Front Tube Fenders Help?

[ccbruin]

I'm looking to put some tube fenders up front on my YJ. The only problem is i don't have a tube bender or a welder... It really shouldn't be that hard. Just bend the tube, tack weld it to the stock fender, grind, tack again, grind and thats all i would need.

[BlackRubi]

Talk to Pete (Brody) or Sean (1freaky1), before jumping into this feet first. They are pretty much the resident experts!

[scout man]

I am ordering some more 1.75" .120 wall in the next few days if you would like me to add a few feet of tubing on for you. The bender I am using is Josh's (HAKU), so I dont feel right volunteering to do it for you, at least without checking with him first, but if you only need like 12 ft, Ill sell you that and keep the extra 8 if you want. Might save you needing a trailer for a 20 ft stick, and having tons of excess. Let me know.

[Brody]

Thanks Kyle!

Yeah, either one of us can bend something up for you, but Sean has more dies than I do. I am pretty much stuck with the 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 dies I have and that is too big a stock to use for what you want. Do you have any pictures of rigs with what you have in mind on them? How are you thinking about tying in the front? Do you already have some sliders? Just trying to get a better picture of what you are trying to do and the configuration.

Have you looked at any of the tube fenders specifically for your Jeep? There are quite a few companies who make them and, though they aren't especially cheap, they all seem well made.

[ccbruin]

I am ordering some more 1.75" .120 wall in the next few days if you would like me to add a few feet of tubing on for you. The bender I am using is Josh's (HAKU), so I dont feel right volunteering to do it for you, at least without checking with him first, but if you only need like 12 ft, Ill sell you that and keep the extra 8 if you want. Might save you needing a trailer for a 20 ft stick, and having tons of excess. Let me know.

I think 1.75" would be too big.. don't you think?


Do you have any pictures of rigs with what you have in mind on them? How are you thinking about tying in the front? Do you already have some sliders? Just trying to get a better picture of what you are trying to do and the configuration.

Have you looked at any of the tube fenders specifically for your Jeep? There are quite a few companies who make them and, though they aren't especially cheap, they all seem well made.

I have looked a ones built specifically for my Jeep, but they are way too expensive. I think some custom ones could be made for pretty cheap, just the price of the tube.

[Ardent]

1.75" often sounds big until you see it in the application. Here are some tube fenders we built for a customer. 1.75" tube + skin.

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38795_134170143291918_123162537726012_158031_46689 48_n.jpg
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/39180_134170499958549_123162537726012_158043_63951 55_n.jpg

[Cr33p3r]

I have dies for my bender that go from 3/4" up to 2"s, figure out what size you want to go with and get a hold of Pete and he can use my bender if he wants to bend them up and get them welded on for you at a decent price. If he can't do them or does not feel comfortable using my bender I can bend them and let him weld them up.

[ccbruin]

1.75" still looks a little big to me. I think i am going to go with 1.25".

Where should i look to buy the tube???


I have dies for my bender that go from 3/4" up to 2"s, figure out what size you want to go with and get a hold of Pete and he can use my bender if he wants to bend them up and get them welded on for you at a decent price. If he can't do them or does not feel comfortable using my bender I can bend them and let him weld them up.

Sweet! All i need would be two 90* bends done. And how much $ are you thinking?

[Brody]

Den Col Steel off of I70 by the Coliseum or C&M Steel off of Old Hampden near High Country 4x4


C & M Iron & Metal CoC & M Iron & Metal Co
Place page
2390 West Hampden Avenue
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 761-7881


Den Col SupplyDen Col Supply
Place page
4770 Washington Street
Denver, CO 80216-2700
(303) 288-4181

DOM or HREW will work for you. HREW is a little less pricey. DOM is better.

[Cr33p3r]

Alec for the bends that would be $30 and for the welding I am not sure if Pete is wanting to do that or not he did not mention it above, might send him a PM or a call.

[ccbruin]

I have seen kits but they seem expensive.... I have a friend with a bender and a welder, so i could do that part for free. He isn't very experienced with welding, but i don't think it takes much to tack weld. Also is it hard to bend a tube? because i wasn't thinking it would cost $30 to bend them!

[Brody]

Also is it hard to bend a tube? because i wasn't thinking it would cost $30 to bend them!

It isn't all that hard, but ALL fabrication is time consuming crap. Most shops charge a MINIMUM set up charge of $25 per bend. Most shops mark up their tubing 45% from what it cost them. Most welders charge $50 $65 or more per hour. Most shops charge $100 per hour for fabrication work.

And pardon the **** out of me, but there are a LOT of people on this forum who are trying to make a living doing fabrication. AS IN PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS. The prices you have been quoted from the fabricators on this forum are basically ROCK BOTTOM prices and is it essentially an insult to all of us who do fabrication to try to beat down an already low price.

FABRICATION IS NOT CHEAP. DEAL WITH IT.


Confused?

ANY QUESTIONS?

And I don't want your fabrication work.

[ccbruin]

Gotcha. No questions. I was just asking because i have no idea how you guys bend the tubes! I didn't mean to insult. I was just unaware. Sorry if i offended anyone

[Brody]

I didn't mean to insult. I was just unaware. Sorry if i offended anyone

Well you probably just offended me and I am just a little touchy on this subject (Gee, no ****, Pete) having dealt with an few folks that seem to think fabrication is something people do for a lark and should be done for nothing.

Apology accepted and sorry if I was touchy. I bust my ass doing fabrication work and give the folks here on the forum bottom dollar prices. What the guy quoted you for an hourly rate is dirt cheap when it comes to fab.

And simply 'tacking it' to the stock fender is also a bit more involved. You are welding thick metal to thin metal, which isn't easy, and then you have to figure you are basically putting a pencil erasure size weld every 4-6 inches so that you don't blow a hole through the thin metal, then doing the same little welds until you have a weld that is complete from one end to another. A very time consuming process that cannot be hurried as you are at the complete mercy of the material you are working with.

Sorry I took you head off. Like I said, I get a little touchy when it looks like people are trying to low ball already low prices...

[ccbruin]

I understand completely, no worries! And i wasn't gonna tack weld it so the weld is complete from end to end. Not just enough to hold it on, but also not complete from end to end. Then after that hit it with some body filler to make it all even, then paint.

[ccbruin]

how much am i looking to pay per foot for 1.25" HREW tubing?

[scout man]

1.75" .120 wall tubing costs 2.75 a ft at tube services in aurora. I would assume 1.25 would be a bit cheaper, but dont know how much. Give them a call. I have also gotten a batch of tubing from Scotty at Addicted offroad in Greeley for much less, but this was a smaller order and at $3.xx for a gallon of gas, it was worth paying a little extra to get it right around the corner.

[Cr33p3r]

Wow I miss a day and things go haywire, Pete thanks for clearing that issue up again for all of us that do fab work. Alec this is NOT pointed directly at you but for everyone one that thinks it is easy and cheap; Fab work is very time consuming and expensive but as with most of us on here that do fab work-- you get a better product at a better price with the local fabricators than you do by buying prefabbed equipment from the big suppliers (generally) and we know that they are very expensive! Now if someone has to have name brand that is fine too, but most of us are building our rigs on a budget and building them is the most expensive part of our hobbie next to actually purchasing a rig.

Now I would recommend that you buy the tubing and have your friend show you how to bend and weld the tubing and then you will know more about the amount of work that is involved in even the small jobs like this. Not being rude or anything but giving you the opportunity to learn something new that you may use later in your build.

[4wdhunter]

Another option is here: www.flatty-fenders.com

I like the idea but am not sure about durability.

[ccbruin]

Ok. So could you guys give me an overall price (1.25" tubing, bending, welding) for something like this... I would like to use the stock flare for the top and the side portions of them and i can do the fender cutting. I would be willing to do all the handywork if you show me how to do it... what do you guys think?

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz351/ccbruin3/genright_tff4000.jpg

[Brody]

You are not going to beat this price for pre bent tubing for the fenders. $80 for tubing pre bent for both sides, 1.50", .120 wall. You will have to get it cut to fit and welded, plus get some flat metal for the sides.

http://shop.jeeptubes.com/product.sc?productId=11&categoryId=8

[Hotchef181818]

So what do u guys think u could setup a pair of flairs for if the jeep tubes kit is purchased. Just wondering.

[turbolove96]

Im a little late on this thread but give ryerson steel a try i called them and they had 1.75" .120 wall DOM for like $4.75 per foot. K&K steel quoted me $6.50 a foot.