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I always use the factory clamps but have noticed they are different. I can't put my finger on it but I think the guage is a hair thinner. I have had leak problems in the last 2 years I have never had before. I had a lower hose blow right off the rad outlet with an NOS hose. Another problem is the hoses (all the hoses) are a thinner wall - The I.D. is right but the thinner wall thickness makes for a smaller O.D. which does not give the clamp enough meat to bite around. I put an original clamp on that lower hose and all is good. I think we have to start using clamps 1 size smaller than normal to compensate for the reduction in hose O.D. and for the (seemingly) reduced tension/guage - whatever the problem is with these new clamps. I had the heater hoses and the by-pass hose (smallblock) leak with these newer hoses/clamps. And- if I don't have NOS I use the best hoses I can get with the same issues.



That's what I noticed too. Don't through any original clamps away just replate or paint them. I've (sometimes)found that a leaking clamp can be stopped by shifting the clamp on the hose.