Bending Frame tubing (on purpose)

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Okay fabricators....

In the area of bending chromoly tubing there are several methods.

Using a tubing bender.
Using a sand filled tube and bending.
Using heat.
I've also seen slices taken from the inner radius and welded.

Straight bending seems to be the most common.
Sand filled seems like it always kinks.
Using heat is supposed to weaken then material.

What's the opinion if slicing the inner radius and welding?
Seems that would also be strong.

[CARSHouston]

I would only bend with a tubing bender; I have a neighbor who does drag and sprint cars and does it all the time without a problem.

[Steve Davis]

I would only bend with a tubing bender; I have a neighbor who does drag and sprint cars and does it all the time without a problem.

IMHO, you really NEED to have a bender with a ROLLING SHOE to bend it correctly. All (at least most) of the 'less expensive' benders just DRAG the bend.. thinning the material as it bends. A rolling shoe bender is considerably more expensive, but necessary for most race car work - preferably HYDRAULIC. A hydraulic bender generally doesn't have to be mounted to the floor... and need a full 6 feet of space all the way around it. The best benders get expensive, but I'd imagine a post here on this forum might get you a couple of options to RENT or BORROW a good one. They are irreplaceable for the work, but generally 90% of the time lay IDLE in the workshop, unless someone is building 'something' daily.
Steve, FV80

[jrh3]

There’s been a lot of cars built using a Hossfeld bender

[10rmotor]

I think it depends on what you're bending it for. If you're bending for a sway bar, or roll bar a mandrel bender with the rolling shoe (hossfeld type) is pretty much required. If its for something that isn't terribly structural (a judgement call lets say) bending it on a form that might produce some deformation is probably ok. In those cases the tube wall is probably a little thicker to take the deforrmation into account. As a last resort a pie cut method will get it done but it really shouldn't be very structural. I build a lot of headers for bike powered cars out of stainless and see lots of people making bends by pie cutting. It just screams of not being able to plan or lack of attention to detail.

[HazelNut]

I have a rogue fab bender that I use for offroad builds. I highly recommend.

I don't have it on mine but they do offer a mandrel attachment for them as well when used with thin wall tubing

https://www.roguefab.com/

[HazelNut]

i just noticed you're in CA. There are a ton of offroad guys around there and a lot of them do their own fab, there are a bunch of shops too. I'm sure you can find someone to bend a few pieces for you. Way better option than heat and beat or pie cut and weld.

[DanW]

Okay fabricators....

In the area of bending chromoly tubing there are several methods.

Using a tubing bender.
Using a sand filled tube and bending.
Using heat.
I've also seen slices taken from the inner radius and welded.

Straight bending seems to be the most common.
Sand filled seems like it always kinks.
Using heat is supposed to weaken then material.

What's the opinion if slicing the inner radius and welding?
Seems that would also be strong.

Paul,

Art Smith in Ridgecrest has a fabricator who does excellent work.

[10rmotor]

You're close to Sears Pt. Theres a ton of fab shops there that can bend tube for you.