bending tubing in a rolling ladder

[huberthickey]

Where I work we use some rolling ladders. The one we use in the barn is 10 feet tall and is made up of angle iron connected together with 1/2" metal tubing. I think that it is galvanized with the normal wall thickness. This ladder has been hit by forklifts several times and now it will not sit flat on its wheels. One pipe that is about 7 feet long has a bend in it that is about 3 feet long with a total displacement of about 3 inches. Another that is about 4 feet long has a bend that is about 1.5 feet long and has a total displacement of about 2 inches.

I asked my boss if we could buy another, and he said that they were too expensive. So I thought that I might be able to bend them back to a relatively straight line. My experience with bending galvanised pipe has not been too good. I can usually bend them a bit, but not all the way.

I am wondering whether anyone in this forum can help me. I have basic tools available, but no hydraulic tools.

Thank you for any help, please respond to my email address: huberthickey@gmail.com
Hubert

[txcncman]

I won't email an answer to you, but happy to post one here. I am not a fab guy by trade, but I have worked with metals for years and have done some on-the-fly repair work using available tools. First a question in response to your statement "no hydraulic". Your description leads me to think this is a farm or ranch environment (barn). So, you do not have any hydraulic jacks laying around to lift equipment for repairs? Next, depending on where on the ladder the bends are that you want to repair, is there anyway you can lay them on a concrete slab with the bend up and place a timber on top of the bend and drive a truck on top of it? You could also use a combination of chains, boards, and a hydraulic or even mechanical jack to apply force to bend the pipe.

[Geof]

You can try clamping them against a length of 2" x 4". Put a 5' length of 2" x 4" on edge spanning the bend with short 2" x 4" packing pieces at the ends. The packing pieces are so you can overbend the tube because there will be some springback. Now clamp the center of the bend toward the 2" x 4" using something like a ratchet strap if you don't have any large clamps. You might have to brace the 2" x 4" against the rest of the structure somehow so it doesn't flip around.

After you have got them straight fastening a length of 2" x 4" along them with pipe clamps will prevent careless forklift drivers bending them again.

[huberthickey]

Thank you, GEOF and Txcncman, for your prompt and helpful replies. I think that I see a way to solve this problem, now! I will use both of your replies, maybe.
I won't be able to get to it for several days.
Hubert