Rescued attachment chassis in kitchen.jpg
Im sure its been discussed to death, but what would be the cost implications be and would a manufactuer (MK, Raw, etc) ever consider making one?
Stainless is to brittle for a chassis
What a load of cr-p mine is now3 years old done 7000 miles five track days one full day at zolder. Also i am putting 320 BHP through the back
wheels.
Rescued attachment chassis in kitchen.jpg
quote:
Originally posted by snapper
Stainless is to brittle for a chassis
Yeah - Are we not confusing aluminium with stainless here???
you can use ali too but the material thickness would make it pointless as a weight saving exercise
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
you can use ali too but the material thickness would make it pointless as a weight saving exercise
isn't stainless heavier and normal steel? so wouldn't it be a heavier chassis anyway?
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
you can use ali too but the material thickness would make it pointless as a weight saving exercise
Kev, you need a bigger garage or move the tele!
Well I wouldnt be welding or making it myself, I just wondered if its even worth asking a company to do, from a cost and a feasability perspective.
Robin Hood can do you a stainless (monocoque) chassis ready made 
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Well I wouldnt be welding or making it myself, I just wondered if its even worth asking a company to do, from a cost and a feasability perspective.
The Robin Hood 2B Superspec has a stainless chassis
quote:
Originally posted by designer
The Robin Hood 2B Superspec has a stainless chassis
2nd talking to 907, not sure that any manufacturer has the experience to make you a good S/S chassis. If corrosion is you issue I would consider
normal chassis then hot-zinc spray it (equivalent to dip galvanization but without the heat, not much more expensive than powder coating, but you will
probably want to paint it after).
Dan
[Edited on 2/11/09 by Bluemoon]
quote:
Originally posted by SeaBass
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
you can use ali too but the material thickness would make it pointless as a weight saving exercise
Oh please... Leave Aluminium out just for once.
I recently had to repair a crack in a caterham so steel is no better......
Think its cost , design, and quality of the welding that will make or break a chassis.
As for the weight issue its the drivers that could loose some weight........lol
I recently had to repair a crack in a caterham so steel is no better......
Think its cost , design, and quality of the welding that will make or break a chassis.
As for the weight issue its the drivers that could loose some weight........lol
Hi All.
Just thought I'd add a bit of info regarding weight.
A cubic metre of mild steel weighs 7752 kgs.
A cubic metre of stainless, depending on the grade, is around 7900 kgs.
So that's about a 2% weight gain for stainless.
This is of course off set to a small degree by the lack of paint. 
Cheers
Paul G
quote:
Originally posted by madteg
What a load of cr-p mine is now3 years old done 7000 miles five track days one full day at zolder. Also i am putting 320 BHP through the back wheels.
quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
I recently had to repair a crack in a caterham so steel is no better......
Think its cost , design, and quality of the welding that will make or break a chassis.
As for the weight issue its the drivers that could loose some weight........lol
With stainless you would really have to know what you are doing with material grades and using the correct filler wire.
The stuff Robin Hood use is sometimes called stainless iron ---- ie it isn't really intended as a structural material,
I have heard of problems with cracking in stainless - due to the change in composition of the steel in the heat affected zone near the weld, so its
quite dependant on the grade. I don't really know if this is significant though- it will depend on the grade of SS.
Stainless has lower thermal conductivity (third to half) mild steel and about 30% higher thermal expansion, so distortion is much higher.
The tensile strengths of the various grades of stainless varies a lot, so its difficult to say if the chassis would have to be heavier or lighter!
You need to treat (passivate) the weld to get the best corrosion resistance.
Stainless, when it tears, tends to produce razor edges compared to mild steel - ask anyone who's drilled it, then carelessly brushed the swarf
away with their hand.
It will be harder to modify/tack on brackets etc afterwards as there are less people around who are set up to weld stainless.
If you drill and tap it, be aware than bolts screwed into stainless threads can bind horribly.
Stainless work hardens, so if you part flexes it will end up more likely to fail - this is only going to be a problem if you are close to the limit
though.
Regards
Hugh
quote:
What a load of cr-p mine is now3 years old done 7000 miles five track days one full day at zolder. Also i am putting 320 BHP through the back wheels.