JD2 Model3, Pro-tools 105, and JMR Benders Compared

Welcome to what just may be the first unbiased comparison of the JD2 Model3, Pro-tools 105, and JMR Benders. There is a lot of the old Ford vs Chevy mentality towards these companies. Owners of these benders have a loyal appreciation of these products with due reasons. These are arguably the most popular benders under $1000.

I personally with the OFN have had many requests to compare these products. Tons of questions flow in each day about these products and until now has never been answered in a clear and concise manner on the Internet. This is a huge responsibility and I tread into it with some trepidation.

You may ask, “How can you be unbiased, when you have sold Pro-tools for 4 years? that is a good question. I have indeed been a dealer of Pro-tools products for almost 4 years and recently was approached by JD2 inquiring about Xtreme Crawlers possibly selling their products. Which is how this all started, I knew a little about the Model3 bender but not enough to make any educated statements about it. You can see this in my responses to users on this very site.

JD2 offered to send me a package consisting of their Model3 Bender, Degree Ring, Handle, all hardware, and 3 Dies. Then JMR heard about the comparison and wanted to get in on it. So they sent me a complete mechanical bender package, along with a full Hydraulic Conversion kit.

So with that said, I am in the unique situation to have all three benders and the ability to take measurements and use them. I will at no time throughout this comparison offer any personal opinions or remarks. I am simply the source by which to deliver the specs to you the user.

I fully encourage the manufacturers to participate in this comparison, by posting up their remarks and knowledge. I also encourage all the users to post up their experiences, customer service issues, concerns, and questions. Etc. But at no time will this become a bashing of any companies products, a flaming war, or vehicle to repeat hearsay. This review/comparison is designed for you the user or customer to ask or make informed decisions about your bender or the purchase of a bender.

Lets begin, this comparison will be based upon the JD2 Model3, JMR Mechanical Bender w/hydro conversion and the Pro-tools 105 w/hydro conversion.

What we will cover in this comparison will be the specs of the main arms, swing arms, pins, stop and degree, and dies. More specifically the 1.75 die, which is the most popular and any crossover parts and accessories. There will be two parts; Part 1 will cover the main arms, swing arms, pins, stop and degrees, and Dies. Part 2 will cover actually bending tubing.

Note: To view the photos in this comparison and get the most out of the comparison, you need to register on the OFN.
http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/register.php