benjy_26 Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Hello all. I want to know the difference between tube and pipe, specifically for bumpers. I am in the process of making a front winch bumper for my MJ. Now, I'll be cutting my mounting plates from 0.25" steel to match the winch plate I got from Ballistic Fab (beefy!!). My question is: Is DOM necessary for a tube bumper? The way I see it, the "wings", for lack of a better word, are there to fend off damage to the body, not necessarily serving a structural purpose. What would you guys use?
JeepcoMJ Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Dom is thicker, stronger, made of a more dense metal. Pipe doesn't meet the same specs
mnkyboy Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 If DOM is out of your budget you can get away with HREW tube for non structural parts.
benjy_26 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Posted June 23, 2014 I can afford DOM... it's the bender that kills me. Is HREW easier to bend than DOM?
Blue XJ Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 HREW bends a little easier than DOM, but I never really noticed that much of a difference, My JD2 would bend either with no issue. If it's just for a hoop on the bumper, you can probably get away with pipe. Just know the application you'll be using your Jeep for, if you'll ever rely on this part to keep you from seriously getting hurt, use tube.
mvusse Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Tube is structural, pipe is meant to hold a liquid or a gas.
mnkyboy Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Basic tube benders aren't all that expensive, its the dies and accessories that add up. To get started I would buy a manual tube bender and a 1 3/4" die, this will do most projects.
benjy_26 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Posted June 23, 2014 Thanks for the info, gents! I have a Harbor Freight Kink-o-matic and a few dies. It bends decently, but it's not the best.
benjy_26 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Posted June 23, 2014 I'll probably end up using DOM and packing it with wet sand when I bend it. We'll see how it goes. ;)
neohic Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 I'll probably end up using DOM and packing it with wet sand when I bend it. We'll see how it goes. ;) Another route to try with the kink-o-matic is THIS. I've played around with a couple of these style benders and I've have good results in the past when adding an upper shoe to keep the material from lifting. I think with some practice with the bender one could make some good, repeatable bends. Still, I think modifying one of these benders is like putting lipstick on a pig, but hey... some pigs make good bacon too!
benjy_26 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Posted June 23, 2014 I'll probably end up using DOM and packing it with wet sand when I bend it. We'll see how it goes. ;) Another route to try with the kink-o-matic is THIS. I've played around with a couple of these style benders and I've have good results in the past when adding an upper shoe to keep the material from lifting. I think with some practice with the bender one could make some good, repeatable bends. Still, I think modifying one of these benders is like putting lipstick on a pig, but hey... some pigs make good bacon too! Nice! Thanks for the tip. I'll try it when I bend again. Now, another question: What size tube do yo guys recommend for the primary parts of a prerunner-ish winch bumper? I was thinking 1.75".
Eagle Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Keep in mind that pipe is measured by inside diameter, and tubing is measured by outside diameter. If your Harbor Freight bender is a "pipe" bender, you probably won't get good results using it for tubing.
benjy_26 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Posted June 23, 2014 It IS a pipe bender.... I may have to bite the bullet and get a tube bender. Anyone know of a decent, reasonable priced *coughcheapcough* tube bender. I don't mind it being manual.
mnkyboy Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 JD2 benders are popular and start just under $300 plus the cost of whatever dies you want, I use a JMR bender which I believe is a little more but its a very nice bender.
benjy_26 Posted June 24, 2014 Author Posted June 24, 2014 Cool deal. I may just have to spring for one.
Blue XJ Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 I had a JD2 as well, I have no complaints using it. I bent hundreds of bends with 1.5" HREW and DOM with it and had no issues. Just get a good grease for the follower, makes it easier and doesn't beat up the bender.
benjy_26 Posted June 24, 2014 Author Posted June 24, 2014 I use Mystik synthetic grease for pretty much everything. Is this one good for the follower?
Blue XJ Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 I use Mystik synthetic grease for pretty much everything. Is this one good for the follower? As long as its thick you should be ok. I just used synthetic wheel bearing grease.
mvusse Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 I have been eyeing the jd2 model 32 for a while now. Never heard anything bad about them.
89eliminator Posted June 25, 2014 Posted June 25, 2014 I have been eyeing the jd2 model 32 for a while now. Never heard anything bad about them. very nice bender. i would recommend getting the swag offroad hydro conversion.
Blue XJ Posted June 25, 2014 Posted June 25, 2014 I have been eyeing the jd2 model 32 for a while now. Never heard anything bad about them. I had the JD2 on a home made stand using an Infinite8 mounting plate. I was able to mount it in the corner of the garage and then just pull the pin on the mounting plate to rotate everything when the tube was swinging around. It made it so I was able to always have it mounted to the floor and it never got in the way. http://www.swagoffroad.com/Infinite-8-Tube-Bender-Mounting-Plate_p_44.html
89eliminator Posted June 26, 2014 Posted June 26, 2014 I have been eyeing the jd2 model 32 for a while now. Never heard anything bad about them. I had the JD2 on a home made stand using an Infinite8 mounting plate. I was able to mount it in the corner of the garage and then just pull the pin on the mounting plate to rotate everything when the tube was swinging around. It made it so I was able to always have it mounted to the floor and it never got in the way. http://www.swagoffroad.com/Infinite-8-Tube-Bender-Mounting-Plate_p_44.html that was my problem. i had to do a lot of re arranging. i didnt even know that Swag made that.
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