bending rails

Whats the easiest way to rebend a hand rail? <br /><br />The front hand rail on my cuddy is bent downward on one side. I've tried getting the whole bar off, but its really stuck in the support guides and I don't want to mess it for fear of breaking the threads out of the boat or the guides.<br /><br />Is it possible to put a 2x4 under the bend and jack up the bend? My only fear is that it will put too much pressure on the support guide.<br /><br />Or, what about wedging two boards (top & bottom) over the bend and then using a hand vise to squeeze them together?<br /><br />Anyone got some ideas beyond completely removing the whole thing and jumping on it on the ground?

Re: bending rails

Is it alumunn or S/S?Try the wedging deal first.Using a jack would most likly break the base plates.

Re: bending rails

To make small bends in tubing I've made wooden mandrels before. Round off the end of a dowel that fits snug inside the tubing but will slide out easily and insert it up to the area you want to bend and slide a pipe over the outside of the tubing and bend up while pushing forward using the pipe as a lever. The mandrel needs to be backed out as the bend takes shape for large radius bends, it's purpose is to prevent the tube from squashing flat.<br /><br />You could tie the rail down to the trailer with a rope at the point you want the bend and then put a pipe over the rail and push up also. Or stick a board between the rail and hull from topside and one from bottomside where you want to bend up and pull them towards each other being careful not to pressure the fittings.<br /><br />A conduit bender would work OK except the diameter of the rail is likely to small to work right but something could be improvised perhaps...

Re: bending rails

Thanks for the ideas... I was able to loosen up the whole bar by first loosening up the attaching screws, then pounding the front tight curved point with a rubber hammer till the bar popped out of the base.<br /><br />Once I got it out of the base, I was able to put it on carpeting, and then have the wife stand on the opposite side while I slowly walked the curve till the bend went away. Its not perfect as I have a very slight indentation, (not flattened), but it look much better.<br /><br />To reinstall I placed the ends back in the base, tapped with the rubber hammer again till set, tightend the base screws, and then realigned and tightened the other support bars.