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How To Fabricate And Install Tubing


 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines

Lines For Every Application
Classic Tube offers prebent lines for nearly every classic Mustang application. For the lines it doesn't offer, you can send the company your original prebent line for fabrication. Also available is high-quality 304 stainless steel prebent by the inch, up to 240 inches. Stainless steel provides a rich look that conventional galvanized steel lines don't. Be advised that, although attractive, it's more challenging to work with because it's a harder, more brittle steel. This means special attention to detail during installation. You'll need to loosen and tighten fittings until the flares seat and leaks stop. We suggest lubricating all fittings during installation, which improves sealing.

Steel tubing is available as 304 stainless, cold-rolled low-carbon, and Galfan, which is extremely corrosion resistant. Galfan can withstand a 4,000-hour salt spray, which makes it perfect for show car and daily driver alike. Tubing sizes range from 3/16-inch to 3/8-inch.

 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines

If You Mess Up...And Even If You Don't
If you've ever fabricated your own brake and fuel lines, you know bends sometimes happen in error. Rolls of tubing can also come out of the box with annoying bends that are hard to get rid of. The Tube Straightener from Classic Tube eliminates the annoyance for those working with 3/16- to 1/2-inch steel and aluminum tubing.




 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Richard Bramlett of The Restomod Shop runs the bubblehead die down until the bubblehead is flush. This gives the line a bubble tip.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
The bubble tip gets this more conventional countersunk flaring head to roll walls in for uniform compression. With this procedure, we get a double-wall flare, which is much stronger and safer than a single-wall.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Here's the result: a perfect circle double-wall flare. If there are any irregularities in it, discard it and try again.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
To further secure the double-wall flare, Richard suggests using a brass fitting to compress it.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Tighten your steel fitting against a brass fitting. Again, use a lubricant to perfect your flare.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Rolls of 3/8-inch aluminum tubing are available from Classic Tube. Advantages include heat dissipation, less weight, and ease of fabrication. What's more, you can polish aluminum to a luster if you intend to place mirrors under your Mustang when it's time to show it.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Use a tubing bender or a deep-well socket to carefully bend tubing stock. Aluminum tubing requires additional care and attention because it kinks easier than steel.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Aluminum tubing is easier to manipulate than steel. As Terry Simpson from The Restomod Shop finds the turns, he marks them and applies the bends with either a deep-well socket or tubing bender.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
All of the factory line clamps are available from Mustangs Plus. However, if you want solid, rattle-free security, rubber-lined, aviation-style Adel clamps are available at any Lowe's home improvement store. That's what we're using on Project Reclaim. We've routed the fuel line up the transmission tunnel, over to the lefthand frame-rail, and up the rail just short of the torque box like late '67-'68.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
In back, we had to navigate around Total Control's four-link suspension system, which is why we had to custom-bend the fuel line.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Terry did a terrific job of custom bending Reclaim's secondary fuel line between the torque box and inner fender apron. Because Reclaim has Total Control power rack and pinion steering, these bolt holes will not be filled.
 How To Fabricate Bend Hard Lines
Some areas mandate a steel clamp as shown. Ascertain clamp security and make sure sharp edges don't dig into the line.

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