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Do you really replace hoses before they look bad?

5K views 34 replies 20 participants last post by  RestoRider2017 
#1 ·
The regular maintenance schedule calls for replacing various hoses (coolant, fuel, brake) at certain times, regardless of how healthy they look. I'm sure mine are original, so 11 years old. I can't see any evidence of cracking or hardening.

Does anyone have any particular insights on this?
If you're tempted to answer with an insult about how stupid I am for not blindly believing the maintenance schedule, please refrain. We've all heard that before.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I'm more concerned about replacing the various fluids that run through these hoses. The manual is very conservative regarding the replacement of clutch and brake lines. If they only supply lines that last 4 years... wow. Radiator hoses can look OK, but if you pinch them and they collapse like wet macaroni or have swelled to 1.5 times original diameter, then I would change them. Otherwise go ride.
I have to add that the short fuel line between throttle bodies is where you should be proactive. That hose can ruin your day if it starts to leak. It is a known problem.
 
#4 ·
Interesting. I noticed the hoses on the 04 I got still had what looked like release agent dust on the hoses. The bike was a few years old when I got it. I don't think I've looked at the hoses since except for a small leak from the lower radiator hose on the left side and I tightened up hose clamp and called it good.
I've seen bulging brake lines but that was on a 50 year old car.
 
#7 ·
Big B, have you had to replace any of the o-rings on the fuel distribution tees between the carbs? That was the last thing I had to do on my 02 Valk before I sold it a few years ago. Started it up in the spring, puttered around in the barn while the Valk warmed up, suddenly had gas everywhere!! The fuel was draining into the front cam belt area, and being squirted/thrown out every possible opening. If it had ignited, I would've had no way to get to a door. The pool of gas on the floor was huge. Still gives me chills thinking about it!!
 
#6 ·
I've been riding since '83, and I confess that I've never replaced a brake line or radiator hose, in spite of what the manual says. I do follow the manual for things like flushing the radiator, or changing brake fluid, but I think they recommend replacing the brake lines every two or four years, and I don't see the point unless there's some visual evidence that a problem is brewing. My Harley was ten years old when I sold it, and it still had the original brake lines, and they were fine. Then again, I'm a maintenance heretic, because I don't replace valve stems every time I change a tire and I re-use crush washers on sump drain plugs. And, heresy of heresies, I use Rotella motor oil.
 
#8 ·
I have recently been forced to change the brake hoses on my 1988 RT BMW, one would no longer pass fluid through it.

From the outside it looked fine.
 
#10 ·
Consider what the downside might be. If a brake hose fails unexpectedly, you don't stop and the consequences might be very serious (and expensive). If the vent hose on your gas tank fails, it will be far less serious. Hose life is dependent on a lot of variables, and some bikes will have sterling hoses at age 20 and others may start to lose suppleness at half that age.

What makes me comfortable might not be your cup of tea. I like to have confidence that my bike will go the distance I need it to, and tend to do major service before long trips and be proactive in changing wear items BEFORE they fail and leave me stranded on the road. i used to tell my customers that they could change ageing appliances on their schedule or on the machine's schedule, and that the latter was rarely convenient and often a real pita. Things break when stressed, and a long trip stresses your bike more than a short daily ride.
 
#11 · (Edited)
The manufacturer sets intervals based on Average life span of said parts. Bikes that sit outside all the time could
have rubber parts that degrade more frequently than bikes that are garage kept unless being ridden.

The brake and radiator fluid is many times left until too late. Which causes chemical breakdown of the rubber hoses from
the inside . For which we can't see. So following a regular schedule to flush the fluids will allow the hoses to be used for
a longer duration. But why do so ? If it was my bike, I would replace all the radiator hoses when I flushed and changed
the fluid. As stated ^^^^ all it takes is a bad one of these to start spewing it's contents on the leg of your jeans or even worse
an un noticed temp gauge showing all the bars to the top while riding in a remote location. To protect your investment it pays to be
proactive. Not waiting for something to go wrong - catch it before it goes wrong. like in the garage where all the tools are.
You can work in the A/C and watch football at the same time. (at least I can ) Does'nt even seem like work then .

The other side of this coin is : plan for it! Purchase the hoses and the brake fluid ,radiator fluid a month or 2 before
you plan to do the work. It's far better to have a plan ahead of time versus broke down and on the cell phone.
 
#17 ·
all it takes is a bad one of these to start spewing it's contents on the leg of your jeans or even worse
an un noticed temp gauge showing all the bars to the top while riding in a remote location. .
Dumping the fluid under the rear wheel is another concern and if you dump the fluid quick enough you may not see a temperature rise.

if there is no fluid to heat the sender you can't get a rise.

with radiator hoses I think you will know when its time to change them, a good look and a good feel/squeeze will tell you a lot.

they start to bulge towards the ends.

if your sensible you can go way past the recommended time frame.

corrosion of the metal under the hoses at the clamps can be a bigger problem than the hoses themselves but that only results in a slow leak.
 
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#12 ·
My 45 year old Kawasaki H1 had the original brake lines on it when I test rode it. I'm going to get new ones. It may have have had the original brake fluid as well. However, that brake fluid was orange with a high level of particulate in it.

Changing brake lines as routine maintenance every four years is just silly. How many 17 year old V-Stroms are out there with the original brake lines? Probably most of them. Change the fluid every year or two and everything about your brakes except the pads will last longer.
 
#18 ·
Oh I’m way Rebel, haven’t even checked valves and I’m close too 60k.
Ride it till it blows up [emoji16]
Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
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#16 ·
Changing brake hoses every 4 years with OEM versions may be a bit much, but the first interval you might want to upgrade
to better overall performance parts including braided SS brake lines. I save a little $$ each month toward what I want to upgrade
and this is on my list.

And if you think about it all the radiator hoses are not just carrying fluid , it's fluid under pressure, hot -during cold climate,
and hot climate with cool down in between rides. So each time that cycle happens those hoses stretch under pressure and retract
when cool. And then add the chemical component to all this and the cooling system becomes more critical.
 
#20 · (Edited)
My 04 still has the original hoses. They are nice and pliable with no cracking. Could change at any time though. Just keep an eye on em! They will fine till they are not! Yah 4 years for brake lines is ridiculous! I changed mine awhile back to braided. Im sure those will be the last ones on that bike anyway... Now fluid changes thats another story. I change my brake fluid every 4 years regardless of how it looks. Oil I change every 4K miles or so and always before storing in the winter! Just my 2c!
 
#21 ·
my best take on this. hoses such as coolant lines are a system, that includes hoses AND clamps. Most of my problems can always be traced back to the clamp area, whether it be old and corroding, or compression set has set in. The mfr recommending to be replaced may just want to address the clamped area, and/or also has to address all conditions, not a manual for the desert and a manual for the arctic so probably worst case.

Inspect the hoses, pay attention to the clamp, and move on if all is good. My 84 ninja hoses were replaced once by me, prob about 20 years of age on them and didn't concern me, just thought it was time so i didnt get a leak at the connections.
 
#22 ·
I started by replacing coolant hoses as they began to leak. Eventually, I got tired of having rides ruined by leaky coolant. I decided to replace all the pressure-bearing cooling system hoses, proactively, and have done so over the last year. Might put a new radiator cap on too, just for completeness.

A lesson learned early on: just because a hose or connection doesn't leak with the bike at rest, that doesn't mean it's OK. Hoses can look and feel fine, but then leak when the coolant is hot & pressurized.

The hoses I won't replace until they physically fall apart are the ones that carry no pressure, & aren't critical. For example, the coolant reservoir overflow, water pump weep, and fuel tank water drain hoses.

I'm still rolling with the original fuel pipe mentioned, but this is something I'm going to look at next time I have the tank off. It's 12 years old, so I'm probably pushing my luck.

I replaced clutch & brake lines only because I had to get super-tall (3.5") risers to clear my Scott's stabilizer. The original lines simply weren't long enough.
 
#23 ·
On my CX500 I replaced my front brake hose with a SS one as it was 31 years old. No problems with it and it felt fine but I was looking for an improvement in the single pot non drilled disc front brake. The pretty blue covering on the SS line died in a year and started cracking off wherever the sun hit it. On a garage kept bike. grrrrrrrrrrr. Will start replacing hoses at around 10 years on the Strom.
 
#24 ·
Mine's a 2009 Wee and aside from fluid changes I haven't changed any hoses. They all look and feel fine. However, I keep a special eye on the smaller hoses by the thermostat, as far as the cooling side goes...
 
#25 ·
#27 ·
Yes, what I put on my 650. From memory I had to trim a little off one of the lowest ones because it just would not fit. That's only one out of the whole set.

And as for people saying 'they look fine on the outside', the inside of a couple of my smaller hoses was starting to come away - as in small flakes. Seemed to be rubber NOT stuff settling out of the coolant.
 
#26 ·
The biggest enemies of hoses are old coolant and brake fluid and the worse...oil leaking on the outside of the hose. (This based on over 40 years of work experience changing hundreds of hoses). Too many people neglect flushing out old anti-freeze and brake fluid. Don't be guilty of this! Its cheap insurance. By the time you see dirty fluid in the reservoir or expansion tank, its too late! Most recommend changing those fluids every two or three years. If you do that you will likely see your engine parts last a very long time.

As for hoses...by the time you know they are bad, they have been bad for a long time! Don't wait for them to fail.
 
#29 ·
I don't replace hoses till they show distress.
I don't replace helmets that have been hit.
I mock the maintenance schedules.


I chase women of dubious character.
I play in traffic.
I tease mean dogs.
I play with guns.
I stick screw drivers in electric sockets.
I do not wear my life jacket in the boat.
I ate that funny looking thing in the back of the refrigerator.
 
#31 ·
Hey! That was my half eaten pudding cup from two weeks ago in the back of the fridge, that you ate:furious: Geez. I was saving it! Had my name on it too!! You probably never wash your coffee cup either:laugh2:
 
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