Aluminum

[BlueJeeper]

I have a few questions w/rt aluminum and skid plates.

I have an oil pan/transmission skid plate, of which I am happy with the oil pan part, but not the transmission part. The transmission part is 1/8" steel, and my '03 automatic transmission pan sits far too low for me to be comfortable with it. I would like to reinforce that area, and was thinking about getting some 6061 aluminum plate to bolt on top of the 1/8" steel. The area in question, off the top of my head, is about, oh 1.5 ft. by 2 ft. or so, maybe. What would be a good thickness of aluminum plate to give this a shot with?

I have also been thinking about (maybe) making some rocker protection out of 6061-T6 aluminum structural angle. I spend time in rocks, but nothing near the level of, or as potentially destructive as some of the trails that some of you run. What might be a good thickness for the exterior guard? What thickness for an interior reinforcement? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Rick

[BlueJeeper]

mmmkay...

Here's another dumb question; for those with Al skids, do you notice the higher coefficient of friction from steel when sliding over stuff?? If it has been bad enough, have you ever considered skinning your skids with something thin & with a lower coefficient of friction like steel or plastics (high-density polyethelyne, delrin, nylon, etc.)??

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Rick Bernotas
mmmkay...

Here's another dumb question; for those with Al skids, do you notice the higher coefficient of friction from steel when sliding over stuff?? If it has been bad enough, have you ever considered skinning your skids with something thin & with a lower coefficient of friction like steel or plastics (high-density polyethelyne, delrin, nylon, etc.)??

I have an aluminum flat skid and notice no difference in slide ability. I am considering coverting all the steel armor on my rig and the bumpers to aluminum.

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Rick Bernotas
I have a few questions w/rt aluminum and skid plates.

I have an oil pan/transmission skid plate, of which I am happy with the oil pan part, but not the transmission part. The transmission part is 1/8" steel, and my '03 automatic transmission pan sits far too low for me to be comfortable with it. I would like to reinforce that area, and was thinking about getting some 6061 aluminum plate to bolt on top of the 1/8" steel. The area in question, off the top of my head, is about, oh 1.5 ft. by 2 ft. or so, maybe. What would be a good thickness of aluminum plate to give this a shot with?

I have also been thinking about (maybe) making some rocker protection out of 6061-T6 aluminum structural angle. I spend time in rocks, but nothing near the level of, or as potentially destructive as some of the trails that some of you run. What might be a good thickness for the exterior guard? What thickness for an interior reinforcement? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Rick

The minimum aluminum I would use for any use would be 3/16's. Not too heavy, pretty stout and not too expensive.

As far as the angle goes, be careful there. The small radius of the corner will dig into the rocks badly and stop your intentional progress. I would prefer to see you use a minimum 2" diameter heavy wall tube to keep from hanging up.

[BlueJeeper]

Thanks for the advice, I will have to experiment with the larger radius corner.

[BlueJeeper]

Does anyone have any suggestions of strong adhesives that will bond plastics to aluminum? The bond must be structural.

Thanks,
Rick

[cbremer]

3M automix truck line is used by truckers to bond fiberglass panels to aluminum trailer frames. maybe it'll do the trick.

[BlueJeeper]

Originally posted by cbremer
3M automix truck line is used by truckers to bond fiberglass panels to aluminum trailer frames. maybe it'll do the trick.

Very interesting, thanks!

[mrblaine]

Rick, the problem with gluing a "slippery" plastic to anything is that typically those plastics-polypropylene, acetal(delrin), polyethylene, teflon, UHMW, and the like are difficult to bond to themselves much less anything else.

The other disadvantage to them is their weight. You are going to aluminum to save weight, correct?

If so, then the weight savings will be quickly lost by the addition of any plastic thick enough to withstand any torture on the rocks. Check the weight per cubic foot of them, they are heavy. These plastics are also very soft and the rocks will dig in pretty easily.

[BlueJeeper]

I agree with what you are saying, about needing a lot of the stuff for it to actually hold up. The density of Delrin, UHMW, etc. is about 1/2 the density of 6061, and besides the fact that you negate the weight difference by needing a lot of it, it has alot of other undesirable properties when compared to 6061, as you said.

I've just mainly been thinking about the different properties of those materials and how I might experiment with them or like materials, just for the heck of it. I don't know anything about them other than datasheets I've read on matweb and elsewhere, so I value your input.

Thanks,
Rick