getting hoses loose

[sailor]

My new to me 270 has a water heater occupying most of the starboard locker. It has four hoses coming or going to it. Between the heater and all the hoses (plus the cockpit drain hose and engine expansion tank) I have no way to access the steering or shaft or shaft seal. Most of the hoses are the heavy duty black ones with the wire reinforcement. They come off really hard, if at all, but getting them back on is even worse. Tried boiling the ends with almost no success, heat gun was better but not enough. Anyone have a sure fire way to take off a 3/4" hose and get it back on without hurting it or yourself? And once I do get them all off and the heater out don't know if my size will preclude me from doing anything down in that lazarette. Just doesn't seem like that access was too well thought out. And the bilge situation is no better. There are like four small panels in the floor to lift out but none allow you to access the bilge pump or the shower pump. My 270 is a centerboard model so I have no idea how the bilge is configured or how to access the pumps. Anyone on here ever had these problems?

[Jim Walsh]

Can't help with most of your problems but a dab of Vaseline can go a long way toward squeezing a hose back on. The rest is just brute strength and a twisting motion. If you're going to be real careful a heat gun can help.

[Jim Evans]

To install hoses, I've found these tail pipe expanders to be worth their weight in gold. Get them at Harbor Freight here: http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive ... haust.html . You just stick them in the end of the hose, and they expand while you turn the shaft with a wrench. They come in various sizes.

[Jim Walsh]

To install hoses, I've found these tail pipe expanders to be worth their weight in gold. Get them at Harbor Freight here: http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive ... haust.html . You just stick them in the end of the hose, and they expand while you turn the shaft with a wrench. They come in various sizes.

As long as your hose is no smaller than an 1 1/8" this is a nifty option.

[Frenchy]

I've used a hose removal tool, like the Sears OTC 4521 to help loosen the hose. You work it around the hose (hopefully not puncturing it),
until you can twist it. Hope this helps.

[Capt Hook]

I've used a hose removal tool, like the Sears OTC 4521 to help loosen the hose. You work it around the hose (hopefully not puncturing it),
until you can twist it. Hope this helps.

Was not familiar with that so I Googled it and found Sears wants $99.99 for what looks like a bent ice pick. But they are sold out.

I guess if it works it might be worth it.

I just bought a new HX for my CD 31. It came painted but with rubber caps on the fittings. They were hard to get off so I tried to grab them with channel locks and twisting and I ended up with an oval fitting. Didn't realize the tubing was that soft. Hopefully they'll go back round easily.

My problem now is finding 7/8" hose fittings. Seems to be an odd size for heater hose. I need to go from 5/8" ID hose to 7/8" ID hose.

[mashenden]

I've used a hose removal tool, like the Sears OTC 4521 to help loosen the hose. You work it around the hose (hopefully not puncturing it),
until you can twist it. Hope this helps.

Was not familiar with that so I Googled it and found Sears wants $99.99 for what looks like a bent ice pick. But they are sold out.

I guess if it works it might be worth it...

I bought one at Harbor Freight for WAY less. I do not remember exactly how much but I can assure you it was nowhere near 100 bucks. Imagine how much a marine hose remover would be

[David van den Burgh]

I'm sure this method isn't approved by some, but I've found it successful for removing stuck hoses. I wrap the hose with a cloth, then use a pair of channel locks to work the hose back and forth until the seal between the hose and the fitting breaks. Then it's usually just a matter of twisting the hose back and forth by hand while pulling it off of the fitting. Sometimes it's necessary to work the blade of a slotted screwdriver between the fitting and the hose to break the seal. You want to be careful when you do this so you don't mar the fitting or tear up the inside of the hose. Other times, it can be helpful to actually push the hose onto the fitting a little while twisting. This tends to fatten the hose a little, encouraging it to come loose, rather than acting like a Chinese finger trap and drawing the hose narrower and tighter as you pull.

Usually, however, it's as you've discovered: a pain in the butt.

[jen1722terry]

We just replaced our water heater last year. Getting the old hoses off was a bear but, as we were junking the old heater anyway, we just cut through the reinforcement wire with a small hack saw, shortening each hose by an inch or two. We greased the hoses back on the new fittings on the engine side with water-proof grease to hopefully make removal easier.

We also have to remove one hose on the seawater strainer to winterize the engine each year. Again, we use grease when we replace it so it comes off without having to resort to violence.

For the plastic hoses on the clean water side of the heater, we give them a slight warm up with the heat gun on low and twist off with a little strap wrench. Grippers work also.

Lastly, when we installed new hoses on the heater, we made them longer, in case one had to be cut for removal at some future date.

Congratulations on the new heater. They're a bit of a chore to remove and install, but the newer ones are soooooooooooooooo much better than the old Raritans. Our new Isotemp keeps water warm over night, nice in the morning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jenn and Terry

[sailor]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Will probably give some a shot soon. Seems like brute strength is usually the common way though.

[JWSutcliffe]

I keep a heat gun on board for hose loosening. Works wonders.

[jen1722terry]

Yeah, heat guns are handy for all sorts of stuff. I used it to remove tough old Bristol finish with relative ease, heating hoses, curing fast-cure epoxy even faster (carefully).

Granted, my Admiral says I generate sufficient hot naturally for most purposes.

Cheers!

Terry

[Sea Hunt Video]

So, not wanting to do any more damage to my back, but still wanting to do some work on S/V Bali Ha'i I have decided to yet again try removing the scupper drain seacock hoses. They are pretty much frozen in place as are the Spartan handles.

I have been looking at buying a "hose removal tool" to help in my efforts. I have found several that look like the one in this photo. Coincidentally, it is labeled "OTC 4521". The price is $9.50 from Advance Auto Parts.

Has anyone used this or similar tool with success Does it work Is there something better than this type of tool to loosen and remove hoses

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, recommendations, comments, etc.

[Frenchy]

Hi Roberto- yes, the tool helps but as the other posters noted, there's a fair amount of tugging, twisting,
swearing, etc. involved. A heat gun or hair dryer will probably help too, as was mentioned. That's one of my
least favorite jobs. - Jean

[Jim Cornwell]

How about Glycerine as a lubricant to ease installation of stubborn hoses? Has worked on Yankee for years. Any downside?