The upright in this picture is from a Mercedes 190.
I would like to know if any of you guys know what material(s) it's made off.
The axle seems to be hardened steel but the flange is certainly cast iron.
How is that steel axle fixed to the cast iron flange?
Any idea's?
Rescued attachment Upright Dscn2267.jpg
A Merc based locost!!!!!!!!!!! contradition of terms.! CITA CAST ONE PIECE THEN MACHINED TO SPEC.......ME THINKS. 
Without seeing the back of it - it's more a guess than statement.
Could it be the casting is cast carbon steel, the axle is then rough machined and then induction hardened. The rest remains good quality material. The
other threaded shafts - do they look parent material (unlikely cast iron) as cast iron threads are rubbish in any other stress other than
compression.
My 'guess' without seeing the back is as stated.
The "other threaded shafts" are modifications i made myself to replace the Mc Phers. and the lower balljoint.
I've tried to weld some steel parts to some spare casting but without succes,hence the thought that it was cast iron.
As for the Merc parts Mango...they are not that expencive.
Every egotripper overhere buys a Merc so they are well representent in the local scrappy
I do addmit that it's a bit...hmm unusual,a locost with Merc parts
Chances are then that the 'flange' as you put it is indeed cast iron. Why didn't you say you had fabricated the other threaded bars?
As to how the axle is secured. Could it be that it's inserted from the rear then heatshrunk on?
The new generation of hubs/uprights are now steel either cast or billet or even aluminium on the more expensive cars. Audi, BMW et al.
It will be cast steel, cast iron would not stand the shock of running over a fag butt, I looked into 190 when I was starting out. Even the rad is a good runner.
I thought that people would recognize the parts i made on that upright
Heat shrunk...hmmm could be as there is a small diameter part of the axle coming through the back off the casting.
Any easy method of finding which material the casting is made off?
I'm glad Hellfire that my upright is from a cheap car,unlike Audi,BMW etc..
I would have thought that it was all made from one casting, but the stub axle would have been spun in a CNC lathe, why introduce additional cost of
making the parts separately.
A simple test is to take a file to it. If the filings are black and the newly exposed metal is dark grey, it is cast iron, if the filings are silver
and the new metal is bright it is cast steel. But don't bother, it will be cast steel.
Is there a possibility Mark to weld this kind of stuff?(with an old arc welder?)
If it was cast steel you should be able to weld it pretty easily. If it's cast iron, welding it would prove more difficult wouldn't it?
The good old quick & dirty material test is the "grinder test" - grind a bit and look at the sparks.
Carbon in the mix causes sparkly sparks so the sparklier the sparks the more carbon. HSS gives dull red sparks, malleable cast looks a bit like it.
Ordinary 'orrible cast gives the most spangly sparks, mild steel gives yellow sparks with the occasional spangly one.
You think bonfire nights gone to my head don't you...... it's TRUE i tell you!!! You should certainly be able to see easily if it's one
peice by gringing bits with the angle grinder - best done in poor light so you can see the sparks
Bob C
PS anyone who saw the film "flesh gordon" - the "sex-rays" from the planet porno (emporer wank's secret weapon) were
grinding sparks from fairly high carbon mild steel in my opinion
I thought it only right that a thread titled "upright material" should degenerate into a discussion about low budget 1970s porn
flick.....
Bob
It will definitely be cast steel and cast as one piece. The stub axle may not even be heat treated.
You can weld cast steel, but if you do intend to weld to it, be sure it's done proberly.
I have welded caliper brackets and steering arms to uprights with perfect results.
That points to it being cast steel. If it was cast iron the ears where the caliper fastens and the clamp for the strut would fracture in everyday
use. It doesn't stand up to stresses like steel does. Put it on the edge of the bench and leave the caliper hanger sticking out then smack it
with the hammer. If it's cast iron it will break off. 
Most "modern" vehicle front suspension uprights are definitely steel. I would suggest that this Merc example is probably a forged (as in
drop-forged) item, not cast.
Then its possible to incorporate the stub axle, by the stamping action ensuring that the granular flow of the semi-molten steel runs along the axis of
the stub.
[Edited on 6/11/04 by Dick Axtell]
quote:
Originally posted by Dick Axtell
Most "modern" vehicle front suspension uprights are definitely steel. I would suggest that this Merc example is probably a forged (as in drop-forged) item, not cast.
Then its possible to incorporate the stub axle, by the stamping action ensuring that the granular flow of the semi-molten steel runs along the axis of the stub.
[Edited on 6/11/04 by Dick Axtell]