Serious question, has anyone else had a bad experience with those 'universal' tube expander heads?

Bought one for a job last month thinking it would save time, but the fit was off and it ruined two tubes on a 500 PSI boiler. Cost me $300 in materials and an extra day's labor to fix. What brand do you guys actually trust for that kind of work?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas8622mo ago

Ever try renting the brand-specific tools @noahhernandez mentioned? Saves cash if you don't need them often.

noahhernandez2mo ago

Universal heads are a gamble. Learned that the hard way on a chiller job. Now I only use brand-specific expanders for each tube type. The fit is perfect every time. It costs more upfront but saves so much headache. My go-to is the manufacturer's own tool when I can get it.

the_karen25d ago

@thomas862 brings up a good point about renting but nobody's talking about tube thickness. Those universal heads don't account for different wall gauges, so even if the diameter is close the expander can pinch the metal in the wrong spot. I had one that was fine on thin wall tubes but just tore up the heavier ones. Did you match the head to the actual tube specs or just eyeball it based on size? That 500 PSI boiler is no joke for fit.