Results 1 to 10 of 23
-
08-25-2008, 10:48 AM #1
Bending, Shaping Heater Hose or Silicone
I have tried a few times bending and shaping silicone and heater hose and it just not turning out that great....was wondering if anyone used some different methods.....
For instance I have a Straight piece of Heater Hose about 3/4" and want to put a 90 on the end so I get a pipe just a little smaller than 3/4" and get my heat gun, heat up the hose and slowly bend the hose....Not much to it exactly.....
SO has anyone else tried this......or something else I also have about 4" of silicone hose about 5' long and am wanting to put 2 90's and a 45 into it myself...all one piece cause I am not a fan of joining silicone....
Thanks for any input. This also might need to be moved to How To if it gets any replies as to why I posted it in this forum....
-
08-25-2008, 10:55 AM #2
-
08-25-2008, 10:56 AM #3
i dont see that happening at all. i think to even attempt this you would have to fill the ID of the silicone with another piece of pipe and slowly "mold" into shape somehow getting it hot enough to become flexible enough to do that and still stay consistent in shape...without catching the garage on fire or burning your eyebrows off.
im in the process of figuring out about how many 90's and 45's i need to re-route the X's IC hoses. crappy rubber hoses swell up bad and i think i want to reverse the flow of the factory set-up...
-
08-25-2008, 11:30 AM #4
I used to work at a place where we had to do this to clear pvc. We used metal pipe benders and heat guns. It was a slow process where we heated the pipe almost to discoloration and then bent it. We heated only a couple inches at a time and worked slowly. We had to bend the pipe past where we wanted it (bend a 45 to 50 or 55) because it would bounce back slightly. After we got our bend we would either let the bender with pipe cool in a bucket of water or if it was huge it sat out for an hour or so.
It took lots of practice because if you go to fast or don't heat the pipe evenly you get kinks which ruined the hose.
The pic attached is what we used.
-
08-25-2008, 11:34 AM #5
whats the max diameter that tool will fit? pvc is a little different than silicone hose - structural integrity still needs to be present during the heating process
-
08-25-2008, 11:41 AM #6
Gates Rubber Company makes a product called a Unicoil. It is like a spring that you put on the outside of the hose and bend it to whatever angle you want and it stays in that shape. They make it in different sizes so that it will keep the hose from kinking.
OR, what I do is find automotive heater hoses that have the angles that I want on them. They make a LARGE selection of hoses that just have 90* bends on one end in MANY different lengths. If you need multiple bends it gets a little more difficult.
-
08-25-2008, 11:42 AM #7
each tool is specific to the size of the hose. We used 1/4" all the way to 1"
-
08-25-2008, 01:23 PM #8
For rubber heater hose I've stuck it into a can which over bends it and poured boiling water on it and let it sit till it cooled and it held. Tight 90's are a problem though.
-
08-25-2008, 01:53 PM #9
Yea so am I........... if I can figure out how to do it.....The funny thing is.....Someone has figured it out because I have seen it done in a product... The thing is did they just bond together the angles with the straights or did they take a straight run and bend it to whatever they wanted....Thats the real question cause after looking at this Silicone WRX intake system that a buddy of mine bought...I just cant tell the inside looks like it should I dont seem to see and Joiners and the outside of the pipe looks twisted in the areas that it changes angle. So it looks to me like someone was able to bend or mold it without using joiners or if he used joiners I shure couldnt see them....
This is the same idea I was thinking about you got any ideas let me know. I have been racking my brain trying to figure this out....
-
08-25-2008, 02:20 PM #10
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 2 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)
Similar Threads
-
SOLD Looking for a SHO or SVHO silicone hose for Tial or Race port BOV
By WFO in forum Yamaha ClassifiedsReplies: 3Last Post: 06-22-2016, 01:05 PM -
FS 3/4" Heater Hose
By JFizzleJR in forum Sea Doo ClassifiedsReplies: 0Last Post: 11-15-2013, 04:16 PM -
WTB Wanted: Stock 2 3/4" Exhaust/Intercooler Hoses or Riva Rear Exhaust or Riva Waterbox
By madtork in forum Sea Doo ClassifiedsReplies: 0Last Post: 11-19-2009, 01:12 AM -
Silicone Exhaust Hose
By tubeman in forum Kawasaki PWC Performance (4-stroke)Replies: 2Last Post: 05-30-2007, 05:50 PM -
where to buy high heat U shape silicone hose
By XRIDER in forum Kawasaki PWC Performance (4-stroke)Replies: 3Last Post: 04-16-2007, 05:37 AM
That’s cool and all, but I don’t have time for a project of that scope.
4 stroke equivelant of the mighty...