Lower radiator hose???

[95OBSMan]

95 RCSB c1500 5.7 TBI
I have recently finished work on the engine and coolant related parts as well, I failed to take notice of the freeze plugs, one is leaking on the starter side of block, any way this leads me to have to drain coolant, and fix freeze plug, durning this time "2 weeks" I did not install fan shroud.

Not installing the fan shroud was just me being lazy! Plus I'm getting ready to do all the steering parts, idler ass. tie rods, etc... and thought I'd just leave it off for the time being, but when I looked at it, I thought, thats not going to get in the way of doing any work on the steering so I started to install the fan shroud, thats when I found that problem of lower shroud smashing lower rad hose against the top of the idler bracket housing...

When I bought the truck I knew it needed a new radiator, hoses, etc... and that the fan shroud had been removed upper/lower and was in the back of the bed, when I bought it, so I was not able to see or have any reference as to how it was before hand, and yes I did get new hoses, they matched the same as what I took off, both of them. I don't get it?

I can't see the factory really doing this with the lower hose, but then again!? And I thought, you have installed it wrong, got it backwards, but the end thats goes to the water pump is bigger than the radiator side, almost fool proof, so the suppliers are off on the molding of the hose? I've looked up the #'s on a lot of suppliers site and they all seem to be shaped the same. I know the parts we get today aren't what they are supposed to be. So before adding coolant, nows the time to find out about that lower hose.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mattillac]

Mine is a 1999 5.7 (bought it new) and from what I remember, when working on it over the years for things such as water pump / steering parts etc, that lower was always a pain to deal with.

You must be registered for see images attach

As can be seen in the pic above, even with electric fans which have their own shroud, it still contacts the frame / idler arm bracket / shroud, it's just a bit easier to see now.

IIRC the factory installed the corrugated protective covering to help protect the hose from rubbing.

Not sure mine was ever "smashed" but i think it's always made contact / been slightly deformed.

Best of luck.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Mine is a 1999 5.7 (bought it new) and from what I remember, when working on it over the years for things such as water pump / steering parts etc, that lower was always a pain to deal with.

You must be registered for see images attach

As can be seen in the pic above, even with electric fans which have their own shroud, it still contacts the frame / idler arm bracket / shroud, it's just a bit easier to see now.

IIRC the factory installed the corrugated protective covering to help protect the hose from rubbing.

Not sure mine was ever "smashed" but i think it's always made contact / been slightly deformed.

Best of luck.

Yup that's the way I recall it being on both our '99 5.7 Burbs. There's just not much room to work with....
Have you verified that the radiator is exactly where it's supposed to be? If the shroud has been removed, it may have been because the radiator was replaced and it wasn't reinstalled correctly.

 

[95OBSMan]

Thanks Mattillac and HWB for the reply's!! In your photo mattillac the hose is molded somewhat in different shape than mine, that helps, thanks for the pic!!

HWB, I replaced the radiator with new myself and confirmed that its fit was correct for my application and just hand placed the upper shroud in place to confirm fitment would be correct, but due to laziness did NOT place lower potion of shroud to check for fitment until today when freeze plug job was completed and thought might as well button up the fan shroud and move on to next project of steering components and then get ready for the DJM stuff for the drop.

So with the over whelming responses to this post, "just kidding" with 30 views and 2 response's at the present time, its telling me that this is the way it is, if ya don't like it, change it, could cut the fan shroud to relieve the hose but that seems to expose the fan blades to hose, no go there. looks like a flexible lower rad hose and route it as I see fit.

This is another opportunity for a lower radiator hose thread and how I rerouted mine...
Thanks again for the pics and info, I'm always in a hurry and want things to fit perfect, and when they don't my OCD takes over, most of it stems from years of Cadillac and Corvette Concourse level restorations that had to be 100* spot on, all down to the smallest bolt, nut, screw etc... this truck is helping me get over that and not be so "OEM" correct and just make it how I want it, thanks for looking at this post on something thats pretty stupid and really doesn't effect the operation of the trucks safety wise or other!!

 

[GoToGuy]

Yes the bottom hose is close. And if the convolute tubes are on there it's a tight fit. Being in a hurry and rushing equals potential catastrophe.
Unless you really goofed and got the wrong hose, this is where GM kinda didn't think the installation all the way through. So the responses being few, its that the hose thing is what we all deal with.
If you want I'll take some photos of my 95 and post them if that will help clarity.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

They are abit tight but in 30+ years I have never had one rub through.

 

[95OBSMan]

Thanks GoToGuy and evilunclegrimace!

Mine was was being smashed against the top of the idler bracket from the lower fan shroud I can see where the shroud has been molded to give some relief for the hose, I think that the hose I got was not molded or made as well as it could've been, off name brand, I'm going to see how the gates and or another brand compares to each other @ Napa today, if the hose I have now had 3 or so more inches on it at the radiator side it would be almost a perfect fit allowing it to lay against the idler bracket and not on top of it. Thanks again for the input!

 

[Bob L]

would it be worth looking at a hose for a 4.3? Same accessory drive just a couple inches farther back from Fan shroud is longer on the 4.3

 

[95OBSMan]

Thanks Bob for the heads up on that!! So after replacing the freeze plug and getting ready to button things back up, I looked at the lower rad hose and thought this isn't right, somethings just off with it, so back down to the parts store, this time my friend was working the counter and let me go back to the hose section( after looking up hoses on the computer for my application which called out 3 of them) brought all 3 back home and test fitted them and low and be hold 1 of them fit almost perfect, the one that fit was for a 95 with the 41" radiator which was for the big block application according to there computer, go figure, the other was for the 4.3 which you stated and the last one was for 95 5.7 TBI, parts store is Napa so who knows how they come up with this?!

So you can see how that hose fits, yes its touching the idler bracket and nothing is smashed by the shroud, even with the protective covering on the hose(which come on it) it fits great! When I got the new hoses a couple of weeks ago a young guy was working the counter and I just took them as good to go because that what the computer said, should've known better, thats why the fan shroud was in the bed when I bought the truck because thats the hose my friend and off he went, my friend just didn't want to mess with it, now 6 months later and under new ownership, measure 3 times, cut once!

For those that might not know the # it's a Napa 8631, not sure if its visible in the photos. This fit my truck with a 5.7 TBI 34" radiator RCSB 2wd, and as far as I can tell nothing has ever been "modified" on my truck.
So thats my update and problem solved. Thanks again you guys and (Lady TOTY winner),for the help and suggestions!!

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Thanks Bob for the heads up on that!! So after replacing the freeze plug and getting ready to button things back up, I looked at the lower rad hose and thought this isn't right, somethings just off with it, so back down to the parts store, this time my friend was working the counter and let me go back to the hose section( after looking up hoses on the computer for my application which called out 3 of them) brought all 3 back home and test fitted them and low and be hold 1 of them fit almost perfect, the one that fit was for a 95 with the 41" radiator which was for the big block application according to there computer, go figure, the other was for the 4.3 which you stated and the last one was for 95 5.7 TBI, parts store is Napa so who knows how they come up with this?!

So you can see how that hose fits, yes its touching the idler bracket and nothing is smashed by the shroud, even with the protective covering on the hose(which come on it) it fits great! When I got the new hoses a couple of weeks ago a young guy was working the counter and I just took them as good to go because that what the computer said, should've known better, thats why the fan shroud was in the bed when I bought the truck because thats the hose my friend and off he went, my friend just didn't want to mess with it, now 6 months later and under new ownership, measure 3 times, cut once!

For those that might not know the # it's a Napa 8631, not sure if its visible in the photos. This fit my truck with a 5.7 TBI 34" radiator RCSB 2wd, and as far as I can tell nothing has ever been "modified" on my truck.
So thats my update and problem solved. Thanks again you guys and (Lady TOTY winner),for the help and suggestions!!

Good to know, I may need this information when I have to replace hoses and water pump on my crew cab. Hopefully no time soon.....
Right now my concern is getting out to it, with a good battery and my jump box, to see if Mr TOTY will start.