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Have I got the correct grade steel for my chassis?
Cheffy - 23/3/06 at 10:30 AM

Having started my build over 3 years ago things got put in the back burner for a couple of years. I've just come back to it and was hopeful of at least getting up to rolling chassis stage over the next couple of months, and possibly getting the engine in.

Now the problem! While I was reviewing what I'd done to date and where to pick things up, I happened to check the gauge of the chassis steel. According to my Vernier calipers (which are good quality and have a dial gauge, and thus seem fairly accurate) the steel is around 0.056". I've done some searching on the internet and from what I can tell this is 17swg, not 16swg as required.

I went back and dug out the original invoice and it says "25x25x1.6"

I assume this means 1.6mm, as the metric measurement for 16swg is 1.63mm. However, this still doesn't explain why my chassis steel is only 0.056" (1.42mm).

In short, do I need to go back and start all over again?

Thanks in advance,

Martin.


Triton - 23/3/06 at 10:46 AM

Just carry on using it, after all it will be lighter...


Fred W B - 23/3/06 at 11:02 AM

You are just lucky to have got a batch of material rolled to the low side of the manufactures wall thickness tolerance.

Cheers'

Fred W B


[Edited on 23/3/06 by Fred W B]


Cheffy - 23/3/06 at 11:37 AM

Thanks guys, that's encouraging.

I was just concerned from the safety point of view, ie. whether would it be strong enough.

I'm using the 2.9 V6 engine out of the donor which isn't the lightest of engines!! Although having said that, I have doubled up the chassis rails that take the engine mounts anyway.

Thanks for the replies,

Martin.


Kissy - 23/3/06 at 01:42 PM

It is pure coincidence that 1.6mm ≈ 16swg ≈ 1/16".
Don't think along these lines for any other gauges!


Kissy - 23/3/06 at 01:44 PM

oooer.
"≈" should have been the 'approximately equal to' symbol.
Guess I f****d up.


britishtrident - 23/3/06 at 03:27 PM

These days 1.5 mm is the normal size 16g/1.6mm is rarely available.


Cheffy - 24/3/06 at 09:21 AM

Thanks again gents. Much happier now.