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What is the best rear A/C line fix for our 1998 Suburban?

J

jrsavoie

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What is the best rear A/C line fix for our 1998 Suburban?

Somebody used copper linesets leftover from an A/c install.

Is it best to just go back with OEM replacement lines from the dealer?

Is there a better longer lasting option out there?
 
I hate those stupid saturday car shows. One saturday I was watching and they had a guy bend up a set of SS lines like it was nothing. All you do is bend here and bend here and poof it looks like it came from the factory. Somehow I don't think it's that easy.

Anyway, you might want to check to see if a company like inline tube or classic tube offers a pre bent SS kit for the suburban (that's assuming SS works with A/C systems).
 
Napa has A/C rated compression fittings (read high pressure) Take a tubing cutter, cut back close to the rear evaporator, where you have good line and room to work, then cut up close to the back of the right front fender well. Measure between, and have Napa make a set of rubber lines. The factory lines usually start leaking somewhere along the area of the aluminum line where it is covered with plastic/rubber, which traps moisture/salt/etc and eats away over time. I have had good success with this repair, and is a small fraction of the cost of new ones if they are even still available.
 
I second the rubber line idea... Bus 1 had rubber the whole way back to the ceiling evaporator... no problems with leaks. Oh, yeah... it's gotta be rated for AC too... don't use just any ole heater hose, the oil in the refrigerant system will eat it for lunch and trash the system.
 
Not to mention it probably wouldn't hold the pressure.

How long have the rubber hoses lasted thus far?

We don't have any immediate plans to sell the Burb so I am looking for a fairly permanent fix.

I really like to fix the same thing only every 200,000 miles or so.
 
Make sure if you have them made they use Barrier hose. I don't think most places have the old stuff anymore but make sure. Barrier hose is rated for R134a.
 
The one I fixed was over 2 years ago, no problems. It has a crimped steel fitting over the rubber, then has a compression fitting to slide over the existing line. It is a/c barrier hose from NAPA
 
On a quiet evening, after giving mine a shot of refrigerant, I could hear it. Squirt bottle and dish soap verified bubbles. You can also look for tracking of oil on the lines, but like I said earlier, it's probably leaking where the lines are covered with plastic. I'd cut the whole line out.
 
I'm planning to replace a big chunk.
Possibly all

How would copper hold up? The guy I knew did it years ago. I can't even remember who is was now. I do remember at the time we thought that would be the ultimate fix.
 
Should work. I've got a copper fitting up to the rear evap, off who-knows-what, as I had to slice off the frozen nut with a cut-off wheel on the original fitting.

Getting the fittings to match up if you go all the way to the evap would be the issue. So you may have to cut short of that and still use a compression fitting.
 
I used A+Auto Cooling Solution LLC for a complete rear A/C kit for my 95 burb work like a champ (877)606-8088
 
IIRC, each fitting is 15-20 bucks, so, max, fittings would be 80. Then hose is a per foot price, I can't recall how much, but it wasn't bad. Even if it was $5/ft, I don't think you'ld have more than 20-25 feet total, for both lines, so I'd guess $200 or less. I've got some business at Napa tomorrow, I'll ask how much the hose is.
 
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