Local Suppliers of Uncommon Square Tube Sizes?

Metal Shop
#1

Hey all, I’m looking for a local supplier of 2 1/4" steel square tube, but I’m having a bear of a time. I’m trying to make a replacement arm for my engine crane, but the manufacturer didn’t use dimensional steel, so 2 1/2" tube is too big and 2" is way too small. I’ve found a couple of online suppliers, but the shipping cost is absolutely murderous, so before I commit to that, anyone know of any local suppliers that have tube in this size? Preferably on the Dallas side of 35E?

For the record, I dug through the wiki, but a lot of these suppliers’ websites are, shall we say lacking in stock detail.

#2

If your crane is similar to those that Harbor Freight sells then you can buy a replacement part. I did that with my 2 ton portable crane a couple of years ago. Check the assembly manual for the part number, Harbor Freight does have manuals online and you can get replacement parts. I know that everybody makes fun of Harbor Freight or Harbor Fright, but you can get parts for their products. You may be asking how I bent the steel square tube…by pulling out a tree stump.

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#3

Mine isn’t bent, it’s too short to reach into my engine bay. I need to make a longer one.

#4

You really have to call them or go by. 2 1/4 is pretty uncommon. You might try 2" then shiming it. However, you need to be cautious that you don’t but over do it. The capacity is rated at each length.

#5

The engine being moved weighs under 200lbs, the front of this car is just way too long to get the crane in. You might be on the money for shimming if I can’t get my hands on 2 1/4 tube at a reasonable price. Just figured I’d ask around in case anyone had already seen some around.

This crane, as an aside, was weight-limited to 1 ton by its hydraulic cylinder, but the 3-ton chinesium cylinder was blown out on arrival, so it’s been replaced by an 8-ton cylinder. The steel holding this thing together, Chinese though it may be, should hold up to quite a bit more weight than I have lying around.

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#6

Maybe you can find square tubing that has an ID of 2-1/4” to slip over your existing one to extend it? Not sure if that size exists though.

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#7

Isn’t 2-1/2 inch square tubing in the readily available .120 wall going to be very close? @ 2.5" outside dimension and.120" wall thickness, makes the inside dimension 2.5-(2*.120)= 2.5-.240= 2.26 which is very choose to 2.25…

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#8

Problem is the Chinese don’t use dimensional steel, so the outer dimension of the stock arm is more like 2 11/32 and the inner dimension of the tube it slides into is in the range of 2 7/16, which work together, but make that proposal a no-go. I’d need to go with .065 wall tube for that to enter the realm of feasibility, which is just as unavailable at 2 1/2, as 2 1/4 tube of any thickness.

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#9

Then probably just use the shim system and weld it up to make it slip in easily.

#10

So the new question is: anyone wanna teach me to weld?

#11

Can you approach it from the fender side?

#12

Considered it, but there’s not enough room to maneuver the crane around to the side of the car, and the liftover is high enough that I’m not really comfortable trying to swing it around.

#13

Welding is an option. You can replace the arm with stock steel and the existing sleeve for it on the crane. It would most likely be less expensive.

And then add your own LEDs for lighting the engine bay :smiley:

#14

Hmm, I do have some really bright LED cobs lying around…

Someone teach me to weld and I’ll rebuild the world with this engine crane.

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#15

You want the minimum amount of tack weld to just hold in place. The less heat affected zone the better.

@TBJK is the guy to see for welding as long as the term “minimum tack weld” isn’t used. :wink: Great guy and will show how to do fit really nice, he doesn’t do sloppy.

#16

All of the welding experience I have comes from leaving car batteries connected while wrenching on nearby stuff.

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#17

ROFL! :blankspace: :blankspace: