Stainless Steel Frame Question

[David Kirkham]

The weight difference between a stainless and a steel car is now only about 15 pounds. Because of supply issues, we now use thicker stainless tubes (other than the main rails) in most of the other tubes in the car. The first stainless chassis were really light. Now, they are quite similar. We helped to make up for that with the new aluminum hood, trunk, and door frames. That saves about 20 pounds right now over the steel and stainless counterparts.

We use 304L stainless on our stainless chassis cars. The real difference is the stainless is really cool and the steel is much less expensive. Strengths are quite similar and stiffness is quite similar. Stainless just looks cooler. My new car is a stainless steel chassis car.

David

[rsimoes]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Strengths are quite similar and stiffness is quite similar.

Can you feel the difference in the chassis when you drive them both back to back? (assuming both cars are close in suspension settings, etc)

[David Kirkham]

No,

I am not that good of a driver! Maybe Morris, or Mario Andretti could tell.

David

[Lew Ledyard]

You can definitely feel the difference. It's hard to describe - it's kind of like wearing your lucky underwear.

[Chilibit]

Does the aluminum body touch the frame and if so does stainless help there in terms of dissimilar metals interacting?

[rsimoes]

Originally Posted by Lew Ledyard

You can definitely feel the difference. It's hard to describe - it's kind of like wearing your lucky underwear.

What do you mean?

[JBo]

problem is a form of electrolosis. Only a problem in salt water areas or areas of heavy airborn salt and condensation. Frequent rinsing underside should prevent problem. Consider rubber isolators at body mounts as well.

[rsimoes]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

No,

I am not that good of a driver! Maybe Morris, or Mario Andretti could tell.

David

I guess what I was trying to get at is when moving from one surface to another at a different angle, let's say a steep driveway, where you come in at a 45 degree angle to be sure that you won't scrape the front, so one wheel hits at a time. As the front wheel climbs the driveway, and the opposite side rear wheel is still on flat pavement, could you feel a difference in the frame torsion between the stainless and the steel?

I had a friend that I used to visit with a couple different Corvettes with a real steep driveway as described above. I remember that with my 1993 Vette, it was like jello, you felt the car's structure completely twist as it flexed going up that driveway, while the 2004 Z06 I had later would feel like it was carved from a chunk of steel. I think it would have picked up a wheel off the ground before it gave in this stress. The difference between these two generations of vettes is significant. . .

Furthermore, I assume the stainless is thinner than the steel in order to be lighter, since I believe SS is stronger than steel, is this assumption correct?

[Chilibit]

"I assume the stainless is thinner than the steel in order to be lighter, since I believe SS is stronger than steel, is this assumption correct?"



There are only about a billion variations, which one were you referring to?

The addition of atoms to combat corrosion typically does NOT improve strength, but it does corrode less.

I would happily yield to a metallurgist, but I believe (as opposed to know or think) that stainless alloys are softer and less strong depending on how and what you measure. But they can be specified to be strong enough for a given application.

It does not rust (not technically true, but practically so) and it looks great. Kinda what ERA said. I best get out of here before an SPF'er gets 'whooped' up on. ;-) Those ERAs look mighty fine.

Ciao,