Why are the coolant hoses made of rubber and not metal?

These hoses funnel coolant from the engine, where the fluid picks up excess heat, into the radiator, radiator, which is designed to help it cool quickly. Because of the amount of heat they carry and the pressure the cooling system is usually under, these hoses have to be made of very tough rubber.

Are stainless steel radiator hoses better than rubber?

And forget about plumbing with copper, the combination of engine vibration and heating up to high engine temps and then cooling slowly makes copper brittle—the answer is stainless steel. …

Why are coolant hoses rubber?

Rubber radiator straight hose is manufactured from a black EPDM rubber and reinforced with high tensile synthetic textile plies for additional strength and OE looks. The hose provides great heat resistance which makes it suitable for many hot water applications such as in vehicle heating and cooling systems.

Why are coolant hoses made of flexible rubber?

The idea of a silicone hose is that you replace the standard hose so it doesn’t expand and get hot under pressure. If you’re building a racing vehicle or adding a turbocharger to your engine, silicone is the way to go.

Are silicone hoses better than rubber for coolant?

While silicone radiator hoses are great, because they are capable of carrying much higher temperature fluids (max 350°F/177°C) than a standard EPDM rubber radiator hose (max 257°F/125°C), they are really only ideal for race cars.

Can you use stainless steel radiator hose?

Using a stainless steel tube is the best kind of a radiator hose to use. It will never rot or get soft, it is going to have a massively high burst pressure (1500+ psi).

Why is steel tubing used instead of rubber hose for some applications?

Reasons to choose metal tube assemblies: Generally lighter weight than rubber hose assemblies. Smaller outside diameter than rubber hose assemblies for the same inside diameter result in better space efficiency. Good chemical compatibility; excellent for stainless steel tubing. High heat resistance.

Is silicone hose good for coolant?

As such, silicone hose is ideal for use in radiator and water coolant systems. However, EPDM rubber hoses are also suitable for a variety of water coolant applications and can be more cost-effective than other materials when large quantities are required.

What kind of rubber are radiator hoses made of?

As you may already know, EPDM is the primary polymer used for coolant hoses because of its excellent resistance to heat, hot water and ethylene glycol.

Do silicone hoses improve performance?

The reason people started manufacturing silicone hoses for the automotive industry in the first place was because silicone material offers such a valuable performance enhancement. So the simple answer is yes. Silicone is a very stable material that acts almost like new, even when it’s not.

Are silicone hoses OK for coolant?

Does coolant corrode stainless steel?

Antifreeze should not corrode metal parts, attack rubber, become viscous at low temperatures, or evaporate readily at the ordinary engine operating temperature.