Tom

Tom,

Q I am changing the water pump on my ‘99 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup

(odometer: 95,000 miles). The hoses are fine. Should I change them anyway?
One of them is tough to get to (must remove the AC compressor).

Chris—Phoenix,  Arizona

Chris,

A I would change the hoses mainly because you can’t see the degradation

of the rubber compound. Also, you might as well change them since you are
right there, rather than having to tear it down a second time when a hose does
burst (this advice is based on personal experience).