How do I bend my homebuilt draglink?

[mofugly13]

I am making my own draglink out of 1 1/2" x .250 wall DOM, and will be using WFO's threaded inserts. I need to put the 2" or so of offset into it to be able to clear the engine crossmember. How do they do it? Heat and bend? Will the heat weaken the steel any? Or do I need to find someone with a tubing bender and the right die? I am really not into making a new crossmember and using a straight DL, so I want to know the accepted way of making the bends in the 1 1/2".

 

[Hossbaby50]

You can bend them in manual tube benders. A buddy of mine bent both his draglink and my draglink for crossover on a manual bender. I was a PITA but it worked. I have been told that you have to put some good muscle into it with 2 guys to bend it. I have also been told that hydrolic benders won't do it. The hydrolics won't bend it.

Keep in mind though that when my buddy bent our draglinks he also bend the pins in the bender. So whoever's bender you use you better be ready to pony up for the cost of new pins for the bender.

I believe the drop is about 3".

Harley

 

[spearchucker]

I'd just take it to a metal fab shop and let them bend it. Shouldn't take more than a few mins and a couple bucks. There's a place in SSF called B Metal Fabrication that should be able to do that for you. They're right around the corner from Bayshore Truck equipment.

 

[mofugly13]

Right on brother! I can just cruise by there after work. Thanks!

 

[TorkDSR]

we had a couple of beers... put one end in the trailer hitch on the waggy, and then lifted the other with a hi-lift. dam thing looks factory
this was before the bender came.... obviously