Anyone made custom coolant lines?
Anyone made custom coolant lines? I made the long coolant lines for my mid-engine track car this weekend using 1.5" steel tubing. I now need to form a bead on the end of each tube to keep the rubber hoses from blowing off. I know I have seen a tool to do this that is similar to a muffler expander. It fits into the tube and has a half round protrusion on it. When you rotate it in the tube, it forms a nice bead. The problem is I can't seem to find one anywhere. I searched the net for an hour. Does anyone know what I am talking about and where to get it? Any other ideas?
Thanks
Ken
Thanks
Ken
Try looking to see if there is a Tube and Hose shop in your area, like someone that builds or repartss A/C, Brake tubing and hoses, also try Hydraulic shops, like for big rigs and farm equipement.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sheet-Metal-Fabr...d=p3286.c0.m14
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...rd=bead+roller
I read a few forums online that people are buying one from Harbor Freight, and bracing it so it works better.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93364
And this guy made a crazy stand for one.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=137858
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...rd=bead+roller
I read a few forums online that people are buying one from Harbor Freight, and bracing it so it works better.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93364
And this guy made a crazy stand for one.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=137858
Heck, Summit has one on Ebay too. They all look the same.....could be different paint.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Woodw...mZ220284179763
I don't know why a good hose clamp wouldn't work though. When I had the LT1 in my Impala, I had 1 1/2 exhaust pipe as my upper lower hose, and I didnt bead roll it. It worked fine for 2 years.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Woodw...mZ220284179763
I don't know why a good hose clamp wouldn't work though. When I had the LT1 in my Impala, I had 1 1/2 exhaust pipe as my upper lower hose, and I didnt bead roll it. It worked fine for 2 years.
Thanks for the replies guys. I actually have one of the rollers, but I don't think the rollers will fit inside the tubing. That is why I am looking for the tool that fits inside the tube and it rotated with a wrench/socket. I will double check my roller tonight, but I really don't think it will fit.
Thanks again,
Ken
Thanks again,
Ken
Trending Topics
TECH Resident
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 792
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
Ken,
I made my own beader for 1 1/4" stainless tubing for my mid-engined application. You can buy one (much easier than making one) from Summit; it's an Earl's product.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...alse&N=700+115
http://www.holley.com/types/Earl’s%20EZ-Beader.asp
Andy1
I made my own beader for 1 1/4" stainless tubing for my mid-engined application. You can buy one (much easier than making one) from Summit; it's an Earl's product.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...alse&N=700+115
http://www.holley.com/types/Earl’s%20EZ-Beader.asp
Andy1
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo That's exactly what I was looking for. I knew I had seen it before, but I couldn't find it for the life of me. Thanks again for the help.
Andy1,
Do you have any pics of the one you made. I am interested in seeing it. Did it have any problem with the stainless? I am thinking I can use the Earl's one on mild steel if I heat it up.
Ken
Andy1,
Do you have any pics of the one you made. I am interested in seeing it. Did it have any problem with the stainless? I am thinking I can use the Earl's one on mild steel if I heat it up.
Ken
TECH Resident
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 792
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
That's exactly what I was looking for. I knew I had seen it before, but I couldn't find it for the life of me. Thanks again for the help.
Andy1,
Do you have any pics of the one you made. I am interested in seeing it. Did it have any problem with the stainless? I am thinking I can use the Earl's one on mild steel if I heat it up.
Ken
Andy1,
Do you have any pics of the one you made. I am interested in seeing it. Did it have any problem with the stainless? I am thinking I can use the Earl's one on mild steel if I heat it up.
Ken
The stainless was surprisingly easy to bead. I bought the tubing from McMaster-Carr.
Andy1
TECH Resident
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 792
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
Ken,
Forgot to ask: What is the wall thickness of the steel tubing?
For thicker walled tubing for coolant lines, I machine a short stub (1 1/2" long) with a barb machined into it then TIG weld it to the tubing.
Another thing I do for steel tubing, is to POR-15 this inside. Tape the end real well and pour in about a pint of POR-15. Tape the open end and move the tube around so that the inside is coated, then pour the rest out. I did mine in the heat of the SoCal sun, and it dried in about 2 hours.
Andy1
Forgot to ask: What is the wall thickness of the steel tubing?
For thicker walled tubing for coolant lines, I machine a short stub (1 1/2" long) with a barb machined into it then TIG weld it to the tubing.
Another thing I do for steel tubing, is to POR-15 this inside. Tape the end real well and pour in about a pint of POR-15. Tape the open end and move the tube around so that the inside is coated, then pour the rest out. I did mine in the heat of the SoCal sun, and it dried in about 2 hours.
Andy1
The tubing I bought is .065" I believe. It was the thinnest the metal place had. I didn't think to ask a muffler shop.
Have you ever looked inside a tube after using it for a while to make sure the POR-15 is not coming off? I ask because my experience with POR-15 is that it bubbles up if there is any grease/oil on the base metal. I have no good way to clean the inside of the tube. The only thing I'm thinking is to to pour some of their metal prep in the tube first and let it soak. I would hate to ruin my electric water pump because the POR came off. Do you really think it's an issue when running 50/50 coolant/water mix?
Ken
Have you ever looked inside a tube after using it for a while to make sure the POR-15 is not coming off? I ask because my experience with POR-15 is that it bubbles up if there is any grease/oil on the base metal. I have no good way to clean the inside of the tube. The only thing I'm thinking is to to pour some of their metal prep in the tube first and let it soak. I would hate to ruin my electric water pump because the POR came off. Do you really think it's an issue when running 50/50 coolant/water mix?
Ken
Why risk it over something that takes 5 minutes? My radiator hose let loose once when I was in 2nd gear making a nitrous pass on the street...It wasn't fun(well, it was) when the tires got sprayed with coolant.
Last edited by b00sted; Sep 22, 2008 at 01:11 PM.
TECH Resident
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 792
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
The tubing I bought is .065" I believe. It was the thinnest the metal place had. I didn't think to ask a muffler shop.
Have you ever looked inside a tube after using it for a while to make sure the POR-15 is not coming off? I ask because my experience with POR-15 is that it bubbles up if there is any grease/oil on the base metal. I have no good way to clean the inside of the tube. The only thing I'm thinking is to to pour some of their metal prep in the tube first and let it soak. I would hate to ruin my electric water pump because the POR came off. Do you really think it's an issue when running 50/50 coolant/water mix?
Ken
Have you ever looked inside a tube after using it for a while to make sure the POR-15 is not coming off? I ask because my experience with POR-15 is that it bubbles up if there is any grease/oil on the base metal. I have no good way to clean the inside of the tube. The only thing I'm thinking is to to pour some of their metal prep in the tube first and let it soak. I would hate to ruin my electric water pump because the POR came off. Do you really think it's an issue when running 50/50 coolant/water mix?
Ken
I did clean and degrease the inside of the tubing before the POR-15. Pre-painting prep fundamentals, as they say. I have looked inside a painted tube, but it only had maybe 4 or 5 hours on it (them). You're probably right in that it's not likely you'll have corrosion issues (especially if you're diligent about keeping fresh coolant in the system) as most specialty cars don't see a lot of mileage anyway.
Here's the McMaster-Carr P/N for 1 1/4" x .049 Wall 304 Stainless tubing (annealed) in the photo: 8989K43
1 1/2" is also available; not really that expensive and it can be polished nicely for cosmetics. Limited to 6 ft. sections.
Andy1
Andy1
have a welder? Lay a bead around the pipe. Works the same way, all its doing is giving the hose clamp something to but up against when the pressure is trying to pull (or push) the hose off the tube.
