How often should radiator hose be replaced as a preventative measure? Are there particular hoses the tend to fail on the discovery? With 112k miles is it worth changing the hoses or do they have a bit more life left? Visually they all look fine and the kit for all the hoses is $200 from AB so, its not something I want to do if its not necessarily needed.
as always thanks for the replys!

 

If it looks good on the outside, chances are it's good on the inside. I pull the hoses and run my finger around the inside. If I feel scaly deposits, I change it. If it feels smooth, I leave it alone. bear in mind, removing a hose to inspect it always runs the risk of causing damage that will require you to replace it. In my experience, the lower hoses tend to foul up quicker than the upper hoses, so you can change the lower radiator hose if you want to be cautious. I like to take preventative measures also.

 

I say replace all coolant hoses and your fan belt every 10 years or 100,000 miles.
This will help assure against a breakdown.
Could you go longer?
Probably.
Replace your t-stat at the same time since the cooling system will already be empty.
I believe Land Rover says to replace them if a visual inspection shows them to be brittle or spongy and there is no specified service interval.
10 years or 100k is easy to remember too.
Example, your truck is a 2003, so in 2013 the hoses need to be replaced, unless you have 100k on the odometer.
Then the next change would be at 200k or 2023.

 

I developed a slight seep from the tee on my upper radiator hose at 110k miles. Just for peace of mind, I replaced every hose and pipe with the AB kit, along with a new thermostat. It is nice to not have to worry about a hose rupturing on some long journey.

 

I think the previous owner changed some of the hoses, just not sure which ones. I really hate to drain the system down again since I recently changed the thermostat and it took me a couple weeks to get all the air bleed out. Are there certain hoses that are a known problem? In researching this most of the sudden coolant leaks, excluding headgaskets, seem to be related to the throttle body heater. All my upper hoses look new its really just the bottom of radiator to thermostat hose that kind of feels a little sketchy.

 

the chances are the PO only replace some of the hoses beause they were the first to go. Hoses alway go from the inside out, they can look brand new outside and be soft as mud on the inside.
Its to bad that you did not change them with the t-stat, that is what i did. All those little plastic return hoses get super brittle from all the heat under the hood.
I used the kit from Ab it preety complete and i think i paid over $200, so thats not a bad price. Replace all those spring clamps while your at it, while they can be reused, they are really made for one time use.
Change them out and save what you have for spares, one bad hose can cost you a whole lot more than $200 depending when and where it lets go.

 

As Spike mentioned, every 10 years or 100,000 miles if you want to be safe. At the same time, replace the t/stat and the coolant pressure cap, and add a bottle of Water Wetter, Purple Ice or BG's Super Cool to the coolant.

 

Is there a better (i.e. cheaper) source for the complete radiator hose set? I did an internet search, and I only came up with AB. Any help would be appreciated, as I plan on doing the change next month, and $200 and change is bit steep.

 

Rovers North hose kits is $315.00

 

I got hold of the shop that did the work on the rover for the previous owner. They said they replaced all the upper hoses, throttle body heater and the hard lines a couple years ago.