STEEL SFB?? Go or No Go??

[philallemang]

i know that alumnium is used but it is kinda of pricy for a set. Would it be possible to use steel? would the ride be harser or worse than alumnium. the price of steel is about 25% of what alumnium cost.

Thanks

 

[olympic]

Steel is way heavier and prone to rust. It's also more expensive to machine. So in the end, aluminum SFB's are the same price and better.

 

[jelloslug]

Steel is not more expensive to machine.

 

[twr]

jelloslug:
Steel is not more expensive to machine.

No, but it is a little harder to machine. If you do steel be sure to get them galvanized so they won't rust to bad. Honestly $125 for a set of 4 aluminum bushings and 2 recall kits (new hardware) is a very fair price

 

[olympic]

jelloslug:
Steel is not more expensive to machine.

I'm not a machinist but I assumed since steel is a harder material, it would be harder on the machining bits and drills(wearing them out faster). It would also take longer to make them out of steel beacuse the equipment can't move as fast. Therefore they would charge more for doing it. I could be wrong but it makes sense to me.

As stated above, $125 for the kit is quite reasonable considering the cost of the materials used. I recently priced out some 3.5" aluminum rod at $50/foot! eek!

 

[jelloslug]

If you have ever machined both materials you will know why I said what I said. Aluminum smears and tears when you cut it requiring sharper tools and more maintance to the cutting surface of the tool, you also have to reduce the feed to keep the surface finish acceptable. Common steel grades, on the other hand, machine very smoothly without tearing or smearing which is easier on the tools, giving you much less wear of the tool. Its not all about the hardness of the material, but the material its self. Brass is great if you want to machine stuff fast, its soft and easy to cut.

<small>[ April 03, 2003, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: jelloslug ]</small>

 

[twr]

Your right - I forgot you have to slow the feed rates down to keep aluminum from "Gumming" up the tooling (lot's of coolant helps to). Honestly though - there's not a lot of steps in machining these parts, 7 or 8 at the most, and nothing fancy at that.

 

[philallemang]

I know that steel is harder to machine cause we do all own machine work. Thats why i asked because we have all the tools/machines to make them. I know that steel is cheaper cause aluminum like said before is like 50 bucks a foot. Far as i know aluminum is is MORE expensive because like jelloslug said you have to slow down the feed rate. I had already thought about galvanizing them so that they dont rust.

Off of the subject, Terry did you get that engine???

<small>[ April 03, 2003, 03:53 PM: Message edited by: philallemang ]</small>

 

[twr]

philallemang:

Off of the subject, Terry did you get that engine???

Yep - I was a little worried with the condition of the cylinder walls - looks like some water had been sitting on top of the pistons for awhile. I honed them out, but there is still a little dis-coloring in 2 of the walls, nothing that I can catch a finger nail on though.

Crank is back in (new mains) I have 2 pistons in, other 4 will be going in tonight (new rings and rod bearings) I'm waiting on some other gaskets and stuff to come in. This weekend I will be tearing into my car. Got my quaife ready to go in and will be using the heads off my 3.0 after I replace stem seals (3.2 heads need a lot of R&R)

Did you get the subs yet??

 

[jelloslug]

A cheaper way to keep them from rusting would be zinc and dichromate. Thats what we use at work for an inexpensive plating for rustproofing.

 

[philallemang]

Terry, no not yet. Merlin hasn't been back to nebraska yet. When he comes back he will drop them off.

About that engine, was it the number 5 and 6 piston?? cause i think them were the two that were leaking a bit of coolent. What are them stem seals?? i have not really heard about them

 

[twr]

philallemang:
Terry, no not yet. Merlin hasn't been back to nebraska yet. When he comes back he will drop them off.

About that engine, was it the number 5 and 6 piston?? cause i think them were the two that were leaking a bit of coolent. What are them stem seals?? i have not really heard about them

Valve Stem Seals, should have been more specific. The 2 cylinders were the two that were down in the bore (1 and 6 maybe, don't remember right now)

Honestly I didn't see where there would have been a head gasket leak, just where water enter through the heads from being exposed w/o an intake on. Possible 5 and 6 were leaking.