98 Blazer / Jimmy transmission coolant line upgrade

[apekim]

The lower cooler line from the trannsmission to the radiator started leaking at the transmission. I thought it was the quick connect, but after replacing that, it still leaked, it was clear that there was a hairline crack on the flare of the cooler line (inside the quick connect). I can not believe that GM would allow such a horrible design (quick connects). As the engine and tranni rocks from different rpms, the ends of the cooling lines move slightly inside the quick connects. Over time the sharp corner inside the quick connect wears a crank in the cooling line.

Why didn't GM use regular 3/8" brake line to the radiator with a rubber hose section in the middle to absorb the engine movement.

I went to an Auto Zone parts store and bought two adapters to screw into the tranni that will accept standard 3/8" hard lines. It appears that the front radiator quick connects have the same thread size as the 3/8 line, so I should be able to eliminate using adpaters at the radiator.

My second option to fix it was to just replace the cracked oem line with another oem line and add a rubber hose section somewhere to absorb the movement.

Mike