Hey guys im in the middle of making a subframe to suit my GTI motor, just need to know if heating the steel tubing that i have will make it weaker? And im gonna heat it so that it makes a better bend.
Cheers
Dan

_________________
If you want more inches, stroke it
Life's a garden.... Dig It!
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20746

What sort of steel? Mild, hardened??

_________________
68 Mini
70 Moke

If you are using Cold Drawn tubing it will "weaken" it by making it softer.

You can temper it by quenching it with a wet rag after while it is still hot, but avoid doing this adjacent to any welds as this may cause excessive hardening (embrittlement) which can lead to cracking once on the road.

_________________
Too many cars, and too little time.

Yeah I agree with awdmoke, it's not so much the heating but the cooling that will make the difference... just like it's not speed that kills, just the rapid stop

_________________
"Life is not like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos. Whatever you do today, may burn your arse tomorrow."

If you have access to a hydraulic tube bender, you wont need to heat it.

_________________
Santo

"The Lone Ranger"
HI-HO Silver......AWAAAAAY!

I have a hydraulic bender but what it actually does to the steel is it stretches and flattens out the top of the bend.. And i am using the steel that the fire sprinkler systems is made out of actually.. Im only bending the pipe for now, not near any welds or anything, bend now weld later

_________________
If you want more inches, stroke it
Life's a garden.... Dig It!
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20746

Don't heat it.

If you have a pipe bender go to Blackwoods and get a "DAWN" brand die for it, in your chosen size. The Dawn dies hug the pipe tighter and allow you to achieve smoother bends. You may need to ditch the fire system pipe if that does not fit any available dies, but I am guessing it will be OK. The cheap dies that come with those benders open up really easy and become sloopy.

Or PM me if you want a real bender

_________________
Metal to burn, sparks to fly...

_________________
"Life is not like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos. Whatever you do today, may burn your arse tomorrow."

When I wrote that I though "nah, no one is smart ars3 enough to put a pic of Bender up"...

_________________
Metal to burn, sparks to fly...

C'mon this is ausmini, I don't even rank as a smart arse here.

Cush, speedy, figjam all out rank me

_________________
"Life is not like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos. Whatever you do today, may burn your arse tomorrow."