Torch to bend 1/4 aluminum tubing??

[WarPig1976]

Can I heat aluminum 1/4" tubing and bend the last 1/2" or so to 30 degrees without messing with the strength? Don't have a bender, any other ideas out there?

Making a custom four link setup for my other expensive hobby a 1/10th scale RC rock crawler.

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[vintage hunter]

Nope won't work. Gotta have a bender to do it right. If unsupported tubing of any kind will collapse or crimp when bent plus hot bending aluminum is a tricky and unforgiving undertaking. Just a few degrees to hot and it melts. You can get a tubing bender from a hardware or auto parts store for around $20 or less. You'll have to leave a longer tail and trim to length, can't do just the last 1/2''.

[browningautorifle]

I'd have to agree. You'll need to trim the long end off or you don't have enough to handle during the bend.

[emmagee1917]

I always bent tubing using a vice and a round object . Automotive belt pulleys , little piece of steel tubing the needed diam. , piece of pipe , pipe nipples , a bolt's shoulder , etc. If you need to , pack the bending area with fine sand to support it during the bend then soak it in water and pick at it with wire from an un-twisted hanger. Cheep , but darn good results with practice .
Chris

[Patrick Chadwick]

If unsupported, tubing of any kind will collapse or crimp

The answer is:

Melt some lead. Plug the tube end and fill the tube with molten lead, take a walk while the lead cools down enough to be able to handle the filled tube.

And then use the bender.

When finished, melt the lead out again.

[vintage hunter]

It doesn't need to be filled with lead or anything else before using the bender. The concave shoe and roller provide all the support needed to keep it from collapsing.

[WarPig1976]

Thanks for the replies, kept me from wasting my time. I've changed the design from high clearance to straight links so no bends on the links but I still have to figure out the steering links, those I will have to bend to clear the front diff.
I have to think this through some more because inside the tubing will go 8/32 all thread of which a 1/2" has to protrude from each side and this whole combo has to be exact length.

[Peter Laidler]

Am I the only one wondering what a 1/10 scale radio control rock crawler is? What's a rock crawler Warpig? Something like a scale model of a D8 Cat?

[WarPig1976]

A rock crawler is a highly modified Truck/SUV/custom built or in my case a JEEP that's designed to handle extreme off road conditions but mostly climbing over huge rocks or up insane inclines. You gotta have DEEP pockets to play in the full size game because if you didn't break something you did it wrong.
I'll post a pic of my RC version when I get home.

[WarPig1976]

These are the links I wanted to bend, obviously the aluminum colored ones.
The link I have to bend is at the extreme left "black plastic" connecting the tires.Attachment 57468
Body attached. All lights work including headlights and tail lights. I have a working miniature WARN winch on the way and I'm making a bikini top for it out of thin leather I have, It's a work in progress I feel like An artist showing the world an unfinished painting...
[ATTACH]57469[/ATTACH

The real deal