Aluminum Intercooler Piping
 

couple questions

how many people here use aluminum for intercooler piping?

if you do, did you make sure the ends of the pipes were beaded/rolled to prevent couplers from popping off?

if you didn't roll/bead them did you have any problems with couplers popping off? and how long have you had the aluminum piping setup for?

i don't for a couple of reasons. #1 heat soak, #2 longevity (aluminium cracks easily, and since the intercooler piping goes from engine, to chassis, back to engine, there is a lot of stress and vibration on the intercooler pipes)... and no my steel piping is not beaded at the ends, and I haven't had any pipes pop off yet.

i've read AL is the optimum material for IC piping tho...

and isn't that what hump hoses are for? preventing the stress of vibration and preventing cracking?

whoops, i meant to ask if there were ppl that used AL and did roll/bead and if there were ppl that used AL and didn't roll/bead

Aluminum has a higher thermal conductivity so decreased IAT, lighter, less risk of corosion...
the down side to aluminum is the fab. and they can be AL bends can be a bit more
as for having the ends bead rolled its not nessecarry just get decent couplers (or even rad hose works excellent) and t-bolts.
you wont have pipes blow off.
but if your really consirned that they will just take a pair of pliers to the end of the pipes. might sound getto but it'll do