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Tube fenders are used on off-road vehicles to prevent them from getting caught on obstacles like rocks or tree stumps. They are made from mild steel or chrome molly pipe and can also protect the vehicle’s body panels. They are also used on ice racing motorcycles to protect other riders and motorcycles from damage caused by ice picks.
A tube fender is constructed from a piece of tubing that is bent and positioned to cover the outer edge of a vehicle’s tire. Typically found on off-road vehicles, particularly rock crawling type vehicles, the fender prevents the vehicle from hanging on an obstacle such as a rock or tree stump when driving over it. Another feature of the tubular fender that makes it popular with the rock crawling community is its ability to slide across the surface of a rock. By sliding over the rock surface, the fender allows the vehicle to glide easily along the road without the possibility of getting caught on an obstacle due to exterior body tin.
In some applications, the tube fender simply fits around the body of the vehicle. This kind of exoskeleton-like design works more like a body protector, keeping the vehicle’s body panels from coming into contact with obstacles and rocks along a trail. These versions often link the fender to the footpeg tubes to create a complete protection package. The type of pipe used in this application is usually a mild steel pipe. This pipe crushes more easily than chrome molly, however it is much less expensive and is easier to weld and repair down the road.
For all purpose built buggies for rock crawling, the fender generally replaces any type of body panel. Using the fender solely for the purpose of creating a component on which the rest of the vehicle can slide over an obstacle, the pipe is often the more expensive chrome molly pipe. This type of pipe is much stronger and lighter. The downside to using this tubing is the expense and the requirement for Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding when performing repairs. A TIG welder on the road is much more expensive than a simple arc welder or Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding rig.
Some other variations of the fender can be found on ice racing motorcycles. In this configuration, the fender is used to protect other riders and motorcycles from damage caused by ice picks used on the rider’s tires. Typically designed in a continuous loop, this type of fender design runs most of the time around the tires, getting dangerously close to the ice as it wraps around the studded rubber.
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