For LowRiders, the outside diameter of the pipe or tube is the key thing. For LR4, there are three supported sizes: 29.5 mm, 30 mm, and 32 mm.
An inch is only 25.4 mm. The EMT sold in the US is sold based on inside diameter not outside diameter. So 1 inch EMT has an inside diameter of about 25.4, and an outside diameter of 29.5. So if you are buying some type of steel tube that is 1 inch on its outside diameter, then it is not large enough for LowRider v4.
The difference in functionality and rigidity between 25.4 and 29.5 is pretty substantial.
As an additional commentary on the difference between 1 inch outside diameter on an LR3 and the 29.5 mm outside diameter on an LR4, I can say that my LR4 with the larger diameter tubes is significantly more rigid. I have heard others say the same as well.
Well my unfinished eyesore has sat all year in the garage as it piled up with other family projects and eventually got very crowded. I have been incapacitated with a mid life crisis and basically have been circling the drain doing nothing but self loathing and ruminating on every negative thought I could come up with. And I can’t take it any more. I am going to finish something and try to metaphorically build my life back concurrently. At least thats the plan. It’s good to see this place so active with everyone sharing and learning new things. I actually convinced myself that I had somehow become incapable of learning the way I used to in schoolastics. I just really gotta get these idle hands moving again and the project in the garage has become a subconscious dragon I have got to get the courage to face before all of the rest of my issues can start to take priority. I know I was so close with the Lr3 but dropping out and allowing it to fester had a bigger effect on my self confidence than I knew. It was the feather on the back of many other feathers I’ve been tossing back there for way too long.
Anyways… this is the closest thing to a journal I’ve ever had where I can re-read through the past and I just came to put it out there that the LR4 will materialize out of all the dust and shame and it’s going to be good.