin, but the main coolant hoses are the only CC hoses on my car. The rest are high quality 😬

 

Kevin, what made you choose the SFS ones over the Caterham parts? I can't remember your car in detail, do you not have the short hose from inlet manifold to sub?

 

Was going to go for black but just seeen BRG on samco's site, could be tempted....

 

Thanks

Guy

[k.russell]

Guy, i dont have inlet manifold as such as i am direct to head QED jenveys, the hose on the small port at the side of tb one goes to the expansion tank , with the restrictor in. i have used rubber hose for this. Chose SFS as caterham didnt supply black for the VX at the time i bought. ps my car is black ali here hence i chose black as the engine is also done in black.

 

Kevin R

 

black(but sometimes orange)-ali HPC

here

[tweeky]

Try this as a suplier here

 

Tweeky

 

to infirmity.................... and beyond

[7 wonders of the world]

Speak to Lee @ SFS he's a good guy and will offer a dcent discount for you too, bought some 3 weeks ago and received a 20% discount.

 

Too young to be old !

[Lotus Boy]

Hi Guy,

 

I have to say I didn't have a great experience with Samco. Nice enough products in terms of quality but I really struggled with the Samco kit for the Vauxhall.

 

See here.

 

Obviously you will utilise the J pipe on your carb version and hopefully that will fit but just need to be cautious about the bottom rad hose and you will need more heater hose than is supplied in the pack. Basically I think they have done a one kit fits all approach which is particularly clever.

 

And if you fancy a longer read, have a look here

 

Cheers

 

David

 

 

[Grubbster]

Certainly worth a try here - a new company, hand making to order, well priced and award winning products.

 

Solent Se7ens Web!

[Colin Mill]

Yes, I was looking at them. Did you see the Jaguar V12 E-type hose kit for £280? Fantastic value when you look at the number of hoses involved.

 

I was looking at piecing the set together using standard elbows etc and, surprisingly this isn't all that bad price-wise even with billet joiners. I notice that most of the kits don't bother with moulding the small "J" hose so I guess the 16mm bore silicone hose is OK with the required bend. They also look a bit short in the supplied 16mm hose to do the heater and the submarine tube to header.

[ECR]

I have this noted in my records. I have no experience of them but they may be worth a try ?

 

"Try the following. They are half the price of Samco and people are very impressed.

For anyone looking for replacement silicone hoses give these guys a call:"

 

Highbury Hose Ltd

Unit 6 Viking Business Centre

High Street

Woodville

Derbyshire

DE11 7EH

 

Tel:-+44 1283 217750

Fax:-+44 1283 217754

Email:-highhose@aol.com

[Ian B]

Don't think they're around any more:

 

Status: Dissolved 26/01/2010

Date of Incorporation: 26/04/1996

 

☹️

 

---

Ian - Slightly Vider SVelte SuperVeloce model 😬 - Joint AR for North Kent - Area details and calendar here

[Mavic82]

Thanks for all the replies gents, I will talk to SFS and may be try the classic company to.

 

Cheers

 

Guy

[Kingsley Young]

Guy I have used Classic hoses they are very good.

[Mavic82]

Cash now committed to SFS. Spoke to Lee *thumbup* really nice and helpful sort of a chap. Listened to my needs and then helped sort out all the hoses I need. With a hefty discount it works out at only a couple of pints over the cost of a new set of standard RUBBER caterham hoses. Sorted. Wating time to manufacture 5 days so should all be sorted in a months time.

 

Guy

[Lost Boy]

On the strength of this I've just ordered a set as well, can't recommend Lee enough, very helpful and managed a 25% discount 😬

 

Nurburgring in May...help me!

[Jonathan Kay]

I've just had an email from Classic Silicone Hoses. 8 hose set for K series engine for £170 plus P+P.

 

Jonathan

[speakmp]

On the back of this thread and recommendations I ordered a set of SFS k series coolant and heater hoses. Helpfull and 25% discount, so all great.

 

However, I was advised they would be about 10 days to deliver, no problem, booked car in for fitment a further week after that, but no hoses arrived, Phoned up and was promised would be there in time. Did not arrive, and I was told firmly that they never promise delivery dates. I then rescheduled the garage appointmend and hoses arrived, only the heater hose kit included two elbows. My heater is all straights, and as no web site photo of the kit I was unable to know before ordering. So I returned the heater kit that day and ordered a straight section instead on the promise that the heater kit would be refunded on reciept. Also I was told the straight hose would reach me the next day. It didn't. When I called to chase they confirmed they had recieved the returned kit. Finally the straight hose arrived the day before the garage booking. (Dave Wingfield did a great job of fitting at Kimberworth gararge ).

 

I waited two weeks and checked with Bank. No refund. Called SFS and spoke to Justin, who advised would sort, took card details again and would call back. Now a further two weeks later I called again today, advised Lee or Justin would call me back as soon as off the phones. No call. Called again, and was told Lee knows nothing and they would look into and call me back. No call. Will call again tomorrow and again try for refund.

 

Not great at all so beware!

 

Rant over.

 

PeteSV

[SPW]

I got the first full set (including heater hoses) they produced for a 1.6K from Classic Silicon Hoses and found them to be very good quality and all fitted well. Only a small outfit but found them easy to deal and would recommend them.

 

Steve

[Mavic82]

Well I guess every company can have an 'off deal' mine were on time spot on correct including a custom hose. They could not have been more helpful or spot on with timing and the finished product. SFS

 

They did say they had a 'Lot' of orders just after I ordered mine all from this list so may be they just got a little over suscribed. 🤔

[Jonathan Kay]

Just received my set from Classic Silicone Hoses. Will report back.

 

The box included a warning about antifreeze: " ... those with organic acid anticorrosives can damage any silicone in your engine including hoses. See www.fbhvc.co.uk... "

 

I found : http://www.fbhvc.co.uk/2010/01/27/antifreeze/

 

I have a K series engine using Caterham supplied coolants: has anyone ever experienced a problem of this sort with these?

 

Thanks

 

Jonathan

 

 

[speakmp]

 

Hi Mavic82,

 

Quite appreciate from this thread that SFS have served you and others well. I like your terminology of 'off deal' rather than 'off day' , just wish one of the days I'd dealt with them had gone well ☹️

 

I called again this morning, only to be told no one available and would be called back. I'm glad to say I was called back this time by Lee. He confimed refund done today.

 

The optimist in me wants to believe that on the 6th request in 4 weeks I'll get it. I'll keep checking my bank. Fingers crossed

 

 

 

PeteSV

[Neil_K]

Hi Pete,

 

Sorry to hear about your experience. For what it's worth, I ordered some hoses (not a kit, I botched my own version together as I already had some parts) 2 weeks ago from SFS and they arrived within 2 days with a decent discount and fantastic, helpful service.

 

I couldn't reccommend them enough. Hopefully for you though, it has just been an unfortunate set of circumstances and you refund arrives tomorrow

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Calm down dear, it's only a forum!

[Tim V-W]

In the interest of fairness I have to say they weren't great with my order either.

 

I spoke to them and pretty much by interrogation, i.e. it wasn't volunteered, established that black hoses were delayed due to a material glitch. Had a confidence inspiring 'chat' about other colours, who had been supplied etc, very helpful.

 

Chose another colour and ordered with clear instructions that I needed the hoses in time to refit my engine and road test for the Welsh weekend - promises of five day delivery were forthcoming.( this was despite the claim that that they had a rush of K series orders following this thread - I pressed the delivery point and was reassured)

 

It took numerous calls and three weeks before they were finally delivered and I too had the issue with the heater hoses (no picture on the website but described in conversation as having a 90 degree bend, whereas they actually have two bends, one down and one out).

 

The sucking of teeth and claims that they never give delivery dates were most frustrating, together with blaming every other member of the team by the person on the phone.

 

Sorry but they wont be getting recommendations from me.

[speakmp]

Tim, Sort of glad I'm not the only one , but hope service improves for others.

 

Refund now showing on my credit card.

 

Thankfully these hoses should last a very long time as I coudn't even consider enduring SFS again

 

Looking forward to Oulton Park on Tuesday now 😬 😬

 

 

 

PeteSV