custom AC lines - who's the guru here?

[miketyler]

I am plumbing in my AC system and am in a bit of a quandry. I opted for the largest condensor I could find and consequently need to bend up some very tight radius lines. I have bought some straight #6 lines but when I bend them the shortest leg is over 2" long. Has anyone figured out how to bend a short radius with the fittings already in place?

[RedLine]

#6 is like 1/2 inch  or 3/8th or something right? (I cant remember)   but I know the smaller tube benders I got from harbor feight had about a 1.5 inch diameter wheel, and I had to start with the fittings way up in the bender to get some tight turns. -- the tightest I got still was about 2" for a 90 (seen here)

[pink panther]

man, that looks nice Redline.

[miketyler]

Yes, I looked at your pics. Did you have some of yours welded? It looks like there were "bulges" in the lines where they were cut, expanded, and one was slipped inside the other and welded.

I went ahead and am having VintageAir make up the line for me. Everything else is gonna be flexible!

[RedLine]

thanks pink panther.  Mike, yeah I got straight tubing and the fittings separate and mated them after bending.  heres a better pic of the areas we had to join

[ShelbyDogg]

Mike, There is a guy here in St. Louis that welds all of the factory steel ends onto adapters for braided steel lines for custom show cars, race cars etc. so those ends can all be custom tig welded to make you any length needed, after bending. Also Radiator shops can take your hose ends, cut off the hose, then install new any-lenght hose. So you really just need the ends that fit, and a raditor shop. Hope this helps,
Rob

[miketyler]

thanks for the replys and advice. I would like to go with nutted lines on the heater but dont want to have to pull the plenum back out. My system will have all new components from the firewall forward.

I bought the VintageAir line kit and it should provide most of the plumbing I need. YOu can see from the pic how cramped the placement of the R/D will be to keep it on the inside of the hood pin support. I think once I have this line made I will have no problem with the rest of the setup. I still will need to get an adapter for the large line coming off the evaporator (#10 is it?)

     

[RedLine]

Mike:  man I feel your pain.  I remember the cramp forming in my brain when we in the design stage of our solution.     you might find the missing puzzle pieces at http://www.docsblocks.com/ 

that was our way out of the maze.   

[ShelbyDogg]

Mike, I also thought about the Spring type benders. You put your tube into it bend it as tight as you dare, then unscrew it off of the tube. Have you tried that type?  Available at plumbing shops.  Sometimes I have to bend it tight then lightly hammer the tube sides to open it back up.