I'm having trouble finding harder grades of aluminium for my floor. I'm using 1.2mm as my floor is not designed to be structural.

Is 1050 going to be OK? or do I need to look harder!


James

Think 1050 H14 may be ok but at 1.2mm you'd better not stand on it.

I think you'd be better off with something stronger (5xxx) personally. 5754 being used for floors by industry.

http://www.aalco.co.uk/technical/aluminium.html

I used Aalco, but irritatingly you seem to be located somewhere in the middle of 3 of their depots.

[Edited on 26/3/08 by iank]

If you go for 1.2mm I hope your seat base is made out of something strong otherwise you'll get pebbledashed buttocks if you drive over a gravel path

The seat bases are made from 4 sets of 40x40mm T6 angle ally bolted to the chassis - They are not going anywhere, the ally is purely to provide a nice aerodynamic bottom!

I think Ben was referring more to the possibility of the floor pan being punctured by things like stones etc.

This has been discussed before and I think the danger isn't from things being thrown up and puncturing but from driving over something that may gouge into the floor and work it's way through.

I'd be inclined to go with something tougher and maybe slightly thicker.

Looking at the spec sheets on the Aalco site posted by Ian, even the harder stuff isn't much heavier than the not so hard stuff. It'll still be on average one third the weight of the same mild steel thickness.

ATEOTD, it's your bottom... go with what you feel is safe enough.

A mate of mine VERY nearly ended up less a bollock or two in his Caterham. He was overtaking something, when he hit a rock in the middle of the road, which spat up into the bottom of his sump and then bounced underneath the car, punching a fist sized hole in the floor, just beneath his arse! Luckily he was using the original Caterham bench style seat, so the 12mm of ply absorbed most of the impact (if not the shock!).

Mike

Hi 1050 is effectively 1/2 hard. For the race cars we use 1.2 x ( NS4 in old money) i think thats now 1051. But cant remember off the top of my head as i just put repeat order's in for the same order on a regular basis.

Never had a problem in 20 years with anything coming through the floors and that includes taking kerbs at 100+ mph.

Cheers Matt

I've used 2mm thick 5251 H22 for the floor on my car. NS4 is the same as 5251

NS4 It is then, anyone know of any suppliers? Aluminium droitwich on ebay can only get 1050...

James

Do you know any local Fab shops they may use this material as it is good for punching, and could put you onto a contact or may even put it on their order

quote:

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Originally posted by procomp
Never had a problem in 20 years with anything coming through the floors and that includes taking kerbs at 100+ mph.

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Hi AHH thats it 5251. I was only 4200 out .

"Hopefully you don't get too many rocks/bricks etc. lying around on the track "

Hi not ussually but theres plenty of nuts and bolts ect. The problems arise when you venture of the black bit we are supposed to be using. And venture on to the green bit's we are not supposed to be using then it's a case of just not knowing what lurks below the flat looking grass.

Cheers Matt

I used 0.75mm stainless.

http://www.smithmetal.com/


Good service so far