Educate me on tubing (1 Viewer)

[cruiserdoc]

I am wanting to build a set a sliders for my 40 which bolt directly to the frame and act as a frame anchor for my A-pillers of my frame as well. I have a design and all and now it is time to purchase the supplies. I know I want DOM 2" ED tubing, but I don't know the wall thickness I should use. Of consideration is my cheepo 12 ton Harbor Freight tubing bender and what it can bend (I have never tried it before). Can someone suggest a decent wall thickness which is thin enough to work with, yet strong enough to depend upon. I will post pics of my design once I get underway

Thanks
Brian

 

[honk]

DOM in .125" wall is good.

I don't think that you'll have much luck using the HF bender, if it's the one I think it is, but you might as well try if you already own it.

You might find this site to be high priced, but it's a useful resource for learning about tubing. http://www.onlinemetals.com/

 

[Pin_Head]

DOM tubing is overkill for this application. 10 ga (0.125 wall) HREW tubing would be fine. If you are using the HF bender, you might was well use schedule 40 pipe, which will fit the bender.

 

[bikinnotdykin]

I also agree use schedule 40 pipe, it's easier to find, will fit the bender, and is plenty strong for sliders and bumpers. just don't do a cage with it even though I'm sure someone will say it's fine to build a cage with too.

 

[Walton]

I would use a 2" pipe with a minimum of .125 Wall thickness....I don't know the price difference, but I would think Drawn over Mandrel pipe is quite a bit more than Schedule 40 pipe? I think the Schedule 40 would work fine...

I've had no problems bending 2" Schedule 40 black iron pipe with the same bender that you have....

If you ever are in need of bending a radius in which you don't have the proper die in your bender....roll up a strip of steel to the radius you need and stich weld it to your bench. Weld a pinch point out of a short piece of angle iron so that your pipe is held firmly between your curved steel and angle...It helps to heat your pipe up in the bend zone a little to get those molecules moving.

Post your pics..I'd like to see your project......Good Luck....

 

[2badfjs]

you can bend thin wall tubing with the h/f "pipe" bender. tube is not the same dia. as pipe.
when you put tube in that bender you will see that it doesnt fit tight.
i hate that bender!
i tried many different ways of bending .120 wall hrew with it, kinked every single piece.
you will never bend DOM with it.

thats why i stepped up and drop 1k on a REAL bender

 

[cruiserdoc]

Thanks for the replys. kinda stinks that my bender isn't much better than a real heavy paper weight . I will probably have to source out my bends since I already purchaced the .125 DOM tube today after I read the first reply. The weak part of this project will be my welds. I am learning how to weld and am definetly at the bottom of the learning curve. I will post up pics of my design and my booger welds once I have some progress (hopefully this weekend .

Thanks for the education
Brian

 

[Franky40]

I have had very good luck with the HF bender on 1 1/2" pipe. Someone on this list told me that the pipe is actually better for sliders than the tubing because of the way they react to impact. The DOM tubing absorbes and deflects which I am thinking would distort the design, whereas the pipe just dents. That's my limited understanding anyway. I bought the JD3 bender for roll cages and seat mounts, it works well with the 2" x .120 DOM but even then it tales a long handle and a lot of muscle. (and beer)

 

[camcruiser13]

if you do use the hf bender watch the pressure points as it likes to crinkle the tubing. i have heard filling the tubing with sand helps but have never tried,