Using steel pipe for Yakima cross bars
Glen
Has anyone used galvanized steel pipe found at hardware
stores in place of Yakima cross bars?
I'd like to paint some cross bars to match an old VW Beetle
and use them with Yakima raingutter towers. I'd also like to
save a few bucks in the process.
Steel yards could get the proper dimensioned steel but they
require a minimum order of ~300.00.
So I went to Home Depot and purchased some galvanized
steel pipe (10 feet for ~9.00). The "3/4 inch" pipe has the
closest dimensions to the Yakima bars. I measured:
outside diameter inside diameter
3/4 inch steel pipe: 26.7 mm 20.6 mm
ASTM A53
Yakima bars: 25.9 mm 21.0 mm
(with vinyl coating) 28.5 mm
I think the steel pipe should be of adequate strength and
stiffness. Any opinions?
The only problem I see would be the connections (pipe to towers
and bike mounts to pipe) due to the smaller effective outside
diameter and lack of vinyl coating of the steel pipe.
Has anyone had success in configuring reliable connections?
How about the use of short sections of old inner tube as shims
at connection points?
Thanks for your help. I'll post my experience if folks are interested.
--
Glen
email: lelp xnet com
Philcycles
the East San Fernando Valley) and get some aluminium tubing, 1/8" wall. That's
what Yakima uses. They crush the tube slightly to provide secure mounting and
steel won't crush. And it shouldn't cost more than about $50.
Phil Brown
Jm1226
have 2 lockjaws on it. The problem I had was with the diameter of the tubing.
Yakama puts a plastic coating on their bars. This increases the diameter
slightly. I had to shim my bars to get the lockjaws to clamp on tight. I
tried the innertube shim and found it wasn't stable enough. The bikes tended
to wobble. I then swithced my shim material to some automative gasket material
I had sitting in the garage. It works a lot better. If you go to the store
and pull an endcap off a Yakama cross bar you will see what I mean about the
plastic coating. From all the cross bars I've seen they are all steel. I have
never seen a Al one.
Regards
John
"Talk is cheap, supply always exceeds demand."
Jon Isaacs
>what Yakima uses. They crush the tube slightly to provide secure mounting and
>steel won't crush.
This Aluminum that Yakima uses has some interesting properties. It is magnetic
and corrodes to a reddish flaky material which looks remarkably like rust.
When I needed to get some longer tubes to fit a different car, I believe I was
able to get a pair of Yakima tubes for about $35 from REI.
There is also the question of the plastic mounting clamps closing sufficiently
for use with the slightly smaller tube. Don't know if they will but you should
try before you buy.
For $35 why fool around???
Jon Isaacs
Philcycles
Phil Brown
Charles P. S. Gianotti
Jon Isaacs
>Phil Brown
I think the newer ones are steel.
CV2572
>>All I can say I that my 17 year old crosspieces are aluminium.
>>Phil Brown
>
Galvanized (zinc-coated) steel.
Robin Hubert
kryc...@gmail.com
Sir Ridesalot
> The Yakima Cross Bars are 1-1/8" outer diameter mine were steel and rusted. Google is your friend here... You can find 1-1/8" OD aluminum extrusions online. It is difficult to find if you are searching for "pipe" or "tubing". "Extrusions" will get you where you want to be. However if you want them to be strong enough for multiple bikes, kayaks, etc. look for the 1/4" wall thickness. No shims should be necessary. If you want them black you will have to paint them, I recommend rubberized tool dip spray. Home Depot has it.
Cheers
avag...@gmail.com
John B.
>The Yakima Cross Bars are 1-1/8" outer diameter mine were steel and rusted. Google is your friend here... You can find 1-1/8" OD aluminum extrusions online. It is difficult to find if you are searching for "pipe" or "tubing". "Extrusions" will get you where you want to be. However if you want them to be strong enough for multiple bikes, kayaks, etc. look for the 1/4" wall thickness. No shims should be necessary. If you want them black you will have to paint them, I recommend rubberized tool dip spray. Home Depot has it.
on the inside :-) But of course today's smaller pipe is usually some
"nominal" size no longer measured on actual I.D.
I suggest that a 1" tube with 1/4" wall thickness might be overkill
for a handle bar :-)
--
Cheers,
John B.
James
--
JS
Sir Ridesalot
Cheers
John B.
wrote:
fails then perhaps he might try steel :-) 6061 T6 typically has a
yield strength of 40,000 PSI ( a 1 inch bar has a cross section of
0.785" )
I doubt that weight can be a problem as I recently tried to pick up
one of these new fangled all singing, all dancing, mountain bikes and
certainly weight is not a consideration :-)
--
Cheers,
John B.
John B.
like a hig powered rifle barrel than a car top carrier :-)
--
Cheers,
John B.
Duane
kc.ko...@gmail.com
>
>
> HUH? You replied to a post that was made SIXTEEN YEARS AGO! I'm sure the OP figure out a solution by now.
>
> Cheers
In September of 2016.
zach.s...@gmail.com
I have an older yakima set for round bars, to mount on a 2002 ford explorer. I just went and bought 1" steel gas line since I read that it would fit. It ended up being about $20 for two 5' threaded tubes and 4 end caps. Too large by far.
Will be trying 3/4" gas line in the next week or so.
cheers
AMuzi
exact ID to compute flow rates for fluids.
Yakima uses one inch tube, structural tube being measured on
the outside.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/natural-gas-pipe-sizing-d_826.html
--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
Doug Landau
sms
will be about 1.050" will be a little too small but it may work.
Considering that you can buy a set of Yakima round bars for about $60, I
would not spend too much more money trying to save money.
