intercooler clamps

[1998_gst]

how does everyone feel. what are the best t bolt clamps available? i just recently blew one out, that loud whoosh sound is kind of embarrassing

 

[clbailey]

Wow you guys are arguing over clamps.

Call all the big boys that have built 4g's or any turbo car for that matter and see what kinda clamps they run.. bet it aint any of the cheap ones

 

[NHerron]

Yup, more than likely spring loaded clamps which is a whole other animal.

Victorious. Don't get your troll pants in a tightwad lets just agree on apples to oranges. You're not even reading what I'm saying anyway and just assuming I'm cheap.

 

[victorious420]

Nherron, I don't think you are cheap, per say, but I do think you are one of the many people that fail to see value in a product that might be at a higher price point, valuing its worth to you simply by its initial monetary cost, especially when confronted by a cheaper, seemingly identical product.

My point is, there is such a small difference in price between the two, there is no reason to get the cheaper and accept the higher chances of failure, and there ARE higher chances of failure with a cheap chinese clamp. If that small price point is something for you to consider as an obstacle, then it is probably not a financially wise thing to be putting ANY money into a car simply to improve its performance, but rather, on improving your lot in life to where you CAN afford to maintain a hobby (performance car) that requires fairly substantial and constant influxes of income. We aren't at work, where its usually acceptable to do things "sufficiently" to get by. This is my hobby, where I have motivation and time to do things right (if you can't you should have a daily driver or keep your car stock....or quit whining about expensive parts and build down time.) and I fail to see how people can do something like toss a $2 part on their car that is much more likely to break than the $3 part hanging right next to it. Pride in myself and my hobby I suppose.

I stand my ground; chinese clamps are only good to toss into cheap chinese intercooler kits.

OP, here is the best advice you'll find in the entire thread, and what I should have simply pointed out instead of trying to lead the blind. Chinese clamps are a mute point anyways, if all you care about is price, because you can get better for cheaper and not have to wait for them to ship. Go to the junkyard. Look for Volvo's, Mercedes, anything OEM turbocharged and European. Go get the EXTREMELY high quality tbolt clamps off them for next to nothing. Done deal, Chinese garbage shouldn't even be on your mind, I wouldn't even consider it an option.

 

[NHerron]

Just because it's a small name USA brand doesn't make it better than a foreign small name brand. At that point it's luck of the draw. Unless it's a popular name that is huge, I fail to see why the price is higher. How bout' them harbor freight clamps?

At the time of purchase, these clamps were the cheapest by far in the quantity I needed. Like I noted earlier, the clamps feel strong enough to crush the pipe. I've also removed them plenty of times for various reasons in the past couple months with positive thoughts. I wonder what you say about intercooler piping? Or exhaust pipe?

 

[clbailey]

The majoirty of things sold at HF and Northern Tool arent made in America. Hell 90% of Craftsmans line arent made in the good ol' USA any more.