“If one worm clamp isn't cutting it, two worm clamps will.”
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At the time of this writing, we carry three styles of clamps: Stainless Steel Worm Gear Clamps, Pinch Clamps, and T-Bolt Clamps. Each of these are used in a similar fashion, to secure tubing or hose over a barbed insert fitting. The clamps accomplish this in a different manner unique to each clamp. Determining what clamp is right for your application is an easy task with the guide below. Links to the items mentioned in this guide will be included throughout the article.
Stainless Steel Worm Gear Clamps
These are often referred to as Screw Clamps or Jubilee Clamps; if you bump into one of those terms they’ll be a form of worm gear clamp. They are also referred to as Band Clamps, however, band clamps can also be strap clamps.
Stainless Steel Worm Gear Clamps have a zinc coating (galvanized) for increased resistance to corrosion. They are frequently used in agriculture, automotive, and industrial applications. They are made of a steel band, one end of which contains a screw; when the screw is turned it acts as a worm drive, pulling the threads of the band and tightening it around the tubing. These types of clamps are mostly used with ½” or larger tubing.
Worm gear clamps are easy to use, remove and are completely reusable. Other than a flathead screwdriver, no additional tools are needed to install one. Worm gear clamps can loosen over time due to external forces exerting tension on the screw, so it’s a good idea to check the tightness of the screw from time to time to ensure it is tight and secure. Worm clamps can also apply uneven pressure which may not be ideal in all applications; this will cause some tubing distortion, though generally nothing severe in a low-pressure irrigation system.
Though no specialty tool is required to install or remove these, Murray does produce a clamp key that can speed up installation and removal: Murray Clamp Key.
The biggest criticism of worm gear clamps is that they can loosen over time and can slightly distort the tubing/hose over time since most of the tension is on one side of the clamp.
Pinch Clamps
These are often referred to as Oetiker Clamps, Ear Clamps, and Crimp Clamps. These types of clamps have a protruding “ear” that is squeezed together with a crimp tool in order to close the clamp over the hose/tubing it is meant to secure. These types of clamps are more frequently used in permanent applications since they are essentially a one-time-use item. They also work exceptionally well in low-pressure situations, such as drip irrigation. They are considered amongst the easiest to use and among the most effective over the long term.
Murray, the manufacturer of our pinch clamps, uses a patented design to reduce mis-crimps. They also make two different crimp tools to help with installing clamps in tighter spaces. The crimp tool are at these links: Murray Pinch Clamp Crimp Tool.
Other than being a one-time use, the biggest drawback to these clamps is that it can be difficult to get the crimp tool into tight spaces -- this is more of a problem seen in automotive applications, but it can be a problem in irrigation systems, particularly when clamping in a valve box or similarly small space.
T-Bolt Clamps
T-Bolt Clamps are often referred to as Racing Camps or EFI Clamps. They are a good balance between worm gear clamps and pinch clamps. Unlike worm gear clamps, these provide 360° of tension so you don’t end up with a distorted hose. Unlike pinch clamps, these can be reused at any time and are easy to remove from tubing and hoses.
The biggest drawback to T-Bolt clamps is generally only in their price, as they do cost a bit more than the other two clamp styles we carry. It has been reported that these can also lose a bit of tension over time like worm-gear clamps, but without the associated distortion of the tubing.
Create a Clamp
If you have an odd size tubing for which there are no available clamps or need a special-sized clamp for a particular application, Murray produces a create-a-clamp kit that allows you to create a custom-sized worm gear clamp. The kit comes with 10' of banding, adjustable fasteners, and band splices. The kit is available at this link: Create a Clamp Kit.
Clamp Features Chart
*can be difficult if space is tight
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Clamp Specifications and Compatibility Charts
Below are some specification charts for our clamps. Included are the open and closed diameters of various clamps and the sizes of tubing, oval hose, layflat, and FlexNet they are compatible with.
Pinch Clamps
Link to Manufacturer Size Sheet
Worm Gear Clamps
Link to Manufacturer Size Sheet
T-Bolt Clamps
So this plagues the question, which is right for me? How do I know the difference? What do these things even do? Well, we’ve got that covered so your dreary days of hose clamp confusion can be long gone.
We’ll start off nice and slow with the basic functions of a hose clamp. These are used in situations where a hose/pipe needs to be attached, sealed, or fitted onto another material. They need to be sturdy as they are frequently used in industries such as automotive, marine, agricultural, and more. If there was not a clamp or the clamp was to break, the hose would not be able to function properly and could potentially cause a leak.
Standard clamps are pretty versatile. They are multi-purpose and can also adapt to different hose sizes. If you have a basic hose and don’t need any kind of special alteration, then this would be the clamp for you!
What is unique about standard clamps is that there are actually two different kinds. You may be asking yourself, “How can there be two different kinds of a standard item?” The difference here is the material. Standard clamps are made with a stainless steel interior in order to provide the durability and protection that you need. What varies is what comes over the steel: more stainless steel or another finish. The main reason for this variance is price. The completely stainless steel clamps are a bit pricier, but have the increased durability. They often provide better resistance to corrosion and various chemicals.
Many people prefer the dressier look of the stainless steel, but whether or not you opt for this clamp is completely personal preference. The standard hose clamp works in most practical applications and is the clamp that you will see most often. If you project is a bit more specific, read on for other various types of hose clamps.
A Shielded Hose Clamp is most frequently used when the material of a hose or pipe is softer, for example if the hose were to be made of silicone. The outer ring of this clamp is the same
where it’s made of steel in order to provide protection and durability. The special addition to this clamp is that there is an additional layer inside the outer ring.
This additional layer does not have slits it in like the outer ring. Because of this solid center ring, the hose cannot protrude or slip out of the slits like in a standard hose clamp. The functionality is still the same as with a standard hose clamp described in the first section of this post.
A constant tension hose clamp does the job when you don’t want to! It provides automatic adjustments on expanding and contracting hoses. It does this by adjusting for constant torque so that the clamp will not fall off the hose. The adjustments are made possible by a spring in the hose’s design as can be seen in the photo. Because this pressure is consistent during expansion and contraction, it boasts consistent sealing.
Constant tension clamps are also a little different in their look. Like a shielded hose clamp, there is an inner ring on this clamp. This means that there are no slits on the outside, whereas the standard hose clamp does have these slits. This also protects softer hoses from damage as well. When it comes to functionality, the clamp is riveted at multiple points so it provides the added strength as well as the adaptability and adjustments.
Nylon clamps have a completely different look than others we have described. Obviously, the main reason for this is that they are made out of nylon instead of stainless steel. Why change the material when stainless steel is so strong? Nylon clamps are often seen as an easier type of clamp for insertion and removal, which appeals to many.
These nylon clamps are equipped with grooves that mimic a snapping style. This allows for manual closure and tightening of the clamp in order to get the perfect fit. The clamp then releases when snapping the groove horizontally. If you are in a situation with lower pressure, this would be the clamp for you.