Bending the AC Pipe for a Battery Tray Install?

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

I bought a "Outback accessories" battery tray for a dual battery and it is a f#%ing @*&% to fit! It says in the instructions to bend the air con pipe towards the engine. Except that is way easier said then done. The pipe actually has a fair way to go before it mounts up with the battery tray. Could anyone please advise me on how to bend this pipe with out wrecking it? I have bent a little with my hands but it has a fair way more to go. Yes I have tried searching but haven't been able to find anything useful. I would appreciate any constructive input.

[REV Find all posts View Profile Close REV]

Sorry mate I can't help you. Mine was done by TJM Townsville, unless you speak to them or ARB?

Good luck
REV

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

What sort of Distance do u have to bent it ??

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

So I went to opposite lock where I got the tray from and their accessory fitter said he uses two big long screw drivers to bend an "S" bend into it using the chassis as leverage. Well I tried this and the pipe split and of coarse I lost all the gas.

I then went to Toyota and the pipe is $750 dollar part because I have rear air con it runs nearly the length of the car. Plus they need to fit a new receiver dryer and re-gas it plus labour So by me being a tight arse and trying save a couple of hundred dollars not getting the ARB one where you don't have to bend the pipe it has cost me dearly. Somebody shoot me.

[ToeEdge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ToeEdge]

Might be worth getting a quote from an Aircon place. They may be able to repair it with some flexi hose or something, or even a mob like Enzed may have something.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Before you go and order a $750 pipe go to an airconditioning place and see if they can put a joiner in. Not sure where in Q you are but places like Mr Cool etc are worth the visit. And I doubt that you need a new dryer just because the system has been breached.

I bought an old ex work Rodeo ute and they (Mr Cool) pretty much replaced the whole dead air conditioning unit for less than Mr Holden/Isuzu wanted for a new compressor. Too late now but you should only try and bend pipe like that with a hickey stick or hand bender because it is so thin wall it can flatten and rupture very easily.

[blw Member Find all posts View Profile Close blw]

Hi Barry

Do you have a V6 or the Diesel? The V6 tray that I used (ABR Sidewinder) doesnt require the pipe to be bent - I read somewhere on pradopoint that the aircon pipe has another pipe inside it so you really shouldnt be bending it at all.

[alternative Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close alternative]

Not good ! I can only imaging the language as the gas hisses from the pipe and you realize what you done.

Definately try a few places before settling with the Toyota feeling on this one. There should definately be a happier way out of the mess than their solution.

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

Mines a diesel BLW. Thanks guys I will try and see if I can get repaired by an air con repair shop.

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Assuming you manage to get a workaround for the airconpipe, I suppose the upside is that you can now get away with dumping in a much larger battery.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade

Cheers,

William

[hardcore hilux Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hardcore hilux]

just to let others know i wouldn't bend any aircond lines, the risk of ending up like barry is way to high, there are fines of $50,000 plus for releasing aircond gas from the system, it does'nt matter if it was an accident either, you have to be a licenced aircond tech, its even illegal to touch any part of the aircond system, the only thing you can do is blow out the condensor, barry you will have to replace the rec drier, since its been opened to atmosphere it would be contaminated, you can ask you aircond tech to evacuate the system with the rec drier but he will most likely say the same, just wanted to let people to know so they dont get hit with a huge fine.
cheers

[DGW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DGW]

Hi Barry,

I used the ABR Sidewinder duel battery kit and swapped batteries so the start battery is on the drivers side. The aircon pipe barely touches the original Toyota battery after slightly bending the original support bracket as per ABR instructions..
I would not trying to bend that pipe.

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

I seen the local air con man who Toyota actually sends all there cars to here. He said 'thats easy fixed I'll just put a new section in and bring your battery tray in and I'll make to suit." What a legend He is going to do it tomorrow for me.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Sounds like a much better results Barry. Hope he doesn't charge you $750 for the job!
All jokes aside, once again, having the ability to share questions, ideas and advice amongst peers makes Pradopoint the great forum that it is...

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

Sounds like a much better results Barry. Hope he doesn't charge you $750 for the job!
All jokes aside, once again, having the ability to share questions, ideas and advice amongst peers makes Pradopoint the great forum that it is...

Well even he does Craig $750 was just the pipe cost from Toyota let alone the cost of the labour and re gassing etc.