The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Defroster duct hose question......

What have others used as a substitute for defroster hose? I have a Deluxe fresh air heater. Went into Advanced Auto Parts today and found something called "preheater hose" in 2" diameter by 36" length for $6.95.
Brought it home and it was a bit too big. Checked an online truck supplier and they sell defroster hose that is 1 3/4" dia.
for $18.....a bit pricy. Advanced did not have any that size. They also did not sell defroster hose.

Does anyone have any suggestions for an economical substitute or know of an auto parts store that sells defroster hose?

Thanks much,

Spot

I believe there is a "rubber like band" that goes around the neck on the actual defrost piece which would take up some of the room at the defoster end. Does it fit at the heater??
Mine had a wide rubber type band around the neck but I'm sure something else could be used ....or like you say, get some smaller hose.....or actual wide rubber bands to put around the neck.

Since there was nothing installed when I bought the truck in March, I have nothing to go by. I figured I'd have to secure the ends to the heater and ducts with zip ties. The rubber band idea would work but they would eventually dry rot.

I'll keep looking in auto parts and hardware stores until I find something. There's got to be a good alternative out there somewhere.

Spot

If you can, take the vent and hose to Lowes Depot and see if you can find a PVC reducer fitting to fit on the vent and inside the duct. Good luck.

I'm not sure exactly where you're located, Spot, but on the northeast end of Fort Worth is a place that sells the hose by the foot. I walked out of there $6 light, but with the ducting. I forget their name exactly at the moment, but could dredge it up I'm sure. Something like Classic Auto Air. They specialize in installing under-dash air conditioners in classic vehicles. They also happen to have duct hose by the foot that worked for me.

Bill

TxLaTx. I think your refering to Old Air Products 4615 Martin St.
Fort worth, TX 76119
Cleon

I checked on that one, and it isn't it. But it got me off my duff to look up the place. It is Classic Auto Air.

You can find a map to it here. It is in Richland Hills, near the intersection of 121 and 820, between DFW and downtown Fort Worth.

Bill

could you use a short piece or radiator hose for the reducer?

What is it that I'm missing here???? I have a 1950, 3604 and when I placed an order to Chevy Duty I threw in a pair of heater defroster duct hoses that cost $14.95 in their latest catalog. I spend durn near that much at McDonalds for a hamberger and milk shake for me and my wife.
The hoses were an exact match in size and apperance, to the "original" factory hoses that were in the truck and they fit the Deluxe heater and defroster funnels outlets perfetly sliping over nice and snug, no clamps, sleaves, bailing wire, duct tape needed! This was without a doubt the simplest, cheapest, most perfectly matched to the original parts job that I have encountered in the two years that I have been restoring my truck. So just where is the problem with replacing the defroster hoses for this truck????
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Thanks Bill for the info about Classic Auto Air. I think Vintage Air is here in San Antonio and I may contact them.

Thanks to all for their input.

Spot

Denny,

Two "problems".......first is the fact that it's only paper tubing and they want $15 PLUS shipping for it. I'm on a budget and think I can do better. Second is that I want it now and don't want to have to wait on it to ship to me. I'm trying to use a local parts supplier who has something I can use.

I really like that look and feel of that preheater tubing. Aluminum stock and covered with black paper to look just like the original.

I'm patient.......I'll find something.

Spot

Just don’t want the wrong information to get spread around the forum so I’ll finish my input by saying; I don’t know where you got your information from spot or the idea that it was a paper tube. This duct is the standard Neoprene/Polyester over steel wire coil duct hose that has been used for way more than half a century in most vehicles.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2661245440098611668GMzkdE

Just one example of the vendors that we deal with and the one I got my duct from is Classic Parts (Chevy Duty). Call them on Monday morning and you will have your parts on Tuesday, that’s been my experience many times over the last two years.
Fin
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

a little off the topic, but....

is there a source for heater cores? Mine is leaking and I need a repalcement. My truck is a 1950 GMC 150 (3/4 ton).

thanks

Get out your reading glasses Marc, here is about every thing you will ever know about the advance design heater cores.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...e&topic=0&Search=true#Post442251
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Thank You!!!!

Hey Denny, sorry to have made you a bit annoyed by asking my original question about defroster tubing. It was my local NAPA parts supplier who called it "paper tubing" when describing what they sold. Maybe he oversimplified it.

Yesterday I bought black 1 3/4" preheater tubing and installed it easily. Fit like a glove and very satisfied.

Thanks for all the comments.

Spot

No sweat Spot, just want to keep the facts straight here, there enough misinformation passed aroung we don't need to add to it. A lot of new guys check in every day and I hope we can steer them in the right direction for an easy accurate fix for their restoration.
Glad to see you solved you problem to your satisfaction.
Denny G

Last winter I was redoing my dash and wiring and I cleaned up the defroster outlets, I could only get 2" defrost hose so I cut a piece of big truck inner tube(thick) to wrap around the inlet and glued it with 3M weather strip glue held in place with rubber bands for a day. I wanted to get the hoses in place because it is hard to get to them with every thing in place. Now I find out from this site that you can get 1 3/4" from NAPA,#**#^,. The store is only 1 mile from me.PS I am looking for a fresh air heater for a 1949 chev 1/2 ton.Thanks

What denny said! you'll spend that much + driving around to save $5.00 and you know that they'll fit good.
dg