Aluminum parts

[jmarcet85]

Hey whats up fellow rc addicts I'm going to be ordering some aluminum front end parts(castor blocks, rear hub carriers, etc) for my ten t. I'm not sure if I should go with integy or hot racing. I think I'm going to go with hot racing but would like some opinions on who makes better quality parts. I've used some integy parts on my jato but had some probs right from the start with the hinge pin holes not being the correct size and having to drill brand new parts. not really a fan of having to do that considering the price of some of this stuff. This is why I'm considering hot racing. All on topic opinions greatly appreciated. Thanks Guys Joe

 

[Nitro Nerd]

Hey Joe,

Have you broken any of the parts you noted above? The beautiful thing about the Ten series is how light the vehicle is. IMO, if you want to make it really bad-to-the-bone, be re-active with alum parts (i.e. only as needed), and pro-active in parts to lighten it up (and make it stronger). i.e. CF and titanium parts.

The only alum parts I would recommend are the STRC chassis brace and rear carriers. The chassis brace is more setup (I run my 810 fairly stiff in that it's a glider). The alum carriers are only if you keep bending the outter rear hinge pins as that STRC design allows the pins to rotate in the arm itself instead of the carrier. Just my two cents. ;-)

 

[Sixtysixdeuce]

In my experience, hot racing seems to be better, at least in terms of fit & finish. Durability-wise, I don't know; neither manufacturer has released specifics on their metallurgy or manufacturing processes, and that makes a huge difference. No idea if they're machined castings, extrusions, billet or forged pieces, and no clue of what alloy.

IMO, if you want to make it really bad-to-the-bone, be re-active with alum parts (i.e. only as needed), and pro-active in parts to lighten it up (and make it stronger). i.e. CF and titanium parts.

I agree with the first part of your sentence, but feel I should point out that titanium is significantly heavier than aluminum, regardless of alloy type. In raw, unalloyed form, titanium is 68% heavier than aluminum.

lbs. per cu. ft.

Aluminum: 168

Titanium: 283

Steel: 495

Lead: 707

 

[Nitro Nerd]

In my experience, hot racing seems to be better, at least in terms of fit & finish. Durability-wise, I don't know; neither manufacturer has released specifics on their metallurgy or manufacturing processes, and that makes a huge difference. No idea if they're machined castings, extrusions, billet or forged pieces, and no clue of what alloy.



I agree with the first part of your sentence, but feel I should point out that titanium is significantly heavier than aluminum, regardless of alloy type. In raw, unalloyed form, titanium is 68% heavier than aluminum.

lbs. per cu. ft.

Aluminum: 168

Titanium: 283

Steel: 495

Lead: 707

okay, I'll clarify. I'm talking about titanium to replace items such as king pins and turnbuckles.

These, specifically
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...roduct-Feeds&gclid=CPTdjfW3q7wCFRNp7AodHmIAVA

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...isher-Losi-TEN-SCTE-Titanium-Turnbuckle-Kit-6

And I don't recommend anything I've not validated myself, as I weigh parts against what I'm replacing before putting them. So know nothing about alloys, but I do know which parts are lighter for the ten-series vehicle.

 

[Snook Man]

Ti is approx 1.67 times the weight of 6061/7075 aluminum. It’s also 1.64 times the strength of 7075.
You can cut more away from a Ti part and still retain the strength of a 7075 counterpart.
Factor in the flexibility/cycling strength of Ti vs aluminum and the durability factor goes way up…
There’s no contest between the two except for price and machine-ability.

 

[Sixtysixdeuce]

okay, I'll clarify. I'm talking about titanium to replace items such as king pins and turnbuckles

In that case, yes, I definitely agree. That it is only a little more than half the weight of the steel parts while yielding roughly the same (and sometimes higher) tensile strength makes it a clear choice for upgrading.

It’s also 1.64 times the strength of 7075.
You can cut more away from a Ti part and still retain the strength of a 7075 counterpart.

That's going to depend on the specifics and temper of either alloy, and will always be a trade-off of strength in one category being a weakness in another. Harder temper will increase abrasion resistance and reduce flex, but will also make the metal less malleable/ductile, and sometimes lower the tensile strength (T6 has higher tensile strength than overaged T7 temper). 7075 is the base alloy, but the properties can be changed drastically by altering the silicon content and temper. Additionally, whether the piece is cast, extruded or forged matters tremendously.

Titanium is an interesting metal. Though not quite the super metal it is often believed to be, it does have properties that make it highly desirable for certain applications (and wholly inappropriate for others). Ti has a very high corrosion resistance without being specially treated, such as anodizing aluminum or bluing/hard chroming steels (Interestingly, the high corrosion resistance is actually a product of the metals high reactivity). One of its weaknesses, though, is that it also has poor natural lubricity; Ti moving parts tend to gall and seize badly if not specially treated and/or lubricated.

As for strength, the primary advantage of Ti is the strength-to-weight ratio; There are many stronger metals, but they are all considerably heavier. Ti is not capable of withstanding the punishment that high carbon steel alloys will, and a Ti part, though lighter, must be substantially physically larger than many steel alloy parts to achieve the same strength due to its lower density. Ti is also fairly brittle in most forms; it has a very high yeild strength compared to many aluminum and steel alloys, but when pushed beyond it's limits, it tends to snap/shatter rather than deform. That is because Ti yield strength is very near its tensile strength in most grades (~80-90%), whereas the yield strength of many steel and aluminum alloys may be 40, 50, 60% of tensile strength.

 

[Nitro Nerd]

You guys are giving me tired-head. :seeing_stars: ;-)

Back to the OP--my 810 almost under five pounds (w/o fuel) now and it's fast as a cheetah and strong as an ox. :thumbup:

My advice to anyone is only put alum parts as needed. Otherwise, all you are doing is making your vehicle heavier, thus slower. I'm not pointing at Joe here (he's a Ten-series owner so will support him all day!) and he has his reasoning for doing what he wants, which I respect.

Also, remember CF is not for everyone. It doesn't bend--it breaks (although I've yet to break one). I prefer that over bending so I know if I have a problem. Recently my Mugen suspension was off something fierce. Could not get my pulse on it until I realized the shock stand-off was bent pretty badly.

Obviously to each is own and I fully understand a lot of folks like alum for the looks, and that's cool as long as you know what you are getting. However, I just hate to see people throw money on parts they might not need - especially if there will be a negative effect. But if it's needed to take care of a problem I don't think twice about it.