AC Hose replacement

[thysonsacclaim]

I need to replace the hose that goes to the condenser through the firewall. I can't grab a pic at the moment, but it is the thicker of the two hoses. Anyone know if these are available anywhere pre-made (OEM, aftermarket, etc)?

I realize I can get one made up, but from my past experience, getting a hose custom made costs more than buying one pre-made.

Also, on the 1974 450SEL, does anyone know what kind of switches are on the receiver/drier? I know one is to operate the fan. As for the other one, I find conflicting information. Some places say "Lo-pressure switch" or "High-pressure switch" or "High/Low pressure switch." Are these all the same thing?

And finally, where is this switch supposed to plug into? I've been working on the wiring system, as there as been a fair bit of shoddy backyard mechanic work done, but I can't find the wire that goes there, or even the remnants of it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I plan on taking pictures and making a detailed post of my retrofit procedure when I do it.

[Big_Richard]

any competent air conditioning specialist can re-manufacture the AC hoses, this will be far more economical than buying genuine, assuming they are still available..

[KenM]

There are two versions of the receiver - drier, one with the top switch only and one with the top switch and a switch connection on the side. On both, the top switch is for the auxillary fan and is wired directly to it. With the second switch port, this is connected to a low pressure safety switch, it cuts the compressor out at about 2 bar. You may not have the wiring for the second switch depending on what your car came with. Can't help with the wiring location for the second switch, but as long as you have the fan wiring going to the top switch and there are no other wires hanging around you could be reasonably sure you don't have the second switch I suppose.

[thysonsacclaim]

I just wanted to make sure about the wiring. Theres been a good bit of Frankenstein mechanics done in some places that Ive had to reverse.

As for the hose, I think I got that solved. My brother has a friend who owns a shop in Texas. He may be able to make one up for me and ship it cheap.

I was worried about the cost of other places doing this... Ive bought some madeup before and they wanted to charge an arm and a leg for $10 worth of hose and $10 worth of fittings. I remember being quoted $135 for one for my Ramcharger. Nonsense.

If I had the proper crimping system, I'd make my own up.

[KenM]

If I had the proper crimping system, I'd make my own up.

Ah, but you don't do you???
A man's gotta make a living..

[alabbasi]

Getting them made will be cheaper.

[Franky]

There's nothing better than hitting your air conditioner and cooling down your vehicle's cockpit on a hot day. But, if your air conditioner stops blowing cold air, it goes from being a luxury to a nuisance right away. Whip your AC back into shape with replacement AC hoses and air conditioner parts from AutoAnything.Furnace Replacement  When you need new AC hoses and parts, AutoAnything is the coolest place—on or off the net—to order them. Here, you'll get the best deal on replacement AC hoses and parts, plus free shipping on every order. Whether you need a new AC hose, an AC hose adaptor or both, you find a full stock of air conditioner parts for your vehicle. Choose from factory, factory-grade and generic replacement parts to get your air conditioner working like new

[thysonsacclaim]

Not sure if that was an ad bot or what but, actually, AutoAnything doesn't have the hose I need.

However, I did find a neat site called Cold Hose, which offers custom hoses. It's pretty simple. You measure the hose, select the correct fittings and hose size and you're off.

What I was originally looking for was more like a site which carries the information for the particular vehicle already. I've seen it done for a few different products, where the item becomes unavailable or expensive.

From what I understand, such companies simply purchase or examine the information for as many of their specialty products as possible. Then the items are made on demand or some of the stock is stored depending on how many are purchased.

It's a novel idea and something I don't think would exist without the internet.

Cold Hose is pretty simple to use, though, and I think it'll do me just fine when I order place the order (if I do--I have a friend in Tx who makes them, too). If I use them, I'll post something in Shop area about their service.