aluminum DOM

C

crabbelle

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does anyone think that aluminum DOM can handle the force of being used as traction bars? i wanna build a set but i dont wanna add too much weight to the truck. i cant run caltracs
 
I know a buddy of mine runs those aluminum bars on his rock crawler, they are tuff for sure but I think they are designed to flex also, I may be wrong. I'd stick with steel. Better yet try it out and let us know how it works. I think ballistic will sell it to ya by the foot.
 
if you are after weight savings, go with chrome moly, because by the time you sized aluminum up enough for the strength, chrome moly would be lighter
good luck, ed
 
IMO their are other places to loose weight.. Plus, with the price of carbon steel DOM, I don't even want to know how much aluminum is.
 
For a street truck I think aluminum would work fine, sledpullers are the ones with the problems of bending them if not heavy enough. If you are just trying reduce axle wrap, aluminum should work fine in my opinion. Or chrome moly would probably be better.
 
Red Sleeper said:
IMO their are other places to loose weight.. Plus, with the price of carbon steel DOM, I don't even want to know how much aluminum is.
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I would tend to agree with this. ALSO, and i may have missed it, just how long do you intend on making the traction bars?
 
In tension, Al would be fine, but due to the very low elastic modulus (~1/3 as stiff as steel), if you put a long, unsupported slender Al column in compression, they will be very susceptible to buckling. You would need to go up on diameter quite a bit to replicate the same structural stiffness as the exact same thing made of steel...and as such some of the weight savings goes out the window.

If you made up a ladder bar with webbing in between, it could probably work, but I'd only be doing that if I were building some all-out drag truck where weight was absolutely supreme.

A thin but well designed Cro-Mo structure would definitely give the aluminum one a run for its money in terms of performance, cost, and reliability.
 
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Hurley said:
I would tend to agree with this. ALSO, and i may have missed it, just how long do you intend on making the traction bars?
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In reality I would want them long enough to be close to same angle as the drive shaft; that's what I read.. But we don't know length cause we don't know what kinda truck, at least I don't know.. :poke:

Edit: I know it's a different application but I made a set of 4pt sub-frame connectors and an adjustable panhard bar for my camaro out of 1.25 OD 1'' ID DOM. After custom brackets, tunnel brace, and heims I added maybe 20-25lbs. No difference in ET's (did compare before and after).

If you are going a short distance I don't see why smaller DOM won't do the job...?
 
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Sorry guys...your all wrong. If they are used as compression struts...ie bottom of axle clevis mount to frame forward of the axle...single tube...its all compression and simply the geometry of the shape matters. Aluminum will be more than fine. Thinner wall larger diameter....say 2 inch od for your most bang for buck or pound.
 
If you mount them below the axle they'll be under compression under acceleration, but under tension if you mount them above. So plan accordingly.
 
Braking is nothing cause of wieght transfer...either way...tension is even better....ad they will be plenty strong. I break 15k joints with my 1.5 inch sch 10 sa 53 eb pipe.

Tell me the sectio, material, and length and I will tell you how much force to break then....or better yet if you include your tire dia and final gearing....the torque your engine would have to make.
 
cquestad said:
Braking is nothing cause of wieght transfer...either way...tension is even better....ad they will be plenty strong. I break 15k joints with my 1.5 inch sch 10 sa 53 eb pipe.

Tell me the sectio, material, and length and I will tell you how much force to break then....or better yet if you include your tire dia and final gearing....the torque your engine would have to make.
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How do you calculate the shock load caused by axle hop or uneven surfaces?
 
2" 7005 aluminum links held up under a 5000lbs 450hp rock crawler, with some massive gear reduction and sticky tires, I think they will be fine as traction bars.
 
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