Link material idea

[Damnyankee]

2x2x .25 box tube. Cheap and super tough.

my lower links are really long they were originally made of 1.5 x .25 1020DOM.
when i would lay on a rock, they would bow.. (they came straight after getting off of them) it kind of wierded me out.. and i was concerned about beating on them too hard.

SO, i took some 2x2 x .25 box tube and sleaved them. sure they are a little heavy.. but i can beat the holy hell out of them without worry.

 

[Binder]

Ill put some 2x2x 1/4 box in the press over some 2od x 1/4 dom and give ya the results.

Like I said I wouldn't use DOM for links but I would like to see the same comparison done with heat treated cromo.....I kinda know the results......The cromo would bend much sooner and depending on how far you bend it, it will bend back straight again. The box would take more to bend it initially but with just a slight bend will stay bent.....It's just two different ways to address the same issue.
Also put a piece of that box in the press only rotate it 90 degrees so the point is down. Report back on that.:awesomework:

 

[Binder]

Last time around I bought 1 3/4" .375 wall cromolly, 4110 IIRC I will have to look it up- had them heat treated and they've lasted a couple years now with no bends.
In my opinion the key to it is getting the correct material and having it heat treated.:cheer:
Also to ad the length of the link plays a large roll too. The longer the link the more leverage is on it when it hits something so longer is more likely to bend.

BTW for those of us in web wheeling land the idea behind heat treating isn't to make is "stronger" it's to make it "spring" more.:awesomework:

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Like I said I wouldn't use DOM for links but I would like to see the same comparison done with heat treated cromo.....I kinda know the results......The cromo would bend much sooner and depending on how far you bend it, it will bend back straight again. The box would take more to bend it initially but with just a slight bend will stay bent.....It's just two different ways to address the same issue.
Also put a piece of that box in the press only rotate it 90 degrees so the point is down. Report back on that.:awesomework:

comparing heat treated chromo to mild box is not fair.

Like size and like material.

All Im getting at is a link in a buggy is different than a link in a dragster.

In a dragster or streetrod the link sees push/pull forces and a round tube is the right choice for strength.

In a buggy the link sees more side forces form getting parked on. Why stay with the wrong design (round tube) and just overbuild it and spend big money on fancy material when the design needs changed is all.

Its a bling thing. round looks cooler to the EBP.

The county and state dont care about bling. Thats why bridges are supported by round tubes (push pull forces) and the bridges horizontal supports are Ibeam or box (side forces).

(binder) you are the last person I should have to argue this with.

For the record, I have bent round links on my toyota (3400lbs) and straight box tube traction bars under the stomper (7500lbs), both 2 inch quarter wall.

 

[Binder]

comparing heat treated chromo to mild box is not fair.

Like size and like material.

All Im getting at is a link in a buggy is different than a link in a dragster.

In a dragster or streetrod the link sees push/pull forces and a round tube is the right choice for strength.

In a buggy the link sees more side forces form getting parked on. Why stay with the wrong design (round tube) and just overbuild it and spend big money on fancy material when the design needs changed is all.

Its a bling thing. round looks cooler to the EBP.

The county and state dont care about bling. Thats why bridges are supported by round tubes (push pull forces) and the bridges horizontal supports are Ibeam or box (side forces).

(binder) you are the last person I should have to argue this with.

For the record, I have bent round links on my toyota (3400lbs) and straight box tube traction bars under the stomper (7500lbs), both 2 inch quarter wall.

Not arguing anything. Like I said it's two different ways to adress the same issue. I've had good luck doing it one way and there are disadvantages to both ways depending on how you look at it.:beer:
Yes you can heat treat some cromo box tube but it will still be directional. You would just have to design it so in the weakest direction it's till strong enough.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Captain obvious here,

A chunk of ol box tube is cheap or free/common in the right scrap pile and not too heavy.

A chunk of 7075 aluminum is very expensive, hard to find, and heavy.

A chunk of heat treated chromo is very expensive, hard to find, and heavy.


Judging by the OP question of, "can I use an axleshaft to keep costs down?" I just dont think chromo and alum are in his budget.

While there might be baddass expensive options out there, we are looking for options the rigs owner can afford.

Or do like the rest of the internet never wheelers, "wait till you can build it the best way possible or dont build it" That secretly means= I will never finish this project and never wheel anyways but wont blame my fail as a wheeler on bad materials.

 

[Damnyankee]

Or do like the rest of the internet never wheelers,

thats funny.:haha:

 

[Bunk1]

You're right Bunk, I should have prefaced my claims that it was all 3rd party based on info I've been told by others. Which isn't fair to you and your business. My apologies Joe.

Its not a business, Yet. Everything ive done up to now is helping fellow wheelers and people i know.

To add some tech, I ran my last car for 3 years with the same links the entire time. My 'lifetime links' that are stupid heavy but promote a careless driving style. They are 2 inch 1/2 wall 4130 chromo, Heat treated. On my old car the front links with ends weighed 45 lbs. They never bent. They got scratched but never gouged to the point of being able to cut you. My old chassis was ressurected by a user on here and hes using the same links. If you ever bend one it wont be a issue. The hospital bill will be.

 

[WAMort]

The lower links only need to be Bunks and the weight increase is well below your center of gravity where you want it. The upper links can be 0.120 wall DOM as they aren't subjected to bending only tension and compression loads. Bunk has developed a very over designed link but trust me you can bash these all day long and never worry about bending a link. :awesomework:

 

[nowires]

2

 

[Binder]

The upper links can be 0.120 wall DOM as they aren't subjected to bending only tension and compression loads.

Not always true. Many rigs the uppers are vulnerable too..

 

[WAMort]

Not always true. Many rigs the uppers are vulnerable too..

you got my attention, tell me how uppers are subjected to bending loads?

 

[Bunk1]

you got my attention, tell me how uppers are subjected to bending loads?

I'll joint in here as i have zero engineering skills...If that 1/8th wall upper is bent in any way it will eventually see a tragic end. Im figuring a way to make thin wall uppers that are dead straight, Just need time and space.

yes, ive been talking with the engineer at my work

 

[Bunk1]

2

 

[WAMort]

I'll joint in here as i have zero engineering skills...If that 1/8th wall upper is bent in any way it will eventually see a tragic end. Im figuring a way to make thin wall uppers that are dead straight, Just need time and space.

yes, ive been talking with the engineer at my work

anything is possible when wheeling........:corn:

 

[Binder]

you got my attention, tell me how uppers are subjected to bending loads?

It depends on the configuration of your links. Mine for example which happen to be the same as a couple million other buggies, the uppers attach to the skid plate towards the outside and down low. They get hamered by rocks!

 

[nowires]

Logic isnt necessary in this test since everyone knows hardened chromo's are the end all. However reality is reality and square tube lowers will work just fine for some.

So then what would be stronger cromo tube or 7075 solid

 

[Bunk1]

So then what would be stronger cromo tube or 7075 solid

What wall thickness chromo? People are flirting with real thinwall lowers and getting away with it.

 

[nowires]

What wall thickness chromo? People are flirting with real thinwall lowers and getting away with it.

Lets stay in the same theary of weight .25 wall cromo and solid 7075

 

[Binder]

What wall thickness chromo? People are flirting with real thinwall lowers and getting away with it.

Thinwall lowers will last forever if they never get used....