Building Bars???
No advantage or disadvantage with aluminum...just putting it out there depending on what's available near you.
You only need to dimple them if you're routing the wires out of the control housing traditionally. If you internally wire then there's no reason to be outside of the housing. Bars come with dimples and holes both so you have an option.
You internally wire them by un-pinning the plugs, run the wires through the bars and out somewhere as close to the tree as you can & re-pin the plugs.
I've seen black pipe or iron pipe used as bars but I would suggest against it. I'm sure that someone somewhere knows someone somewhere that has used pipe and has had no issues for 30 years bla bla bla...but it's simply a bad idea. Pipe is seamed all of the way through. This is a weak spot for stress. Any kind of impact can split the pipe. Just bending the pipe can hairline fracture the seam in a way that is not visible.
Black pipe is also a nominal size. The point of focus on pipe is I.D. for proper flow rate. The O.D. of pipe just ends up being whatever happens. It can change O.D. from one end of a length to the other on the same size.
Drawn Over Mandrel (D.O.M.) tube is seamless and built specifically for structural strength. Point of focus is O.D. so the measurement will always be consistant (on the outside).
Not to mention that the finish of pipe is less than appealing and D.O.M. tube is smooth and finished.
If you're starting from scratch you have every opportunity to do it the best way possible.
You only need to dimple them if you're routing the wires out of the control housing traditionally. If you internally wire then there's no reason to be outside of the housing. Bars come with dimples and holes both so you have an option.
You internally wire them by un-pinning the plugs, run the wires through the bars and out somewhere as close to the tree as you can & re-pin the plugs.
I've seen black pipe or iron pipe used as bars but I would suggest against it. I'm sure that someone somewhere knows someone somewhere that has used pipe and has had no issues for 30 years bla bla bla...but it's simply a bad idea. Pipe is seamed all of the way through. This is a weak spot for stress. Any kind of impact can split the pipe. Just bending the pipe can hairline fracture the seam in a way that is not visible.
Black pipe is also a nominal size. The point of focus on pipe is I.D. for proper flow rate. The O.D. of pipe just ends up being whatever happens. It can change O.D. from one end of a length to the other on the same size.
Drawn Over Mandrel (D.O.M.) tube is seamless and built specifically for structural strength. Point of focus is O.D. so the measurement will always be consistant (on the outside).
Not to mention that the finish of pipe is less than appealing and D.O.M. tube is smooth and finished.
If you're starting from scratch you have every opportunity to do it the best way possible.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,230
Likes: 12
From: Mount Holly, NC
i got a piece of 1" od from tractor supply. then i got two rubber stoppers and a bag of sand at lowes. i drilled a 1" hole through a piece of timber and used c-clamps to hold that to an old car rim that was mounted to my tire changer. i filled the tube with sand, cramed it into my home made clamp, and put my back into it. 10 minutes later i have drag bars.
it aint rocket science. it is hard work. if you aren't into grunting and sweating go ahead and buy your bars from le harley accessories shoppe. make sure you buy a brand name that sounds sufficiently macho.
it aint rocket science. it is hard work. if you aren't into grunting and sweating go ahead and buy your bars from le harley accessories shoppe. make sure you buy a brand name that sounds sufficiently macho.
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