Custom Fighters - Custom Streetfighter Motorcycle Forum banner
18K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  rabies 
#1 ·
Anyone have any info about this process. Some time ago I saw some DIY info on hydroforming exhaust pipes and tubes. Can't seem to dig it up now. I did see a vid that some guy made an expansion pipe for his 2 stroke. Looked like he welded it all up and then hooked up a pressure washer to expand a metal.

Woundering what kind of presure and fittings could be used to accomplish this.
 
#2 ·
oh oh oh pick me!!!!

Ive helped a good friend Hydroform a megaphone for his 450 ducati.

The megaphone wraps around the the rear shock, Its trick as hell.

Sorry though this was about 4 years ago so i cant remember the specifics.

Ill see dude in a few days so ill ask him for you.
 
#7 ·
i just did a brief search on youtube, didnt really find much, but machines doing it, or the final prduct. i would like to know more, not that i plan on persuing it, just to have a basic knowledge of what it is and how to do it... info needed!
 
#8 ·
Seems like a lot of the big production stuff is high pressure die formed. They crimp the material in a die and then fill it with 5000-10000psi of water pressure. Depending on the thickness and size of material.

I've seen some DIY stuff with thin gauge steel that is welded tight and then pumped into shape with a pressure washer. Pretty cool.

I'd like to find out what gauge material and what amount of pressure is needed to acomplish this.
 
#9 ·
I think what you guys are talking about is different from what my company does. One of the ways we form parts is with a large hydroform press,

What happens is, a male die is placed on the loading tray with a piece of material on it, then the tray slides into the machine where hydraulic oil is pressurized and pushes a large rubber bladder over the die, effectively forming the sheetmetal over the die. Most of the time these parts have to be "over-formed" to account for material springback and usually extra time is taken by the operators to check and straighten the parts to match a form tool.
 
#12 ·
On youtube I've seen a guy that does ghetto mandrel bending of exhaust pipes by taping the ends of the pipe with duct tape, filling the pipe with very wet sand so that there are no air pockets and the pipe is completely filled, then tape the pipe closed. After that, he just used a regular bottle jack tube bender. The sand on the inside keeps the pipe from deforming much, and he got a pretty good bend in the tubing. You'd think the pressure of the sand would blow the tape off, but it didn't?
I'll look for the link.
 
#25 ·
Amazing. If I ever need to make snakey pipes, I'm giving this a shot. I may make some just because hey, why not? Looks like you can pick up a plumbers pressure testing pump for about $100 on ebay, rated to 860psi. That's what the guy in the article paulg25 linked to uses. I was doubting a pressure washer would have the pressure, but that thing will do!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top