Interesting Read on the use of Chrome moly in roll cages

[MDCmotorsports]

Its a long read.

If you really want to understand how motorsports turn corrupt against safety for the sake of going fast and making money...

READ:

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4358&Itemid=5

 

[Ckanderson]

cliffs?

 

[Supraboostin]

 

[Ckanderson]

^:rofl:

I searched for that pic and I couldent find it.

 

[Clip]

i got about 1/3 way through and got tired of reading it, went to youtube and looked for the crash, saw the crash and didn't feel the need to read anymore. looks like ill be using condition n tubing if i ever need to.

 

[GrimJack]

Cliffs: Looks like the biggest couple of race car manufacturers are using something other than good engineering and quality components to get their chassis to pass the inspection process.

It would take an awful lot of independent research to figure out if the guys writing the articles are impartial or not, though, so you have to take it all with a grain of salt.

 

[Poodles]

What I find odd is the fact that heat treating is more expensive to perform...

but anyway, Cliff's of the article are the bold part of the article really...

Fact: The SFI Funny Car chassis spec does not call for the use of heat treated tubing.



Fact: McKinney Corporation’s owner, Murf McKinney, has publicly stated he’s used, and continues to use, heat treated tubing in Funny Car chassis construction.



Conclusion: NHRA, despite knowing about the use of heat treated tubing, and despite their own rules that demand strict adherence to the SFI chassis spec, has allowed this to continue, with their logic apparently being that the word “equivalent” in the spec allows a builder to substitute the called-for Condition N tubing with heat treated tubing of greater dimensions.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

One thing about top fuel and funny car chassis that blows me away is how thin they really are.

1 1/2" x .065"?????

 

[Keros]

Ok.

So, most of the biggest builders are using more expensive material for what reason? Heat treated rolled steel is more expensive than normalized steel tubing. And, as far as I know, normalized is easier to weld. No where in that article (I admit I only read about 80% of it), did they say they have to do anything different than just use different steel.

What's the big deal? Same chassis, same process, same people, different steel. Cheaper steel. Easier to get steel. This makes no sense as to why they'd want to use heat treated if "Condition N" steel is proven to be better. Except plain ignorance.

Sounds absurd.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

Heat treated 4130 "goes faster" supposedly.

 

[Poodles]

ignorance, but if the spec was enforced it would eliminate more than half of the cars...

money vs safety as usual...

not to mention the reports of the chassis maker welding on the heat treated metal, which is a HUGE no-no and will compromise the structure... this is why you don't weld on semi truck chassis...

 

[MDCmotorsports]

ignorance, but if the spec was enforced it would eliminate more than half of the cars...

money vs safety as usual...

not to mention the reports of the chassis maker welding on the heat treated metal, which is a HUGE no-no and will compromise the structure... this is why you don't weld on semi truck chassis...

BINGO! Even if the repair was on group N 4130, the car should have been scrapped or taken apart, x rayed, then repaired or scrapped.

Blows my mind that you're going to trust some guy to lay a bead on some thing going 330mph.....

 

[GrimJack]

Same problem in mountain bike frames. If they crack, which happens often, they *can* be fixed, but you have to weld them, then re-heat treat them afterwards.

I wonder if they treat the entire frame on these cars after the initial welding?

 

[MDCmotorsports]

Same problem in mountain bike frames. If they crack, which happens often, they *can* be fixed, but you have to weld them, then re-heat treat them afterwards.

I wonder if they treat the entire frame on these cars after the initial welding?

Grim:
They are supposed to be completely heat treated after welding and x rayed.

But BEHOLD! They aren't.

SeeJohn Force.

 

[GrimJack]

I kinda thought that should be the case, I mean, my mountain bike frame is, and it costs under $2k and really shouldn't go any faster than 60mph.

Drag races are at least an order of magnitude more expensive, 5 times the speed, and goodness only knows how much more acceleration.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

The general rule of thumb is either completely heat treated or not at all.

In the sprint cars and midgets (you know the ones you see flipping out of the ball park) that Ive built we ALWAYS USE GROUP N tubing due to the fact it has a greater "stretch" ability over heat treated 4130.

 

[drunk_medic]

"It goes to 11..."

 

[shaeff]

^ haha, good ol' spinal tap!