loggyboy
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:12 PM |
|
|
Stainless Chassis
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?
|
|
|
|
|
snapper
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:14 PM |
|
|
Stainless is to brittle for a chassis
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
|
|
|
madteg
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:22 PM |
|
|
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
|
|
|
scootz
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:23 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by snapper
Stainless is to brittle for a chassis
Why?
My Quantum Xtreme has a stainless chassis and is perfectly fine.
It's Evolution Baby!
|
|
|
SeaBass
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:23 PM |
|
|
Yeah - Are we not confusing aluminium with stainless here???
|
|
|
ashg
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:29 PM |
|
|
you can use ali too but the material thickness would make it pointless as a weight saving exercise
Anything With Tits or Wheels Will cost you MONEY!!
Haynes Roadster (Finished)
Exocet (Finished & Sold)
New Project (Started)
|
|
|
SeaBass
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:39 PM |
|
|
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.
|
|
|
omega0684
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:44 PM |
|
|
isn't stainless heavier and normal steel? so wouldn't it be a heavier chassis anyway?
I love Pinto's, even if i did get mine from P&O!
|
|
|
iank
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:52 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
you can use ali too but the material thickness would make it pointless as a weight saving exercise
Not as a spaceframe you can't even if you used solid bar it would crack due to the welds annealing the stuff. See 907's post in this
thread
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=120823
907 has built a stainless chassis, but agrees that stainless is prone to cracking compared to mild steel. You need to be very careful picking your
grade, and should TIG weld it rather than MIG (much better for regular chassis as well as you don't suffer the cold start problems)
Again see his post in this thread detailing this issues and advice.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=57683
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
|
|
|
Dingz
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 10:56 PM |
|
|
Kev, you need a bigger garage or move the tele!
Phoned the local ramblers club today, but the bloke who answered just
went on and on.
|
|
|
loggyboy
|
| posted on 1/11/09 at 11:23 PM |
|
|
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.
|
|
|
Humbug
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 07:21 AM |
|
|
Robin Hood can do you a stainless (monocoque) chassis ready made 
|
|
|
iank
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 07:34 AM |
|
|
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.
I'd talk to 907 personally if I were interested in the idea.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
|
|
|
designer
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 08:17 AM |
|
|
The Robin Hood 2B Superspec has a stainless chassis
|
|
|
MikeRJ
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 08:30 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by designer
The Robin Hood 2B Superspec has a stainless chassis
Low grade stainless though (exhaust tubing), it still seems to get surface rust if not painted.
|
|
|
Bluemoon
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 09:20 AM |
|
|
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]
|
|
|
scootz
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 09:35 AM |
|
|
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.
Lol... ashg - perhaps you should change your name to ali-g 
It's Evolution Baby!
|
|
|
mangogrooveworkshop
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 11:19 AM |
|
|
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
|
|
|
mangogrooveworkshop
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 11:46 AM |
|
|
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
|
|
|
907
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 11:57 AM |
|
|
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
|
|
|
Uryen
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 11:58 AM |
|
|
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.
My goodness your wife must love you alot to let you put that in the kitchen.
I am not allowed to bring anything inside. But I am given the garage as my domain.
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 12:10 PM |
|
|
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
Caterham's used 1.2 mm wall thickness --- a hangover from the original Lotus Seven don't know if they still do.
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 12:15 PM |
|
|
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] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
hughpinder
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 03:21 PM |
|
|
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
|
|
|
snapper
|
| posted on 2/11/09 at 06:14 PM |
|
|
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.
So madteg.... my comments arn't complete crap then....
Yes stainless is used by Robin Hood, yest the stainless monocoques use a softer steel but it still cracks, the 2b's with there tube chassis
don't crack as a rule....
Stainless in its purer forms cracks...
To make a stainless chassis it needs the right stainless and correctly welded.
It might crack though.
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
|
|
|
