Anyone ever run solid bar for the steering?

Crab

Crab

thanks darin...noswad!
Location
Seattle
I picked up some aluminum solid bar stock at the steel yard for my straight bars, tired of bending the UMI stuff. $6.40 Anyone ever do this?
 
OCD Solutions

OCD Solutions

Original, Clean and Dependable Solutions
Location
Rentz, GA
I was looking at a piece yesterday as I was scrounging around to make a set of straight bars. I'm pretty sure that the solid bar will actually bend easier but I can't remember why I know this. Experience for sure but I just can't remember what I built before to prove it.
 
stanton

stanton

High on jetskis.
Location
atascadero,ca
non anodized aluminum will corrode like crazy in the salt water. some 7075 t6 will be your best bet as far as corrosion resistance and strength. cutting some 7068 at work and its got a very high tensile strength, it doesnt like to form tap. would probly be the strongest. if i was going to do my own straight bars i would use titanium 6al4v. ;)
mcmasters got it Part Number: 89055K393 $357.15 !!
 
Crab

Crab

thanks darin...noswad!
Location
Seattle
I'm going to use this for a while until I find something I like better, it was cheap but may be a bit too heavy. Mcmaster had a few other choices as well.
 
Kny21

Kny21

Location
Delaware
Solid bars will bend easier..... has to do with less surface tension or something physics'y like that. :dance:

Just like "I" beams are stronger than solid square beams.

You're going to want a tube with a thicker wall, or go to a stronger material like 50 says.
 
guiness92

guiness92

▓▓▒▒▒▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▓▓▓▓▓▓
Location
South Jersey Shore
I always thought that a solid tube is acutally only like 10% stronger than a hollow tube, but hollow is usually used due to weight factors.

Im probably way wrong though, im just an idiot that knows nothing about physics lol.
 
Crab

Crab

thanks darin...noswad!
Location
Seattle
I found some thickwall 6063 .021 at Mcmastercarr, may upgrade at some point and sell the other 3 sets I could cut. I just picked up the solid as it was cheap and all they had.
 
teronas

teronas

Perfection
Location
Washington
If the solid rod and tube are the same material and the same diameter, the rod will be stronger. The rod will not be a whole lot stronger because most of the stress on the rod/tube will be at the outermost point and the "filling" will have much less affect on the strength for the amount of mass it adds.. If you want a lot more strength you will need a stronger material or a larger diameter rod/tube.
 
teronas

teronas

Perfection
Location
Washington
guiness92 said:
I always thought that a solid tube is acutally only like 10% stronger than a hollow tube, but hollow is usually used due to weight factors.
Click to expand...

Correct, solid are generally not used because the weight/strength and cost/strength ratio make it not worth using a solid rod of equal diameter. (main reason why I beams are used over solid square beam)
 
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Idok

Idok

F1pro
Location
Nations oldest muthaF+++kin city
i have 2 new sets of WDK bars....

one is solid and has the ends drilled out for bars.....


the other is a different type of aluminum, heavier than Xmetals but lighter than the ones listed above..

Xmetals are nice and light but they do bend...
 
Crab

Crab

thanks darin...noswad!
Location
Seattle
Idok said:
i have 2 new sets of WDK bars....

one is solid and has the ends drilled out for bars.....


the other is a different type of aluminum, heavier than Xmetals but lighter than the ones listed above..

Xmetals are nice and light but they do bend...
Click to expand...
His site shows that as 2024 aluminum, supposedly superior strength but more prone to corrosion.
 
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