Aluminum Bending

ZUKEYPR

ZUKEYPR

Registered User
Location
651.78 miles East of the Rubicon
Does anyone know of an aftermarket company that makes an aluminum slider such as the one shown here http://www.bigdaddyoffroad.com/product_info.php?products_id=96
for a TJ/LJ that the step kicks out further. The one on the link is pretty much useless as a step due to the narrowness of it.

If not would there be any business locally who could bend the 6061-T6 to the shape of what I am referring to? I know gen right makes precisely what I'm looking for, but not for the TJ's.

Thanks
 
Those are going to be some pricey suckers to do as one off pieces... Ill second the DP Custom Fab recommendation. I've never had him do anything for me, but been in his shop a couple of times and he definitely does quality work.
 
As I think about it more.... I have no idea how they got those bends in 6061-T6 with out cracking! Only thing i can think of is, if that is indeed 6061-T6 they would have to anneal before bending(to avoid cracking), and then its no longer T6

I would venture to say the material is actually probably 6061 T0 or 5250... Then again I've never tried to bend something with that large of a radius soooo...
 
carsonc1974 said:
As I think about it more.... I have no idea how they got those bends in 6061-T6 with out cracking! Only thing i can think of is, if that is indeed 6061-T6 they would have to anneal before bending(to avoid cracking), and then its no longer T6

I would venture to say the material is actually probably 6061 T0 or 5250... Then again I've never tried to bend something with that large of a radius soooo...
Click to expand...

I've often wondered that myself with all of the claims as such. You can't bend 6061 very sharply and once you weld it they are no longer that strength. On the other hand though they could be building these then going through the cryogenic process for them to become that strength. Sounds awefully pricey though which leads me to believe that possibly they start with 6061 and never finish the process. Pure speculation though on my part.
 
Last edited:
carsonc1974 said:
As I think about it more.... I have no idea how they got those bends in 6061-T6 with out cracking! Only thing i can think of is, if that is indeed 6061-T6 they would have to anneal before bending(to avoid cracking), and then its no longer T6

I would venture to say the material is actually probably 6061 T0 or 5250... Then again I've never tried to bend something with that large of a radius soooo...
Click to expand...

I was going to mention this but it's been so long since I did fab work, especially with aluminum, I thought I may be mistaken. However, we could never get 6061 T6 to bend really at all without cracking (we always dealt with tubing, no sheet bending for our stuff). If I remember right, we used 6063 and something in the 4xxx series (maybe 4041?) as both of those allowed us to bend without any cracking.
 
Caleb said:
I was going to mention this but it's been so long since I did fab work, especially with aluminum, I thought I may be mistaken. However, we could never get 6061 T6 to bend really at all without cracking (we always dealt with tubing, no sheet bending for our stuff). If I remember right, we used 6063 and something in the 4xxx series (maybe 4041?) as both of those allowed us to bend without any cracking.
Click to expand...

But is my research correct that you could really use a lessor strength, bend it, complete the cryogenic process of strengthing that particular piece and then have no issues with those bends? Right?
 
Most AL sheet you buy is 5052, or a 3xxx series alloy--just due to the bending stuff. You can buy 6061, but you have to ask for it...the "default" will be 5052 usually.
 
i agree with Ilean. 5052 is probably the most common... at least in phoenix.


I dont believe your can cryogenically change 5052 to the hardness of 6061 t6... you can buy annealed 6061T6 though, its called 6061T0.. i have no experience in this though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top