Exhaust Tubing Expander

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hutch
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Exhaust Tubing Expander

Postby hutch » Tue Jan 05, 2016 8:00 pm

Does anyone have any recommendations or experience with any of these tools?
Image

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive ... 69549.html

Reviews of these tools in general are sort of lousy so I can't decide if its a better idea to get a lousy one from Harbor Freight and assume it will break or splurge and hope some of the better ones last. The exhaust piece I'm hoping to use it on is just barely too small from being crushed slightly with an exhaust clamp, but its stainless so its pretty strong so I'm skeptical a cheapo tool would work. Do anyone of you guys have any recommendations for these?

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DrewP
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Re: Exhaust Tubing Expander

Postby DrewP » Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:15 pm

I usually just buy stubs with ID/OD slip fits and weld them on, and then use wraparound type clamps rather than those U clamps that smoosh the tubes so I can get it apart again later.

You might want to just take your bent one to a muffler shop - they usually have big hydraulic powered expanders since they use them so often, and I bet they'd open it up a little for you for next to nothing.
"You can educate ignorance, but you can't fix stupid."

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Crazyswede
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Re: Exhaust Tubing Expander

Postby Crazyswede » Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:46 pm

I have one of those tools. It sort of works. It is better used when you just need to slightly massage a connection to fit as it really doesnt have the power to truly expand a pipe.
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hutch
Posts: 828
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:49 pm
Number of Saabs currently owned: 2
Location: Lancaster, PA

Re: Exhaust Tubing Expander

Postby hutch » Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:21 pm

Thats why I was hoping it would work, this had previously been opened up to allow for a slip fit but got crushed a little bit, so I figured it wouldn't need much 'massaging' to get to work. But its sort of thick stainless so its pretty strong...

And yeah Drew I had thought about taking it to a shop, but adding to the tool collection is always fun :thumbsup: I'll be stopping by Harbor Freight to hopefully pick one up tonight but if it doesn't work I'll be bringing it to a local shop who's done some work for me before.

hutch
Posts: 828
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:49 pm
Number of Saabs currently owned: 2
Location: Lancaster, PA

Re: Exhaust Tubing Expander

Postby hutch » Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:57 pm

Picked one up tonight at Harbor Freight, one of the two o-rings disintegrated, like immediately :crazy: , but I flipped the expanding part around and it worked like a charm. Wish I had picked one up before I tried bending it manually but I'd definitely recommend one to anyone if you're ever building an exhaust.

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DrewP
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Re: Exhaust Tubing Expander

Postby DrewP » Wed Jan 06, 2016 7:40 pm

Nice!
"You can educate ignorance, but you can't fix stupid."


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