Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:52:31 -0400
Reply-To: Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Magical cast iron suspension?
In-Reply-To: <1b85fa6a0810171916q7c160f77p2c19e33a6c6f0a22@mail.gmail.com>
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Which means the steel pieces are up to the task as well.
On 10/17/08, Zeitgeist <gruengeist@gmail.com> wrote:
> Aren't all "T" chassis vehicles designated as one ton from sometime early in
> the sixties (~'63?)? I strongly suspect that VW knew a thing or two about
> how to make the suspension robust enough to maintain that designation.
>
> On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 6:18 PM, Mike <mbucchino@charter.net> wrote:
>
>> I seriously doubt that VW would make a heavy vehicle major suspension
>> component out of a weak, brittle cast iron. Who says it's cast iron,
>> anyway? My bet is that it's forged..........nothing less would do.......
>>
>> Mike B.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "pdooley" <psdooley@VERIZON.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 9:46 AM
>> Subject: Re: Magical cast iron suspension?
>>
>>
>> Ummm, what about ductile cast iron?
>>>
>>> You must be thinking of white or gray iron. Those are low
>>> strength/ductility and give cast iron a bad rep.
>>> I'm pretty sure VW didn't use that for the control arms.
>>>
>>> No, I'm pretty sure they used ductile/nodular cast iron, which is plenty
>>> tough and strong for use in a Vanagon suspension.
>>>
>>> Regardless, cast or stamped, there is no way I would change from one or
>>> the
>>> other, I already have enough to do without looking for more work.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>>> Of
>>> John Reynolds
>>> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:02 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: Magical cast iron suspension?
>>>
>>> "So still no compelling evidence to upgrade, especially based on my
>>> driving
>>> experience of 4 years each in an '85 and '84 Westy."
>>>
>>> Probably cost. Fabricating arms out of several pieces of steel and
>>> welding
>>> them were likely more expensive than casting. That's my guess.
>>>
>>> I'd prefer the welded steel than brittle cast iron anyway. Steel when
>>> over
>>> stressed will bend, the cast iron will break clean off, most grades have
>>> have very little ductility. Cast iron, repeat after me: strong in
>>> compression, weak in tension.
>>>
>>> My $.02, your mileage may vary.
>>>
>>> John R
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Casey
> '87 300TD
> '94 100CSQ Avant
> '89 Bluestar
>
--
Sent from my mobile device
Chris S.
Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"
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