Another Pic's Not A Mechanic Question

[Pic IN the Casa]

My son's 2001 Ranger 3.0l has sprung a coolant leak at this T.
Seems easy to replace but it appears to be original. From what I've seen, everyone wants to sell the hose assembly with the T 'molded' in the lines.
Was hoping I could cut the hoses and add just the T.
A YouTube video showed a guy crushing the T with pliers, removing pieces from hoses and adding a generic T. Not sure I want to do that.
Anyone ever changed one out?

 

[ImThere]

You should be able to get a tee and hose barbs at lowes or Home Depot. Either one.
3 clamps and done.

 

[Hduke86]

If you have a Pick-a-part yard near you then swing by there and snag one off a truck if not Lowe’s, Ace, or Home Depot

 

[Rabbitkil]

Is that the Line that goes into the heater core? If so that’s just a bypass hose that I always get rid of and put a straight connector in its place on both sides, I’ve had a couple of 3.0s have horrible heat because of that T

 

[270MONTS]

I see no problem with just a generic t from Napa or autozone and some hose clamps. Should last a long times

 

[double browtine]

I have used a brass pex pipe tee before with hose clamps on a suburban with rear heat. That plastic crap they use today is crap. It gets so brittle after years of heat cycles.
It looks like a 3/4”x 3/4”x1/2” tee would fit

 

[casjoker]

I did the same with a brass tee and hose clamps on an older s-10. It lasted a couple of years and sold the truck with it still working. I got it fitting in the plumbing section of some random hardware store next to where the truck broke down. I trust the brass more than plastic. I always kept a spare tee in the glove box to scare off any future demons.