Running A Bead In Thin Metal Tubing?

[Anonymous]

I would love to take radiator/engine hose connecting runs out of the equation, or at least reduce the length and complexity of the run, by bending up a length of thinwall tubing of the correct i.d., with a very short length of hose at each end.

What has held me back on several vehicles (including the 4.9L pickup) is the fact that I won't use tubing that is straight-ended, i.e., does not have a hose-retaining bead, like a radiator stub-out.

How do you fab a bead in a small-diameter, thin-metal stub-out? I know how it's done in sheet stock, but those bead rollers are too big.

Comments?

 

[SuperMag]

I would love to take radiator/engine hose connecting runs out of the equation, or at least reduce the length and complexity of the run, by bending up a length of thinwall tubing of the correct i.d., with a very short length of hose at each end.

Why? With rigid pipe as your coolant conduit you're going to put a lot more stress on the connections, and you stand a much greater chance of eventually tearing the snouts off the radiator.

But if you insist... No bead is necessary. Just rough up the outside of the pipe with some 40 grit or a file and then double clamp it. That hose will go nowhere.

 

[Anonymous]

Check out this tool...

http://www.tinmantech.com/html/bead_for ... _tubi.html

 

[Anonymous]

When I was working with stainless, I would just run a bead of filler rod around the od of the tube, about 1/4" from the end. This was more than sufficient to hold the hose on, at pressures up to ~75 psi. I imagine you could also do this with a mig welder, maybe crank the wire speed up a little more than normal, to get a decently high bead.

Jared

 

[Anonymous]

Thanx for all the ideas, guys!

Yep, I'd love to buy one of those bead rollers off that cool site (Champagne budget--California bubbly, NOT f#$&ch! :x ), but my budget is definitely beer so I just betcha the welding rod gets the nod.

Eddie

 

[Hot 6t Falcon]

Did you try asking at a radiator shop? They can probably do it for you.

Back in the day when I ran a flathead Ford (1960) we all had chromed pipes between the head and the radiator. I'm pretty sure that chrome gave them 100 more horsepower - but only when used in conjunction with a chromed generator cover. BG.

Good Luck

 

[Anonymous]

Pics of the 21-stud flatheads were probably what gave me the idea originally, and the flathead I-6 in my Dodge Power Wagon uses one also (well, "used" one; a 20-year total ground-up frame-off resto ).

Quite a Falcon-motor book you've written--I bought a copy just "because"!

Eddie