Anti freeze puddle under Spyder

[ned64]

Iv seen couple little bitty puddles under my '17 spyder rt this fall. Thought it was maybe from hitting puddles of water. Well I put the spyder up on stands an went looking after I saw little puddle other day an hadent hit any puddles or had any rain.. Yep for sure found drop of anti freeze ready to drop off from clamp on hose. It was the little hose up above a radiator hose. I see that the hose clamp had been changed . I asume at the dealer during one of the service jobs done there. It was a screw tightning clamp (a regular hose clamp people buy at the auto parts store). I tightened it about one turn, took spyder down an went for a ride an put it back up an no leak. Put couple parts back on Spyder an now its ready to go. Anytime the road doesnt have ice, snow, crap they put down on road to help melt the snow. Ride all winter when roads are clear. I know I should of changed the rest of those crappy hose clamps from the factory to the good ones but didnt have any in my shed. Probly will when I do the next service In the spring. It will be me doing the service's from now on instead of the dealer. Nathan in Yakima,WA.

[billybovine]

I have to disagree with you. The factory Oetiker clamp is superior to gear clamps. Just not home mechanic friendly. Do not replace them unless you need to. Just by your example. You had trouble with the replacement gear clamp and not the OE ones.

[ned64]

I have to disagree with you. The factory Oetiker clamp is superior to gear clamps. Just not home mechanic friendly. Do not replace them unless you need to. Just by your example. You had trouble with the replacement gear clamp and not the OE ones.

Billy, thank you for your input on the clamps. I will leave the factory one's alone until I have another leak. Hopefully I wont have another leak to fix. Wonder why the dealer didnt tell me they changed the clamp. Have a battery tender now hooked up in the shed to my Spyder to keep it topped off during the cold winter between rides. Thank you, Nathan in Yakima,Wa.

[BajaRon]

I would agree with billybovine. The stock clamps are used for ease of assembly. But they are good clamps. The screw clamps usually need to be re-tightened at least once after install, They do not have much ability to maintain the needed pressure as the hose settles in to it's new circumstance. I would check tension again, even if it doesn't leak anymore. when the system is hot. That's the best time to improve the seal on a screw clamp. If you can do it without getting burnt.

[JayBros]

If you're going to use the OEM clamps, called Oetiker clamps you need a special pair of pliers. You can get them, Knipex 10 99 1220, from Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/10-99-I220-Cl...6253641&sr=8-3.

[Trbayth]

Wonder why the dealer didnt tell me they changed the clamp.

They may not have changed it. My 2014 ST came with Oetiker clamps all around *except* the hose coming out of the top of the water pump. That had the worm gear clamp *and* it did leak once or twice early on, especially when the temperature really dropped.

[Mosess01]

question how do you remove these clamps with doing damage to the hose. I have a leak from the overflow bottle .

[ned64]

First clamp I had leak was a screw clamp on from the factory, so a screw driver worked. Now I have had one of the factory clamps leak. I used a thin screw driver. Poked it in an twisted it between the pinched sides of the clamp. Loosened it enough to where I used a bigger flat blade screw driver an twisted it out more. Loosened it enough that I could get a pair of plyers on it an pulled an twisted it till it was loose and pulled the hose off then with clamp still on. Be careful how ever you do it to get the clamp off since the bottle is plastic an you dont want to break it.

[Mosess01]

thank you i may have found my issue. after cleaning the bike and going over what could be the issue I removed the cover on top fill bottle and the top was lose,, i am thinking this had to be it....