FAQs

A silicone hose is a flexible hose composed of silicone rubber reinforced with polyester, aramid or steel wire. It is characterised by its resistance to high and low temperatures, as well as its tensile strength, abrasion resistance and tear resistance.

Automotive silicone hoses are primarily used in the cooling systems, turbochargers, air intakes, vacuum lines and heater cores of cars, motorbikes, and heavy-duty trucks, to transfer high-pressure, high-temperature gases and coolants, etc.

The main differences between silicone hoses and EPDM rubber hoses lie in their temperature resistance, service life and cost. Silicone hoses have a temperature range of -60°C to +230°C; they outperform EPDM hoses in terms of resistance to both low and high temperatures, as well as cost, and also have a longer service life.

EPDM hoses, on the other hand, have a temperature range of -40°C to 120°C. Compared to silicone hoses, they are significantly less resistant to both high and low temperatures and are more prone to cracking and ageing.

Silicone hoses are reinforced with polyester, aramid (Nomex), fibreglass or steel wire. The purpose of this reinforcement is to enhance the silicone hoses’ pressure resistance, shape retention and temperature resistance, thereby extending their service life.

The pressure rating of silicone hoses varies depending on the material and thickness of the reinforcement. Taking the standard thickness of 4.5 mm as an example, a 4-layer polyester/aramid-reinforced silicone hose can withstand 200 psi, whilst a bespoke 4-ply, 5 mm thick steel-wire-braided silicone hose can withstand a maximum pressure of 16,000 psi.

The following materials are commonly used in automotive hoses:

Rubber:

EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), mainly used for coolant, radiator and heater hoses.

NBR (nitrile rubber): Its advantages include resistance to oil and petrol; it is primarily used for oil hoses.

CR (chloroprene/neoprene): Used for fluid lines.

Silicone rubber: Primarily used for high-temperature applications in turbocharger and cooling systems.

Fluorosilicone: Resistant to oil and petrol; used in turbocharger and oil circuit applications.

Aluminium: Used for intercooler systems and connections in internal and external high-pressure sections.

No, thickness depends on the intended use and specifications of the silicone tubing; if it is too thick, this may also affect its performance.

No, different colours of silicone tubing have no effect on performance; it is simply a matter of personal preference or matching the colour of the engine compartment for aesthetic reasons. Standard colours include red, black, blue, green and pink. RONTEIX can customize any colour for customers.

No, common silicone tubing is not resistant to fuel or oil; only tubing made from the special material fluorosilicone is resistant to fuel and oil.

A radiator hose is a pressure- and temperature-resistant hose manufactured from silicone or rubber and reinforced with polyester, aramid or steel wire. It is used in various industries to connect engines to radiators and to transport coolant. There are two types: the upper radiator hose and the lower radiator hose.

An engine coolant hose is primarily used to deliver liquid coolant to the radiator and heater core, with the aim of cooling the engine and preventing it from overheating and failing. Engine coolant hoses are mainly available in two types: rubber hoses and silicone hoses.

A radiator hose is a specific type of coolant hose; to a large extent, the term “coolant hose” has a broader scope, encompassing radiator hoses, heater hoses, coolant reservoir hoses, thermostat hoses and bypass hoses. Its primary function is to transport coolant.

Yes, we can manufacture custom molded silicone hose based on your drawing or sample.

Depending on custom silicone hoses’ internal diameter, length, bending number and  complexity, cost generally range from USD 50 to USD 800.

It’s up to hose weight and size, generally speaking, from USD250 to USD400, including 1 piece sample and mold tool cost, varies by weight, including shipping by courier door-to-door service.

Yes, we will refund sample fee after your bulk order.

Yes, we can provide OEM with your label and our label RONTEIX.

Yes, we can custom and manufacture silicone hose kits for all specific vehicle models.

Yes, we can make a mold tool and produce hoses from your drawings, CAD files, or physical samples.

Yes, we can customize rubber or silicone hose diameter, length, bend angle, color and wall thickness as per your requirement or drawing.

Yes, we can custom-color silicone hoses as per your requirements.

It takes 5 days to finish mold tooling and first prototype.

Selecting the right automotive silicone hose, the key is to ensure that the internal diameter, layers, wall thickness, operating temperature, burst pressure and any required oil and fuel resistance are all suitable for your specific application.

The best and most accurate tool for measuring the internal diameter of a silicone tube is a vernier caliper, available in either digital or dial versions. Place the inner measuring jaws of the caliper inside the tube, extend the jaws to their maximum span, and then read the measurement.

EPDM hoses are generally fitted as original equipment (OEM) on vehicles. In terms of resistance to high and low temperatures, EPDM hoses are slightly inferior to silicone hoses; if you wish to enhance performance and achieve greater durability, you should opt for silicone hoses.

The rubber materials with the best oil resistance are fluoroelastomers (Viton / FKM) and fluorosilicones (FMVQ), as well as nitrile (NBR) and hydrogenated nitrile (HNBR).

We accept a small MOQ of 1 piece to start customizing silicone hose, as well as providing door-to-door transport services within 5 days.

Our universal or standard silicone hose minimum order quantity is 1 piece and lead time 1-2 days. You can order directly from our official website ronteix.com

Our custom molded rubber hoses MOQ is 100 pieces.

Yes, we supply customized hose or standard hose samples for your testing and approval before mass production.

Our warranty period is one year, starting from the date you receive our rubber hoses or silicone hoses.

If you receive the wrong hoses, please check the quantity immediately and take photographs as evidence, then contact our sales team. We will reply within 1 working day and provide a solution, and dispatch replacement hoses within 5 days.

Please contact us with images, and we will replace asap.

Please take more photos of defective hoses and send them to our sales team to claim.

You need to list batch number, order number, and part number to our service team.

We’ll resolve your issue within 1 day at the earliest, or 2 days at the latest.

Yes, we’ll definitely replace all defective hoses in 5 days.

RONTEIX will afford all shipping costs for confirmed quality issue hoses.