Strong and safe enough?

[Marktat]

Would these be strong enough for every day use? What do you guys think?
http://www.speedtech-performance.com...rod/prd121.htm (http://www.speedtech-performance.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=121/category_id=-1/home_id=-1/mode=prod/prd121.htm)

[Randy67]

At the bottom, it says they are for drag race and off-road use only. My feeling is that they shouldn't be used on a street car. One good pothole and :drive1: The weight savings isn't enough to justify the risk. Just my $.02

[protour_chevelle]

Lots of guys run the aluminum ones. Atleast locally and we have piss poor roads.

-Matt

[wickedmotorhead]

I sure as hell wouldn't trust putting constant lateral loads on that aluminum cross shaft without some proven testing like some FEA(including fatigue) and some true mileage put on them. And seriously what does aerospace quality aluminum really even mean anymore, tell us the grade if its so special. The others are either running high strength 4000 series steel or expensive stainless steels like 17-4 for good reason.

But for straight like stuff like drag racing it would be fine, like their note says. FYI: Global West offers both, aluminum for drag racing and steel for the street.

Shane

[Marktat]

The others are either running high strength 4000 series steel or expensive stainless steels like 17-4 for good reason.


Who has them in stainless steel? That would be nice.

[wickedmotorhead]

DSE uses stainless but they are proprietary to their control arms and not for use with the stock ones.

[Marktat]

DSE uses stainless but they are proprietary to their control arms and not for use with the stock ones.

Yep, found out earlier today when I called DSE. Anyone make these in stainless for use with my original A-arms.

[matthimself456]

Are your steel ones broken? You getting them just for the trick look? If thats the case get whole new arms. I don't see any benefit to trick shafts on stock stamped arms....

[silver69camaro]

And seriously what does aerospace quality aluminum really even mean anymore, tell us the grade if its so special.

It actually means nothing about it's strength, it never did. It's just used as a marketing term because it sounds trick. Some aerospace applications require a strong, fatigue-resistant aluminum, some don't. Which one are you getting? What were their metrics when choosing a material? Something to ask them, anyway.

[Bow Tie 67]

Well " aerospace " quality could mean every part is stamped with the approval of the FAA / PMA. Yeah right!!

This cert alone drives the cost of aircraft parts through the roof.

Reread, they only recommend for drag racing or off road use. Do not buy this for a daily driver, pot holes, hard corners, panic braking will all take its toll on the aluminum. GM used steel for a reason.

[baz67]

Wow, they save 3 whole pounds. Well if it were unsprung weight than it may be worth a look. However, I would stick with steel for that part for a street application. There is too much at risk when the part fails.

[Marcus SC&C]

We can assemble our adj. upper A arms with aluminum (6061 T6) cross shafts but we don`t offer them for street cars either. It`s not so much a strength issue as it is a fatigue issue. Unlike the arms themselves the cross shafts take most of their load in bending and concentrate it at the 2 mounting bolt holes (radial stress risers). Not a good place to cut corners on strength.They`d probably be fine but it`s not worth risking a failure over a couple pounds. Mark SC&C

[Marktat]

Thanks for the replies, I will stick with steel. I will probably get the GW offset shafts, unless someone knows where I can get them in stainless steel. Anyone heard of stainless versions that will fit original arms?

[Fuelie Fan]

Marcus,
why do you use 6061 if you're concerned about fatigue?

[MuscleRodz]

Who has them in stainless steel? That would be nice.Well If you look in Speedtech's store right next to the aluminum ones are the stainless ones. :slap:

Mike

[andrewb70]

Wow, they save 3 whole pounds. Well if it were unsprung weight than it may be worth a look. However, I would stick with steel for that part for a street application. There is too much at risk when the part fails.

They save 3 pounds but I am going to run 20" whels and tires. WooHoo...:hand:

Andrew

[Marktat]

:hand: OK, I feel like an idiot for not seeing that, unless they just added those to the website in the last couple of days!

[Marcus SC&C]

Fuelie Fan I`m not sure I quite get your question. SPC offers 6061 T6 aluminum cross shafts for race cars. I don`t care for them for street cars so we don`t catalog them or use them on any of our SC&C spec arms. Heck the fluted steel cross shafts we use for our greasable arms are lighter than stock already and really strong/durable so why bother with aluminum cross shafts?
Mark SC&C

[Fuelie Fan]

Sorry, I read that to mean that you actually made the cross shafts yourself. Guess I should be asking that question of SPC and/or speedtech. Mostly just a curiosity thing, from your answer it sounded like you had done some analysis and I wanted to probe that a little further.