Recommendations for best tubing and sleeving for tight bends.

On my custom case project (Coldbanger project on alt modding forum) I've managed to eliminate (by design anyway) all of the 90 ells I was going to have originally in the build by using tubing sleeving instead.

I ordered my 3/8 tubing and just ordered some sleeving to use on the corners I need to bend as opposed to using ells.

The problem is, I'm not satisfied at all with either. The sleeving seems to go on the tubing tight enough, but once it's over it, it doesn't appear to have very even spacing. Never used it before, so maybe this is normal and I just need to work with it? When I have the sleeving even (or even as tight as it will go) it's not supporting the tubing when bending it any more than the tubing would support itself without the sleeving.

Since neither of the two products are very expensive, I'm willing to re-order better brands, etc. and am wondering if anyone has had good experience or could recommend the best tubing and sleeving that will handle some pretty tight bends?

I was looking at Swiftech brand sleeving as it claims to support a very tight radius, and assumed they're all probably similar and went with a cheaper brand and am not happy.

Am I just doing it wrong? Thoughts? Ideas? Recommendations?

I really need to keep ells out of this build for good flow.

Thanks in advance!

Well, primochill pro is good stuff...but I can do better than just a recommendation? I presume you mean anti-kink coils when you say sleeving...

now, I've heard tell that 1/2"id 5/8" od with some tightly wound anti-kink coils is the best stuff around for the TIGHTEST bends because the thin walls mean the tubing can physically turn tighter (than 3/4" od) and the anti-kink coiling, when done right, prevents it from kinking on that turn...but I have no verification on that other than hear say

m0r7if3r, thank you very much. I'll look into that post for sure.

And, yes (sorry) by sleeving, I mean anit-kink coils.

I am using 3/8" tubing. Should have mentioned that.

I am going to need to bend a little tighter than what the post was showing (3" bend on 3/8" tubing) so any recommendations on good anti-king coils? Or, are they in fact pretty much all created equally and I should just make the ones I have work?

You come to a point what is better. Anti kink or new fittings. 90 deg fittings have improved a LOT, LOT over the last few years. They aren't the freared flow killers from the days of Home Depot/ Ace Hardware. Look up the fittings at those stores vs the new ones from BP and others.

If they don't work, rerouting time. You'll figure it out

I agree with Conumdrum. 90's are better than they used to be and, quite frankly, the best anti-kink coils don't work well with standard tubing. I use 1/2" thin-walled Tygon (5/8" OD) with SmartCoils and, yes, I can make very tight turns with that combination but you really have to have the thin-walled tubing for them to work well. If you're using 3/8x5/8" OD tubing then I have no doubt you're disappointed with the results.

I haven't tried 3/8x1/2" tubing. The smaller size would make it slightly different than the 1/2" thin-wall, but you may get somewhat similar results with it and 1/2" SmartCoils. I also can't comment on other coils, I've only used SmartCoils, which are from Swiftech.

It's up to you, of course, but I would consider just using good, high-flowing 90's as Conumdrum suggested. Another alternative would be copper 3/8" pipe and fittings. The 3/8" ID is maintained throughout the pipe and fitting but it's much more difficult to get 3/8" tubing over 3/8" pipe than it is over 3/8" barbs. The reward is less restriction ...

How bad of a idea is it to use stainless steel springs inside 1/2 tubing in a few tight spots.
For the last 10 yrs all my tubing and ss springs were free from left over installs of chemical dispensers at work.

I appreciate the input.

I am not going to necessarily have to bend quite as sharp as even good 90 ells fittings do. MAYBE 1 or 2 in the build, but will try to avoid them.

I am using 3/8 x 1/2 tubing and, in fact, messing around with it and the anti-kink coils some more, I think I'm about where I was expecting to be and need to be for this build.

Everything I was reading and pics I saw before purchasing the anti-kink coils showed that the tubing and coils I bought did bend at much tighter of a radius than their 1/2 counterparts. I think I was just in a hurry and doing it wrong when I first opened the box and was all anxious to try it. After some patience, I'm very satisfied with the radius I'm getting now.

Again, if I can't make it work for the 1 or 2 tight spots, I'll look into ells, but the other 10-12 90s I need to bend should suffice just fine with the swoop I'm getting with the tubing! It will have to work one way or the other as there are essentially zero options for re-routing on this case.

Thanks again for all the input. Much obliged.

right angle fittings aren't purified evil anymore like they used to be you're really gonna be fine as long as you don't do something crazy like put 10-12 of them in the loop, 1 or 2 certainly won't kill you (just sorta restating what you and others said and hopefully giving you some confidence). Best of luck on the rest of the build, enjoy it!

Erik765 said:

I appreciate the input.

I am not going to necessarily have to bend quite as sharp as even good 90 ells fittings do. MAYBE 1 or 2 in the build, but will try to avoid them.

I am using 3/8 x 1/2 tubing and, in fact, messing around with it and the anti-kink coils some more, I think I'm about where I was expecting to be and need to be for this build.

Everything I was reading and pics I saw before purchasing the anti-kink coils showed that the tubing and coils I bought did bend at much tighter of a radius than their 1/2 counterparts. I think I was just in a hurry and doing it wrong when I first opened the box and was all anxious to try it. After some patience, I'm very satisfied with the radius I'm getting now.

Again, if I can't make it work for the 1 or 2 tight spots, I'll look into ells, but the other 10-12 90s I need to bend should suffice just fine with the swoop I'm getting with the tubing! It will have to work one way or the other as there are essentially zero options for re-routing on this case.

Thanks again for all the input. Much obliged.

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Glad to hear you worked it out! I prefer my sharp, coiled bends to 90's as well ...