Cooling System Pipes

[Ron Earp]

I bought some aluminum pipes to run down the center tunnel of the Lola to carry water. I can put my hoses on the pipes using clamps, but, the pipes don't have a little lip that can help retain the hose. Does anyone know of a tool to do this, or even better, a way I can do this without getting something specifically for it?

I might run them to my muffler man and see if he has anything that might do it associated with exhaust work.

I also got some silicone hoses for the front part of the water routing. Are normal hose clamps okay for these? Seems I remember something about using different clamps, but I don't see where it'd make a huge difference, especially as I plan to double clamp them anyhow.

Ron

 

[Paul W]

There are tools available for running a bead around the end of the pipes but not worth buying if you just want it for one job. Worth pursuing somebody that can do this for you - alternatively put a few ally rivets .5 inch from the end. Fitting the hoses just on the ends of the pipes without anything works initially but he hoses will creep off everytime they warm up and cool down.

 

[Fred W Ballinger]

Hay Ron

If you don't come right with getting the pipes beaded, some people just put 3 or 4 short rivets though the pipe wall thickness at the ends. You put the clamp on the inside of the rivets, which then prevent the soft pipe sliding off the hard pipe, if you will forgive the expression.

Or you can make a shoe to fit onto one side of the jaws of a pair of vice grips which has a hole to accept a ball bearing that you squeeze into the pipe wall to create a dimple, which you then repeat at intervals around the circumference of the pipe.

Cheers

Fred W B

 

[Neal]

A radiator shop should have a tube bead tool. I also recall seeing slide on beads that you can sweat solder. There is always the old hitch ball and hammer trick worst case.

 

[Fred W Ballinger]

Apparently great minds think alike gotta type faster!

Cheers

Fred W B

 

[Jac Mac]

Before you bend them-find some one with a large lathe that can accomodate the pipe dia thru the spindle and turn 3 or 4 shallow grooves in a similar manner to a barbed hose fitting on each end of the pipe.

Your Muffler man should have a pipe flange/flare tool for his bender that 'may' work on alloy- even the clamp that holds the pipe during this operation may indent the surface enough to provide the grip.



Jac Mac

 

[Russ Noble]

Before you bend them-find some one with a large lathe that can accomodate the pipe dia thru the spindle and turn 3 or 4 shallow grooves in a similar manner to a barbed hose fitting on each end of the pipe.

Your Muffler man should have a pipe flange/flare tool for his bender that 'may' work on alloy- even the clamp that holds the pipe during this operation may indent the surface enough to provide the grip.



Jac Mac

Jac Mac, how do you bend 1.6 WT aluminium tube?

Sorry about the thread drift Ron.

Cheers

 

[Bob I.]

Aircraft spruce sells tubing beaders individually for around $100.00 USD.
I opted not to buy a tubing beader because I probally would only use it once, instead I welded a small bead all the way around each end of every coolant tube.I then cleaned and shaped all the beads with a wire brush to remove any sharp edges.Worked great!

 

[Jac Mac]

I dont know if Ron was even going to bend his pipes, but I have bent 1.5" dia x 0.080" wall soft alloy tube in an exhaust bender ( large radius ) with acceptable deformation for coolant pipes. Russ I would suggest a trip to Magoo's and try that Mandrel Bender that they use for the Roll Cages etc. Lots of lubricant reqd.
Jac Mac

 

[Ron Earp]

The rivet trick sounds like that fits my ways and means pretty well. Thanks for that one! I'm not planning on bending mine, I'm using elbows of silicone etc. for that stuff. These are just straight ally pipes, just didn't want the hoses to fly off.

R

 

[Howard Jones]

Summit has earls beaders for 1 1/4" pipe for about 65 bucks.