Hoses
An A/C hose connects your manifold or A/C service station to the service port on the system. The connection is the first thing you check: it has to fit your manifold, pump or A/C service station. Measure the old hose if you are unsure about the length. A hose that is too long catches on something, and that costs you time at every connection. A hose that is too short pulls crooked on the nipple. Use a hose clamp pliers to seat the hose neatly on the nipple without damaging the rubber.
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A/C hoses: connection, length and care
Which connection you need
The connection on the hose has to fit your manifold, A/C service station or service port. Look at the thread or the quick coupling and measure the inside diameter of the old hose. A wrong connection leaks during charging and you lose refrigerant. Note the make and model of your A/C service station before you order, then you know the hose will fit.
Length and type
Length decides how you work on the car. A one metre hose is enough for most service ports. For a system you have to reach from the side, a longer hose is handier. Check the couplings too: a hose with a quick coupling clicks straight onto the nipple, a hose with a screw coupling you tighten down. When pressure testing a system, use a hose that fits your pressure test equipment. A sight glass in the line shows at once whether fluid is still flowing.
When to replace
A hose does not often fail, but the rubber hardens and the couplings can start to leak. Feel whether the hose is still supple and look for cracks at the nipple. A hose you have pulled crooked on the nipple is better replaced than kept in use. Use a hose clamp pliers to seat the hose neatly on the nipple without damaging the rubber. If you work with UV dye in the system, you need a UV lamp and glasses to find the leak; those are under UV lamps and safety glasses.