How I Plan & Bend All My Chassis Tubes | Tube Bending

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I wanted to take a second and show you the process I use when laying out tube chassis bends...hope you dig it.
Welcome to The Fab Forums. My name is Kyle Voss and I produce Custom Motorsports Fabrication content of all forms for you. Carbon Fiber, TIG Welding, Metal Shaping, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Custom Choppers, and everything in between. I work hard to bring you new content on a weekly basis.
Here are some of the builds you can find on this channel.
I have built several Chevy trucks on this channel. The first was my 1964 C10 named Crown Spoyal and the most recent C10 truck project was the 1969 I currently have named the Black Pearl.
I am also finishing up a custom twin turbo Ford Mustang build I call the Gray Goose. It’s a 400 cubic inch Windsor style engine with twin 70mm turbos. I am hoping to make around the 1000 horse power mark to the tires on this particular build.
Last but not least is the one off custom hot rod build called the Bibbster. This is what I call a modern day hot rod. It’s made from an old Ford Mustang foxbody, but made to look like an old school open wheeled hot rod.
I also feature other fabricators and shops like Cutworm Specialties hand formed aluminum wide body kit for a BMW e46. Jeb Greenstone has also built a twin turbo, coyote powered model A style hot rod from scratch, and is currently building a Toyota TE72 wagon drift car powered by a 1UZ Lexus v8. Jeb’s custom fabrication skills are fun to watch and always make for good videos.
Check out my playlist to see some or all of these builds.
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[@tborkman]

Great job Kyle. I enjoyed the video. I built a sand rail frame from scratch and had a crash course in bending. Could've used your video before I started. lol

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@modifiedminibikes6174]

Your way works great but in case there’s a point where you ever need it you can also find the length of tubing in a bend with the centerline radius(radius of the die) times the angle of the bend times .01745 👍🏻

[@StoversMotors]

Yeah man, Great walk through!!

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@StoversMotors]

The Fab Forums Friggin watched the whole series this morning! haha Your gunna have some huge influence on my next builds! Keep up the great stuff👍🏼👍🏼

[@Thefabforums]

lol...thanks

[@jwelds9974]

Do you have any tube notching videos ?

[@vanderhoof5701]

Real nice job on your tube bending. I'm surely not the final authority on tube and pipe bending, with about 40k hr behind me, but I wonder why you don't wire pattern bend? So much faster, and easy to visualize what your going to end up with before you pull the trigger on the next bend.

[@Thefabforums]

Its not easier when I can do it without wire pattern bending. For me thats just another step I dont need. Although I do use some tape on occasion.

[@vanderhoof5701]

The Fab Forums Ah, I see ☺ I love your shop and your 105hd bender looks to do a great bend. I own and use an Eaton Leonard Vector, a BP MC59HS and a JD2 model 32. Take care and keep up the good work! 👍

[@marvinlokers7412]

Top kyle gr marvin

[@ovalwingnut]

I left right after... "just the way I roll".... I'm assuming the video just got better after that. Sorry I missed it. Cheers!

[@kennethsmith1744]

If you measure a scrap piece then bend a 90. You can then find your gain thats what you need to know then its easy to calulate. It gains because its taking a short cut around the radius half the radius of the 90 is close to your gain. I hope that helps. IBEW 369

[@forsmark2102]

Thanks for making this video, simply explained good tips no blabber.

[@xcellence2054]

With my experience in bending conduit the first thing you need to do is learn the gain or take up for the size material you're bending.

[@JohnSmith-iz8wg]

It's not Rocket Surgery !

[@MrSprintcat]

Whoever would give this video a thumbs down probably doesn't even know how to turn a wrench. I've been finding out my own techniques like this all along. And you showed me some awesome things just now. I have a machinist handbook and a pipe benders handbook. But sometimes you just need stuff like this. You go man

[@Thefabforums]

lol...yeah haters gonna hate

[@arthurtabuchi7760]

Also , and for those whom that dont have a rotational gauge , I have made a good strait line on the tube also for a great reference .

[@captainsledge7554]

dude... ur cheater bar angle finder doohicky... is LIT

[@dirtyvet5404]

nice measuring tricks; outside diameter and making the next bend line AFTER the end of the prior bend. I wasted material in the past not going by this theory. Thanks

[@thedubwhisperer2157]

Here in the UK, engineers have a term for bent tubing - we call it 'Pre-failed'. 😉

[@natenasty6292]

As a Carpenter id say that was perfect but what do i know

[@metaspencer]

Dude, you make it look so easy ... cool to see these descriptions of your method

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@Mr05sti]

Every batch of material is different... Would recommend making a new cheater for every batch for more accurate results! ;)

[@gilhernandez605]

Where did you get that rotational gauge from?????

[@Nigel2Zoom]

Clear, concise explanations. Thanks for the "Skoolin'." Can i ask you what brand and model is your bender?

[@Thefabforums]

Thanks. It's the 105hd bender

[@SwedesGarage]

Thanks, simply explained .

[@davesracingchannel9261]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3fZgoOGf7iYrpo

[@workshop_from_nothing]

thanks man some day ill build the double triangulated 4 link for my old hilux

[@jerryobrien5979]

Very Slick!!….many ways to bend the tube , i like your explanation. sir. motivational!!

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@bonzolall1432]

You could make a killing buying cheap car bodies and building chassis like this, people would pay good money for a nicely made custom car, I know I would

[@dirkdiggler4843]

Douche. Maybe try building a car before you start posting retarded comments like this one

[@jaycotehnikmandiri9977]

Jk bth mesin sprt ini bsa hub sy

[@glhansenjr]

What bender are you using?

[@adrielrowley]

Please forgive me if missed the answer, how are you choosing tube size? Thanks in advance. 😃

[@Thefabforums]

I roughly modeled the NHRA specs

[@bgchucklv]

I spotted that BG Products sticker on your bead roller! Great work and videos. I enjoy them all.

[@davesracingchannel9261]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3fZgoOGf7iYrpo

[@earlcousins6635]

Thanks Much! Some good info.

[@blueonblueracingnova]

Subbed straight away great vid

[@lancelabik5756]

Hey Kyle, I know this is old but what center line radius dye are you using?

[@Thefabforums]

Really depends on the tube size but I think they are 6"

[@hedgepethracing9590]

You just earned yourself a new sub.. you schooled a 46 year-old on how to measure tube.. thank you I owe you a beer. Lacrosse Wisconsin-

[@justin_parks]

Whats the deal with moving the pin on the bender? My guess is each hole does different degrees? Thank you for trying to share your knowledge with us Kyle, you make things seem too easy to be true sometimes lol keep it up man

[@Thefabforums]

yeah the hydraulic ram can only reach so far.....so you have to reset to a new hole in order to continue bending

[@jacobsidorov]

great progress on the bibster👍🏻 itll be great when its completed

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@justinfryer1347]

what is your bender, it looks affordable for some reason.. what brand and model?

[@Thefabforums]

its the pro tools 105hd

[@popwall4297]

I was electrician for about 40 years bending conduit just about every day there's a lot easier way to do it.. you just subtract or add the Bender take up from the link you won't ..works out perfect every time it's so easy even a Dodo can do it..

[@bob1947essex]

Tubes bend along their centerline, i.e. it's neutral axis. That's where you calculate the length of the tube before you bend it.

[@guitarman2468]

I’ve watched a lot of videos on bending and how to measure but still didn’t understand it completely. This may have been the best video I’ve seen to date. I get it now and under stand how to do it and keep it all square. If I can understand this then I would think anyone can

[@roundprairiedairy7006]

SUBSCRIBED!

[@Ryanmmartin9]

I'm just trying to find a good tube bender to build a custom roadster

[@haleyyyjonesss]

Make a steering wheel for it

[@Thefabforums]

I have one for it

[@marcuslimbaugh4592]

Thank you for making these vids. I want to build a tube frame car later

[@rapidride2]

Just remember when it comes to bars...straight is strong.

[@allendodson9881]

Another Wonderful Video, really enjoyed...Keep up the Great Work ...............SON. Will see you at PITS for sure.

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@eltoyoworldmachine9130]

I like you are proyect🇵🇷💪🏾😎

[@malcolmyoung7866]

Kyle, Nice job and thanks for the tips.....Is that a Grant Cardone 'Young Hustler' sticker on that pipe bender??

[@Thefabforums]

lol...it is

[@MrSlowestD16]

For the notching, did you notch it in each direction 90*? Since you're joining it an intersection, of the up/down bar and the cross-bar? Loved the detailed walk through, would love to see how you do some of the more complicated bends, like a 30* or something where the angle isn't as straight forward and you have to figure out where exactly in another bar it would end up at.

[@Thefabforums]

+MrSlowestD16 Yeah I notched it vertically all the way through and just on the inside horizontally

[@victorsauceda1275]

What kind of material is that ?

[@Thefabforums]

the tubing is chrome moly

[@charliespann3967]

Great video Thanks, Simple explanation that works. Is better than over complicating it so our simple minds get lost. Thanks again.

[@Thefabforums]

for sure

[@MrEd-fu3dq]

Excellent tutorial for doing multiple bends efficiently and accurately! But not enough mention about "under-bending" to get it right to match already installed bars, and then "pulling" the ends in to have the ends line up perfectly with their "target". Far easier to bend it more via ratchet straps than to try to spread it bit wider. I'm curious about your experience with "snap back" with Chrome Moly vs DOM tubing. Point being that to get an exact 90 degree bend (at least with DOM tube) you need to over-bend because once the tube is removed from bender is will try to resume its original shape. That always threw me, trying to remember how much "snap back" to expect for main roll bars and halo hoops from one job to the next on 4x4's, when I was only doing a cage every couple of years and with a rented bender that I was unfamiliar with each time.

[@Thefabforums]

yeah on this material I am over bending about 3 degrees....

[@ElectricalDynamo]

I don’t comment much but I’m still her bro just wanted to say Dam I’m really digging the bib ster 👍🏻

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@WorldofFusion360]

I really enjoyed watching your video Thank you. Is there any software for measuring exact length for measuring bend length

[@Thefabforums]

bend tech

[@popwall4297]

You can get a book of instructions at any place that sells electrical equipment all you need to know is they take up of the Bender subtract that from your total Bend put the mark on the front of the bender on this mark and it will be perfect when you bend it

[@optimalCALM]

Great video! Thoroughly enjoying the Bibster series! It's turning out really nice. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got brewing under that hat of yours!

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@DougBugBuilder]

What was that tool you used to cut the tube? Good video BTW!

[@Thefabforums]

tube notcher - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ-7pqx5e79lmLc

[@DougBugBuilder]

I have about a dozen channels that I watch regularly. They are all about cars or fabrication. Most are smaller than yours, a couple are a little bigger. I have to say you are the best about replying to comments. I want to say that it is appreciated a lot! Your dedication to your subscribers and your passion to educate others really shows through. Thanks for the link to the video with the notcher.

[@Freedomfab]

Bibster looking sick. Great explanation on bending. If you put inch markings on your sample bend before you bend it You will know how many inches of tube it takes to make a bend 👍 Keep up the good work.

[@Thefabforums]

true

[@freespirit3947]

Thee only bend tutorial that's actually registered! thanks Great vid ,keep up the good work , subscribed.

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@ralphralphin]

I love watching you work Son. your garage reminds me of my late grandfathers basement. He built houses and had every tool known to mankind and was always building stuff until he couldn't anymore

[@Thefabforums]

Yeah it pretty tight in the shop right now

[@callmenortnortin467]

Nicely done. Retired shipyard pipefitter here that bent pipe and tube for years. I could see a few of your steps I would simplify but,you achieve what you intended and did a fine job. looks great!

[@Thefabforums]

yeah that process was a little more lengthy than I may typically use but I wanted to lay everything for ease of understanding

[@3dprintwiz378]

How do you attach body panels to round tube frame?

[@Thefabforums]

Several different ways...most people build stand offs

[@TbsDltn]

DIY Tube Frame FTW! #KillFab

[@TrevorVera]

almost done with the video, but im guessing your sample piece accommodates the spring back you get correct?

[@Thefabforums]

+Trevor Vera no I usually over bend about 3 degrees to make up for spring back

[@rustymullins6623]

Great job and informative...i am getting ready to cut and bend some perfectly good pipe myself

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@A_R912]

How often does time allow you to work on your foxbody? An when do you think it will be complete? I cant wait to see the finished product.

[@Thefabforums]

I try to put in on average an hour or two...will be a roller soon but I dont plan to rush the entire build

[@DoubleRRestorations]

Great explanation. Thanks for the vid.

[@Thefabforums]

welcome

[@williamhouse754]

👍👍

[@crashrmz4506]

I just can't resist the opportunity at hand; that video was totally tubular, dude! Lol

[@Thefabforums]

+CrashRMZ450 lol

[@shanedoyle1057]

Sample bend! 🤦‍♂️ Thank You!! 👍

[@davesracingchannel9261]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3fZgoOGf7iYrpo

[@jimmarch281]

Very nice explanation bud!!! Thank you for that

[@Thefabforums]

no problem

[@curtisvonepp9716]

Kyle try never to fit tubing under stress it has memory like a spring can later cause stress problems.

[@Thefabforums]

+Curtis von Epp I get that...it won't affect anything the way I do it

[@jeremyhanna3852]

Bend tubes like a boss

[@bigferg41e]

thanks man i never new

[@Alientraveler003]

Get a thumbs up within first min 👍🏽brooo!

[@Thefabforums]

+Alien003 Hydrogen nitrogen awesome...Glad you dig it

[@Customwinder1]

Nice work sir. She's going to look cool when you're done.

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@itzAce]

what tube bender you got and what do you recommend for a starter

[@Thefabforums]

the ones trick tools sell is the way to go

[@JamesDoylesGarage]

My Son and I love the channel. May I please ask what's the wall thickness of 1 5/8" tube? Thank you for your posts.

[@Thefabforums]

I am pretty sure its .085

[@JamesDoylesGarage]

@@Thefabforums Thank you. Hope you and your family have an Awesome Christmas.

[@Jager-er4vc]

Was watching some of you videos on carbon fiber. Do you still sell starter kits? If so, what should I search eBay for to find them?

[@Thefabforums]

I dont...but I may start back soon

[@Jager-er4vc]

Ok. Thank you

[@harhorn1]

dude - you should grow the rest of your beard out. it would look great!

[@Thefabforums]

its too patchy

[@stephenturner9097]

Can someone clue me in here? Back in the day (1980s) when fabricators were first starting to use 4130 chome-moly to make sprintcar chassis, everyone was annealing bends and welds - heating them with an oxy torch to a certain temp (I think it was based on what colour the tube glowed) and then letting it naturally cool slowly. Is this still a thing? TIA!

[@DodgyBrothersEngineering]

Think you will find that is just basic metallurgy Stephen. By heat treating the pipe you allow the molecules to stretch more gently like an athlete stretching before and after an event. What you have to remember is that bending technology has improved greatly over the years (nowhere near as many people manually bending pipe these days) and programmed electronics smarts can tell a hydraulic system how to progressively do the bend, maybe even torque sense the load, so I think the need is probably greatly reduced while not being totally redundant. Also think it depends largely on how tight the bend is. For gentle bends you could probably get away with it, tight radius's would be highly advisable.

[@mikegrady4]

Stephen Turner, the good tubing is "normalized". After welding, you can renormalize the tubing. You heat it to a certain temp (can be measured with a temp crayon) and let it air cool. Many chassis manufacturers do not do this anymore. Chassis are made of fairly thin material and the stresses are not horrible. Often times, it is wrecked before it gets work hardened to the point it could crack. Many chassis builders even mig weld 4130. Others have moved to Docol R8 to minimize 4130 brittleness issues.

[@joshlepley3725]

Nice marker. I dont think its working lol

[@Thefabforums]

yeah the inkzall markers do much better in the shop

[@T.Russell3155]

I cant get over your bender! Im bending up a couple cages for some stock eliminator copo camaros im building now, i will post a video on my Channel of bending with my old JD2 manual bender.....you will get a kick out of it.. does a great job but it is very labor-intensive! I laugh everytime I watch you bend tubing.....that Bender is awesome!

[@Thefabforums]

+Russell Performance lol...I bet

[@DodgyBrothersEngineering]

You're not the only one Russell I get a woody ever time I see that bender. If I had that in my garage I would make up jobs just to use it.

[@thuggmtz]

I been looking forward to build a roof rack but i cant afford the tubbing bender lol .. wanted thank you for taking your time to teach us also was nice clean explanation thanks

[@Thefabforums]

you are welcome

[@popwall4297]

binders that you use by hand like electricians use doesn't cost hardly anything

[@rettsmith4015]

The video I've been waiting on thanks man

[@Thefabforums]

welcome

[@mrbigg7255]

Great video

[@BeeLineFab]

Fuck yea!

[@genefoster7238]

Thank's for the info it will help allot.

[@Thefabforums]

no problem

[@rafatrill]

Kool

[@tmsrsm]

Thanks for the video man!!

[@Thefabforums]

welcome

[@willowwonderbull7100]

this makes me mad that these videos dont get more views btw going to pick up some merch soon going to the humane society to spread some love il take some pics of him rocking your gear maybe he will get some social media love

[@Thefabforums]

yeah for sure

[@willowwonderbull7100]

bully breed dogs need good swag as well as humans

[@jonhyboy93]

Hey man love your channel ! Have you considered tiltons floor mounted pedal assemble ? Or wilwoods that way the master cylinders are out of the way and are kind of hidden I’m going to try to run one on my 65 mustang ...

[@MrEd-fu3dq]

Yeah, I suggested floor mounted pedals in the comments of the last video, considering that the Bibster's body has been narrowed 6 or 8 inches shoving it closer to the exhaust header. I imagine that cost might be an issue with using Tilton or Wildwood floor pedal assemblies. IMO, having the brake master cylinder that close to the exhaust header is just looking for boiled brake fluid, even with a heat shield. But ... the available space and clearance is hard to judge from a video. I just like a cleaner firewall on "roadsters" which come from an era where the brake were cable operated and in later years the master was mounted under the floorboards.

[@Thefabforums]

no room for it

[@Thefabforums]

The firewall master will disappear once the suspension goes on. No room for a floor mounted master. The master where it is now will experience way less heat than say the break caliper. Where I have it mounted now is the exact same place that every master cylinder was mounted on every mustang made from 1979-1993. The only difference is the engine is sitting a little higher that factory. I am going to have to give this a try and if I have some major issues I will just address it then.

[@johnwadsworth7086]

What kind of tube bender is that

[@Thefabforums]

pro tools 105hd

[@anythingoutdoor3852]

Do updates on the grey goose!!

[@Thefabforums]

soon

[@vaioskaliakoudas6388]

Is the rotational anggle gauge adapter bought from somewhere or just a custom machined part?

[@patw52pb1]

Try this link... www.amazon.com/shop/thefabforums

[@thedirtheretic2728]

Vaios Kaliakoudas Rogue fabrication has all of the stuffTheir website is great

[@Thefabforums]

+Vaios Kaliakoudas they used to be avaible on Amazon...I have them in my list of tools link in the description

[@tb8841]

What is the proper way to do a radius bend (with a roller) and a bend in the same tube like a radius cage on a rzr

[@Thefabforums]

you wont to get the radius bends done first

[@tb8841]

The Fab Forums so I can stick a slightly rolled tube in my bender with no issues?

[@Thefabforums]

yeah...it really depends on the the amount of roll and if the bend is going in the same direction and the roll or not

[@joshuahonel7321]

Thanks for the tips!

[@davesracingchannel9261]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3fZgoOGf7iYrpo

[@dannyalner4997]

Brilliant info as always

[@dannyalner4997]

Just a quick one if you were doing 180 would you just double the figures you have or make another pipe

[@MrBillysolomon]

excellent info... great tips. thank you.

[@oldmenruleracing]

Love the tutorial.

[@Thefabforums]

thanks

[@betulie11]

Notification Squad

[@Thefabforums]

booom!

[@JAXTRUX]

Great show man!

[@Thefabforums]

thanks