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Hey Folks,
I've got the parts I need to finish putting the rear end on my 85 1300 so now I'm planning the radiator relocation effort. To do that I need to learn how to weld aluminum tubing. Here are my first attempts.
Just some practice on flat stock.

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2007/03/10 09:49

Here's my practice piece on tubing.


These tubes are only 25.6mm (1 inch) in diameter. In order to do the job I'll need 35.2mm (1 3/8 inch ) tubing. I've already found the tubing. What I need is a source for is 35.2 mm elbows made from relatively thin wall aluminum tubing.

Does any body know of a source?

TIA
KZCSI

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2007/03/10 09:58

The proper name of the parts I'm needing is "weld ell". If I could find a source of aluminum hand railing parts that would be a good start.

KZCSI

have you tried a welding shop for the parts?or how about welding up some aluminum rods into a 90 to go inside of the tubes instead of outside;)

just curious, why cant you use a rad hose like a car or new bike? braided stainless steel hoses look nice!

77KZ650 wrote:

just curious, why cant you use a rad hose like a car or new bike? braided stainless steel hoses look nice!

oopsies:S i thought you were building some sort of mounting bracket to mount the radiator ,my bad!;)if you want to use it as radiator line how about getting some rigid aluminum electrical conduit and bending it into the shape you need?

Post edited by: wireman, at: 2007/03/10 15:48

Thanks wireman,
I hadn't considered aluminum conduit. I could bend it with a mandrel bender. I have several electrician friends who might loan me the use of one.

Thanks
KZCSI

Thanks

it actually bends pretty easy with a regular conduit bender if you dont go over 90 degrees too fast;)

I don't know about aluminum, but I will tell you what I heard today from a friend of mine who works at the state office building. He said that fuel may reach near $4/gallons this summer, but more importantly the price of steel (didn't ask about aluminum) is going to double wihin a month.

I've known this guy to be wrong...but only very rarely (the stuff he talks about is speculation of government officials...so there ya go). I don't know how much your project is going to cost you, but if there is anything to what he said, you might take that into consideration.

Sure looks like you picked up the 'knack' for aluminum welding pretty quickly...well done.

-KR

Hey Wireman,
I realize that 3/4" and even 1" can be bent by hand, but can you also handle 1 3/8", probably 1 1/4" by hand as well?

KZCSI

I ended up going with 1 3/8" stainless steel tubing because it can more easily be bent to 4" radius. I picked up the pieces and parts this last week and could hardly wait till Saturday to get to fabbing up the tubes.

I was right the coolant tubes look somewhat like extra exhaust pipes.







I still have to make the connections at the rear end and add an air bleed at the top before I really weld them up liquid tight.

KZCSI

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2007/04/07 22:12

that makes teh front end look sooo sooo sooo much better...thumbs up to you indeed...so where are you going to mount the rad?