What'cha use to bend 'em without kinking 'em?
CK5
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Bending steel brake lines?
- Thread starter dontoe
- Start date
SF87K5
1/2 ton status
I went to auto zone and got a tube bender, it was around $15.00.
RustBuket
1/2 ton status
What he said. Just a little hand held tool.
RingMaster4x4
1/2 ton status
I bend mine by hand. 
pvfjr
1/2 ton status
Get those tubing benders that look like springs. You just slip them over the tube, then bend it over your knee or whatever. A lot less fooling around, and less kinking in my experience.
big83chevy4x4
3/4 ton status
ive always bent them by hand, just go slow and you won't kink it.
RustBuket said:
Now ya don't have to get personal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
big83chevy4x4 said:
Have to let that one go.....no need to get greedy!
By the way guys............thanks.........I gotta go get some front Vega hoes in a few minutes and I'll stop in at Autozone............Thanks again!!!!!!
its easy!!!(to kink em!)
I use a pipe,tree,or a trailer ball to help make tight bends--I've also used an old pulley,by putting a bolt in the center hole and clamping it in a vise--the only lines that give me trouble are 3/8 steel tubing like gas lines,it kinks before it bends most of the time,even with a proper tool its difficult to bend without kinking it--the 5/16,1/4,and 3/16 lines are no problem,but the 3/8 is a PITA,especially if your trying to make a new line from the fuel pump to the carb(the one on a small block that runs behind the altenator,and comes close to the harmonic balancer)--but the other sizes are easy to bend....I've noticed they dont call it "Cant Kink" anymore on the packages--must have gotten sued for false advertising....
I use a pipe,tree,or a trailer ball to help make tight bends--I've also used an old pulley,by putting a bolt in the center hole and clamping it in a vise--the only lines that give me trouble are 3/8 steel tubing like gas lines,it kinks before it bends most of the time,even with a proper tool its difficult to bend without kinking it--the 5/16,1/4,and 3/16 lines are no problem,but the 3/8 is a PITA,especially if your trying to make a new line from the fuel pump to the carb(the one on a small block that runs behind the altenator,and comes close to the harmonic balancer)--but the other sizes are easy to bend....I've noticed they dont call it "Cant Kink" anymore on the packages--must have gotten sued for false advertising....
diesel4me said:I use a pipe,tree,or a trailer ball to help make tight bends--I've also used an old pulley,by putting a bolt in the center hole and clamping it in a vise--the only lines that give me trouble are 3/8 steel tubing like gas lines,it kinks before it bends most of the time,even with a proper tool its difficult to bend without kinking it--the 5/16,1/4,and 3/16 lines are no problem,but the 3/8 is a PITA,especially if your trying to make a new line from the fuel pump to the carb(the one on a small block that runs behind the altenator,and comes close to the harmonic balancer)--but the other sizes are easy to bend....I've noticed they dont call it "Cant Kink" anymore on the packages--must have gotten sued for false advertising....
Another great idea! Thanks.
TJS
1/2 ton status
Yes my hand bender hardly gets a workout. I use broom sticks, round stock, pipe, fence or whatever works for the radius you are looking for.
T.J.
T.J.
Well, just got back from NAPA with a tubing bender...........$45.00 Phew!
But it is a quality one(I hope). Thanks guys! By the way, they wanted $35.00 a piece for front brake lines for a mid '70's Vega. I'm gonna see if I can use the ones off the front of my '82 K-10 parts truck.
But it is a quality one(I hope). Thanks guys! By the way, they wanted $35.00 a piece for front brake lines for a mid '70's Vega. I'm gonna see if I can use the ones off the front of my '82 K-10 parts truck.
I had the spring type bender and my brake lines were preflared so it wouldn't slip over so I wrapped electric fence wire around the areas I wanted to bend and bent the line by hand. Worked better for tight bends than any other bender I've used. It is galvanized wire so I just left it in place, looks like the coils around some factory lines.
K5MONSTERCHEV
1/2 ton status
I use a bender too. It seems liek a cluster **** when you start, but after a while, youll get used to it and its a piece of cake!
I've got a hand bender with dies and follower rollers, sort of like a smaller version of my big tube bender. Works fine as long as you can get it in there and makes approx 3/4" CLR bends.
i have different benders including the springs... but...
has anyone here ever tried the old sand trick? i've never done it myself, the idea of putting sand inside the line always made me nervous... but i had an old timer tell me about it like 20 yrs ago and it sounded like it would work as long as you cleaned it thoroughly after..... one of these days i'll have to try it on a scrap..
has anyone here ever tried the old sand trick? i've never done it myself, the idea of putting sand inside the line always made me nervous... but i had an old timer tell me about it like 20 yrs ago and it sounded like it would work as long as you cleaned it thoroughly after..... one of these days i'll have to try it on a scrap..
BadDog said:
Yea, that's whut I got at NAPA.
BadDog said:
I have those for 3/16", 1/4", and 3/8" I need the 5/16" but don't yet have a big enough project to justify it.
Wish cage sized tube benders had the "0", "R", "L", and degree marks on them. I might actually be able make bends that worked out then.
A good trick for making really tight bends up next to the nut is to drill and tap the end of a small piece of bar stock. Screw the nut in tight and use the bar as a handle.
