Hydraulic Press

[CTX-SLPR]

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...y099/break.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n187/RealMcCoy099/break1.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n187/RealMcCoy099/100_0152.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n187/RealMcCoy099/100_0149.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn78/SSEFI/RaceShop005.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn78/SSEFI/RaceShop003.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/n...aceShop011.jpg

Any idea how thick of metal that thing will bend?

[BangShiftChad]

At least 1/8th inch if your welds are good, and the press is strong enough. That is exactly what I was talking about. I made mine a bit larger than that, and then another set a bit smaller. They work great. Remember to clean up the sharp edge on the angle iron if you are working aluminum. Just a slight relief on that sharpt edge will make it nice. Using solid bar stock on the top piece is a good option too.

A piece of heavy wall pipe, but lengthwise in half and used as the bottom piece, works really well with a slightly smaller piece of bar or pipe to push down from the top. Makes nice u-shaped bends in plate or strap steel, and aluminum too. It's easy.

[CTX-SLPR]

Thanks for the answer Chad,

Looking at actually bending up my own control arm brackets for my rear axle swap instead of either welding them up from plate or using the ones I had cut off of a stock rear axle. Probably would have to press them with both angles at once since I doubt I could get both bends in with that kind of a brake.

[SuperBuickGuy]

when you bend them, remember that the legs of the U shaped bend are 50% of the length of the bottom of that U (it hits the die if it's any longer).
Also, if you need them bent up - let me know - cut them out, I can send them to my dad; he can bend them, then send them back (gotta take of the Buick guys). The bending won't take 5 minutes.

[Barry Donovan]

bottle jack deal at my shop too - I think it's a 20 but I don't remember - its' done everything I've asked it to do.
Makes quick work of wheel studs, bearing races, etc.

The worst part usually is finding a proper piece of pipe / etc to do the pressing with, I've cut slits in a lot of old bearing races, and flipped them upside down to press the new ones in place - that works pretty good.

If you have room to get to it - an air hammer is the fastest easiest way I know to get bearing races out - not much help with bushings tho.

heat too, if you are out of luck with press.
takes awhile.. the races can't be slapped around cockeyed.

[BOOOGHAR]

Bearing race trick from my short career in heavy equipment (assumes you can access the race). Run a bead of weld around the inside of the race. When it cools it will shrink and release the pressed fit. Don't worry about the quality of the weld!

Dan

thats what we do at work

[CTX-SLPR]

when you bend them, remember that the legs of the U shaped bend are 50% of the length of the bottom of that U (it hits the die if it's any longer).
Also, if you need them bent up - let me know - cut them out, I can send them to my dad; he can bend them, then send them back (gotta take of the Buick guys). The bending won't take 5 minutes.

Got a set already off the axle (with a grinder, paid the guy decently for that). No way you could bend these at the uprights being 50% of the base though. When I get back home I'll put some pictures together of what I want to duplicate.

[SuperBuickGuy]

when I build brackets, most times I carve them out of whatever tube (square) I have laying about. If I have to make a channel I bend one to 90 then weld the other side on.... but who knows, when I see what you need maybe there can be a workaround.