fender tubing

[Eagle Jeeper]

Is using regular mild steel tubing a terrible idea for fenders and body protection. The obvious choice is DOM but the cost is  . I know its pretty much a given to use DOM for a cage. The other thing is that I don't have a bender and was planning on heating the tube slightly when manually bending. No flaming please constructive ideas. I want to do the fabwork myself and within a budget. This is not nor will ever be a competition jeep.

[specialk]

I'm no expert in fabricating, but I would (and will) only use DOM.  I'm in the same boat wanting to do the fab work myself, but I don't want to skimp on the material.

As for bending, I picked up a manual bender for $80 on kijiji.  For those mild bends, I figure it will be good.  For Anything moer complicated, there are places that will bend for you and there guys in the club with nice benders - I would guess that they might do some bending for beer.

[i_go_commando]

remeber tube benders are different that pipe benders. basicly a tube bender will have a roller to move with the pipe as it bends.

if you look at how a pipe gets bent it realy is just crushed on the inside of the bend

[specialk]

I totally agree.  I'm only using it for mild bends - no right angles. 

[hps4evr]

if its just for fenders i couldnt see why not? unless its structural. dom for bumpers and minimum for cages, ideal for a cage is chromoly. as for wall thickness and tube sizes you'll want to ask those that have built them.

[frenchy]

I don't think the material will matter so much as your bending methods, "heating the tube slightly", Will do nothing but make it warm steel and maybe burn yourself.. 

Stock fenders are not structural, but tube fenders can be made structural. Just watch where you tie them into, don't matter if it's a plastic flare or steel tubing, if it's going to crush into the body anyways, then why bother...

You will not need a huge amount of tube, so the overall cost, Crap Vs. DOM should only be abot $30-$40 (for fronts)

[Bnine]

Once you heat the tube enough to bend it, it will likely work hardened and extremely brittle anyways.

DOM would be a waste. As its not structural you will be fine. You will have to fill your pieces with sand andcap the ends during bends.

Honestly its work then I would consider without tools. But if more time then money then maybe its the way to go.

[2grand4u]

remember the the fenders are only as stroung as what you attach them to, so if you have them hooked up to the body witch you will, you will just kink the body when you rub something. i think i would prefer the fender to crush befor kinking the body so go with thined wall tub

just my 2 cents

[2grand4u]

didn't read every thing befor i posted that my bad

[cuzican]

I have been building a set of tube fenders for the little woman's ride.

Picked up 21 foot length of 3/4 scd 40 for $15. This was enough to get the fenders started. I have a little bender that does a good job - don't have to fill the pipe with sand. No rollers, the pipe slides as necessary as it is stretched.

One thing to remember about tube fenders is even sch 40 pipe is stronger than the sheet metal of the original fender - if you hit something with the fender you are now more likely to damage your tub, which can be an expensive repair.  I was on a run with a few reps from AEV last summer and they indicated they were seeing TJs with damaged tubs from tube fenders impacting rocks/trees.  The guy took a pile of pictures of the rubber flat fenders I have on my other jeep.

Here are a few pics















And the rubber flat fenders - bash then off rocks and they immediately recover their original shape - made from old truck mud flaps.

[frenchy]

if you have them hooked up to the body witch you will, you will just kink the body when you rub something. i think i would prefer the fender to crush befor kinking the body so go with thined wall tub

Why go through the hassle of protecting sheet metal by attaching tubing to sheet metal?

"Use thin walled tube", like chain link fence tubes? Are you serious?

[hps4evr]

i always wondered about that. tube fenders look cool and can take a beating, but what happens to the tub or grille where they mount? some people have reinforced these mounting locations, which is a good idea. but for the bolt on units that have become so popular over the last 5 years there isnt anything to protect the tub/grille. maybe a stronger fender with a flexable flare??? sure rubber flares dont look as good as the steel tubing but the function is to cover the tire.
maybe a few pics of the bolt on steel fenders and some rubber home made units???

[Eagle Jeeper]

Thanks for all the input guys I think in the end I will use the DOM and try and line up a bender to rent/borrow when the time comes.  Due to some new circumstances work on the jeep is stalled for now.

[Eagle Jeeper]

Well as fast as things can go bad they can turn around.  I came across a used Pro Tools 105 Bender for a great deal and couldn't pass it up.  Now just to get my head around using DOM or HREW  for the extra cost.

God it feels good to have one of these now

[Spinalguy]

my jeep used DOM.
It is tied in at the front to the bumper and the other end is tied into the frame. All that was done was removal of stock flares only.
The original sheet metal acts as the flare.
Also, the design (mine) continues as rocker and than as the rear tube flare.