CK5 - The Full-Size GM Off Road Community

I plan on buying a bender at some point this summer and I really don't have the money to buy a fancy hydro setup but I don't have the biceps to do what I need to do by myself, and all but 1 of my wheeling friends are ridiculously unreliable.

Pro-tools has nice, complete packages with plenty of accessories and such for good price, and they sell a "hydro bracket kit" for like $100. My only problem with that is, the air/hydro ram to fit it costs $360. :eek1:

I can get a similar air/hydro jack for $60 all day long but I don't know how to mount it since their ram is clamped right at the bender arm and an air/hydro jack would have to be mounted via the base.

Anyone have any bright ideas for hydro on the cheap or know of anyone who sells a similar ram for a little bit more reasonable amount?

bending tube manually is not hard at all. remember leverage is your friend. just use a good length cheater bar.

6 ft piece of 1X2 steel works really well. Worry about upgrading after.

hell with just their bender handle i saw a video of a guy bend 1.75 hrew .250 wall i think with 1 hand and 1.50 with one finger

:thinking: Maybe I just wasn't using a long enough handle on my friend's bender or something.

:thinking: Maybe I just wasn't using a long enough handle on my friend's bender or something.

Is mikey a wimp? ;)

Just use as long as a handle you can. Or get that lady friend to help pull :eek1:

I used about a 4 ft cheater handle. grabbed it, leaned back, and just started walking. Isnt hard at all and im not the most built guy you have ever seen.

We were bending 2" .120 DOM with a decent sized handle (although I don't know the exact length) and it was a major major bitch for one guy. Apparently I forgot to eat my wheaties. :crazy:

model 4 on order... with full hydro,,, no more receiver hitch bends for me

in 3 weeks I will "tubulate"

at that size it wont be easy, DOM is a little tougher to bend than HREW. When you go above .120 wall its definately more work.

Just get the bender and consider your biceps bigger already. Like they said use a longer handle when neccessary.

Jesse

I have the model 3 bender without the hydrolic addition, and it works great for now. I have a 48" cheater, that I just lean on a little. Granted, I have only been bending .095 mild stuff so far, but I can't imagine the DOM being THAT much tougher. I do plan on adding the hydrolic kit when financialy possible....dang it runs like $900...that hurts. Sure will be nice when doing a full roll cage or some big projects though. Tell us if you find a good hydrolic setup for cheaper, I would like to know too.