toylocost

Harbor Freight tubing bender. Cheap but it gets the job done. Plus theres no compromises. When your done its EXACTLY what you want.

Junkers88

Have to agree here. I've been kicking around the idea of grabbing a bender and an inexpensive MIG and just making one for myself. I'll have to figure out how to incorporate it with the MC rear bumper that I have but that shouldn't be to hard. I already have some specs in mind and if I can make one, and make it right, then I have the option of building more of them and selling them for a 100$ or so to recoup the money for the bender/steel/welder.

I might just have to get on this with my next paycheck.

corax

I've built 3 bumpers for myself and one for a buddy using the Harbor Freight bender - and you really can't beat the price

Issues

I looked at them, & not bad. What would you'll go with, the 12 ton or 16 ton? Im kinda looking at the 16 ton air/hydraulic pipe bender for $219...

corax

12 ton is sufficient for what you need - I have a 16 ton model with mandrels up to 4" diameter - I got that for free helping a bud with a trans rebuild - otherwise I would have gone with the 12 ton

Issues

Thanks, im really looking into getting one. Have already been working on some idea's for what i want to build.

Epcofabrication

I've build many bumpers with my Bender and one trick I found with the Harbor freight "Kinker", use the mandrel that is .250 inches smaller than the OD of the tube you are bending (ie the 1.25 mandrel for 1.5 OD DOM tube) .. I can do all most 90 degrees with mine.. Good luck..

OutlawMike

I could not find exactly what I wanted either, so I compromises on something that I could do now and leave it till later.

I put a MC rear bumper on my rig. It has a receiver hitch on it. I then bought a swing down tire carrier that will plug into the receiver. The tire carrier will hold a high lift jack and the license plate. When I don't need the tire carrier, I leave it in the garage.

The tire carrier is by CBI.

RMA

really dont know how you guys are using these kinkers , i could not make any good bends with the manual hydraulic one ,had to buy a real one .

i tried the packed wet sand in the tube trick and no go.