Bending new fuel line

[JasonB]

Need hints and tips here. I'm trying to bend up a new furl line for my Mercruiser out of sone new 3/8 double flare brake line. This is frustrating to say the least. I'm using a bending tool that has the jig on the end of a handle that I picked up at the parts store. Every time i try to bend teh tuping, it kinks when I get past a gentle 45 deg. What's the trick? Head? I've tried bending very slowly and gradually, but just don't have the hang of yet.

 

[magregor22]

Re: Bending new fuel line

I wonder if normal break line would rust to easily? I have a tool for bending brakeline, but if your going to bend it without it try bending around something round.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Bending new fuel line

Thanks HB. I'n using a tool like the one in this article: http://www.joesfalcon.com/gentip2/gentip2.html <br /><br />I just seem to kink it right before I get it where I want it. Maybe I'm trying to bend too much at one spot...

 

[trog100]

Re: Bending new fuel line

pack it with sand before u bend it or settle for a more gentle bend.. u could try useing annealed copper tubing as an alternative..<br /><br />for bending copper water pipes and stuff u put a special spring in em.. nothing small enough to fit in brake pipe tubing thow.. its perhaps not the stuff u are sposed to use on boat fuel lines either.. not sure on that point..<br /><br />trog100

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bending new fuel line

My Bender Doesn't Look like That..........<br />Mine has Multiple grooves for different size tubing.....<br /><br />Does the tube fit Real Nicely into the belly of the radius on the tool ?????

 

[ziggy]

Re: Bending new fuel line

jasonb, i just bent me some line the other day too. kept kinking. don't try to do the bend all at one time. do a little bend, then move the pipe a bit and bend a little more, then move the pipe, bend a little more. you get the idea. seemed to work for me.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Bending new fuel line

oh yeah, before ya bend some more. pratice bending on the pipe ya kinked and wasted. also, i tryed both the tools mentioned above. i liked the one bondo is useing better. it seemed to be suited to the size pipe i was useing better.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Bending new fuel line

Yeah, i already thouroughly trashed about 3' of tubing practicing. Have to pick a couple more up at lunch. <br /><br />The tool I have seems bulky for this tubing, but the tubing I have is listed as the max size for the tool.

 

[llerrad]

Re: Bending new fuel line

Do like the guys says pack it with sand that's what a tube shop will do.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Bending new fuel line

My tubing bender is like Bondo describes - with multiple grooves. I have also discovered that if you will lay the tool and metal line on a flat surface and bend the tool around - kinda dragging the fuel line through and around the groove - it works well. I can make spirals that way without kinking the tube. (I don't know if that describes it well - easiser to show! )

 

[Airpacker]

Re: Bending new fuel line

The multi groove tool is the way to go. The one size fits all bender does not support tubing well enough to make tight radius bends in the larger line sizes.<br />Fishermark, your method is a good one. It forces the tube into the very bottom of the bender's groove thusly supporting the sidewalls of the tube and not allowing them to kink. I have made brake and fuel lines for well over 100 cars in my career and the only tool I will use is a multi groove tool so I can support what ever size tubing I am bending properly and avoid kinking the larger size ones.