Who's good at bending stuff?

[jeepwm69 7,233]

This yellow 500 is about ready to go to market.  The front bumper that's on it is obviously bent up, so I'm going to put my extra bumper that's in much better shape on the bike.

 

That said, I'd like to try to straighten this one out a bit in case I need it someday.  Looks like someone yanked UP on it in the middle, which is going to make it hard to find anything to lever against to bend it back.

 

So, yall tell me the best method to bend the upper bar back down in the middle. 

[toodeep 1,737]

A simple backyard way would be a bottle jack in the middle and a chain on each corner over the bottle jack. The jack will push the middle down while trying to lift the outer connections. Just keep your distance and do it smart, once things slip it goes everywhere fast. A couple vise grips can help to keep the chain in place at the anchor places.

[TBRider 1,391]

Hook something like this on the bar to the rear hitch under the quad and pull from the hitch

[jeepwm69 7,233]

Both of those look like they could work.  I have a 4 ton come along, and I also have a bottle jack and some boomers, although that jack/boomer idea looks a lot more fun on a flat surface like your picture than it does on a tube.

[shadetree 5,553]

i use my 20 ton shop press to straighten bent racks, bumpers, only draw back is there is not much room to get the whole thing in there !..lol. just takes some setting up, right boards laying in right place, presto, bend comes out better than it was !.  results will vary !!..lol.

[jeepwm69 7,233]

Yeah I have the same press you do.  Getting that bumper situated just right might be tough, but maybe I'll try that.

[LedFTed 1,104]

those bumpers hard to come by? looks like someone hit a tree. small tree, but solid. if you were to pull it,  too get it to bend in the right spot seems difficult.

guess ya already know this. i never heard the term boomer. i know what a bloomer is. 🙂

can ya apply heat at the bend, while applying pressure?, once you get set up. might take too much paint off., or do ya have to do a cold bend?

[_Wilson_™ 6,435]

using heat would soften the metal... ... it would better off bending it cold 

 

a chain boomer ( ratchet load binder ) 

[LedFTed 1,104]

thanks jay