Can the coupled hose assembly (from comp. to firewall) be repaired if it leaks ?

What are the silver canisters on each line for and can they be removed (straight hose from fitting to fitting) ?

Can someone recommend someone who does this sort of work ? And can an inline filter be installed ?

Lots of questions...I'm curious...Ogre...are you out there and feeling well ?

Yes they can be repaired. Look in your local phone book, find an auto A/C place, take it down, and they can probably install new rubber hose between the end fittings while you wait. The cost is about $40 for a hose assy that small. The silver cannister, per my A/C guy, is a muffler. They got the idea from luxury cars and incorporated it into most all other cars. When they refab your hose, they will probably omit the muffler.

The crimps on my son's 84SE he had were soft aluminum(sp). I cut them off with a side cutter and put on double hose clamps. It held for over a year untill some idiot ran a stopsign and totaled it (my son was unhurt).

As usual, thanks everyone. My problem is not so much the cost of a replacement hose unit as the time to get one. I'd like to have A/C before the cold winds blow.

Any part of a a/c system may be changed, altered, moved shortened, lengthened, and any other idea, Hose can be purchased by the foot and barb fittings can make a splice about anywhere. The hi side of system "small line" is at about 350 psi when very hot. The large line is mostly in suction. The aluminium device is a noise muffler and accumulator, keep this item. While playing with show cars, have welded new ends on salvage yard lines, to avoid costs of new lines. Double clamp all connections not crimped...... F Rowe

About how I am, There's a thread in OT about it. mostly ok right now.

Yes. As everyone else has said the hoses can be replaced/repaired as long as the alloy parts are OK.

I strongly recomend only crimped ends be installed. (The new sleaves are much stronger than they used to be.) If you do use clamps make sure they are rated for AC work. The AC ones are heavier made than cooling systems clamps. I don't recomend clamps at all on high side lines. They just won't stay reliably most of the time.

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Lake Superior? Is that what I stepped in? Sorry.