Steel thickness

[Kunker]

Looking at doing some work on the heep this year, and wanted to know what thickness of metal everyone recommends, and why.

Goals:
- rocker guards
- frame boxing/plating
- disc brake mounts
- transfercase/tranny skid

What thickness of plate does everyone recommend for each? Ideally, I'd like to order a single sheet and do everything with it, although I realize that I'll probably a bit heavy in some areas, but I don't want to be too light in safety critical places. I'm thinking that...

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[Root Moose]

I used half inch for my caliper mounts.

 

[aweber]

I used 3/8's for my caliper mounts, but that was a necessity of the design. Don't recommend going any smaller though. 3/16 sounds good for frame.

 

[O.D.]

my skid plate and corner guards are 1/4"

 

[Farm Boy]

1/2" for the caliper mounts
1/8" or 3/16" for the frame plates -- depends on original frame and what you are mounting to it
3/16 or 1/4 for the rockers & skid

3/16 would likely be a good comprimise for most. The amount of 1/2" you'll need for the caliper mounts is cheap enough in a small chunk.

Remember that good design can add alot of strenght without the weight -- bends or ribbing in the right places.

Look up Blueguy's build for an idea on the skid.

 

[2Greys]

Most Armour fabricators in the US do 3/16 with a couple doing 1/4 but that is rare. For what we do 3/16 is usually good enough unless you like to hit things at high speed.
Edited as I realized that I forgot to mention that it was armour I was talking about.

 

[Kunker]

3/16" for the majority it is, and 1/2" for the calipers. Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[Root Moose]

I based 1/2" caliper brackets on what car manufacturers use. Is it overkill? I dunno.

I don't have the information required to do the engineering calculations so it seemed logical to copy production vehicles as opposed to aftermarket 4x4 parts labelled "for off-road use only".

Also, I'm fussy about things like brake feel. A 3/16" piece of steel cantilevered say 10" from the center of the axle will flex with brake application. 1/2" less so.

$0.02

 

[Kunker]

I want to say that Bill had 3/8 caliper mounts on his 14B, and they bent. I know I read that on someone's build.

EDIT:

"A great many calliper mounting brackets that I see, be they commercial or home-brew, (including my own, I must admit) are simply too thin and without adequate structural shape-strength to do the job. It is essential that a calliper mounting bracket not flex when the brakes are applied - otherwise we will be robbed of our all-important pedal travel. We will also experience calliper twisting leading to uneven pad wear and a spongy pedal. Worse still, we will be on our way to fatigue failure in the calliper bracket! ?” steel is simply inadequate – especially when not bent and reinforced into a structural shape that imparts strength. When I apply my front brakes hard, you can actually see the almost-flat ?” plate steel brackets flexing and twisting! Check yours. And won’t somebody please make some decent, heavy-duty calliper brackets – from 3/8” as a minimum but preferably from ?”!!"

From the brake bible: http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Brakes/

 

[Richard]

I want to say that Bill had 3/8 caliper mounts on his 14B, and they bent. I know I read that on someone's build.

EDIT:

"A great many calliper mounting brackets that I see, be they commercial or home-brew, (including my own, I must admit) are simply too thin and without adequate structural shape-strength to do the job. It is essential that a calliper mounting bracket not flex when the brakes are applied - otherwise we will be robbed of our all-important pedal travel. We will also experience calliper twisting leading to uneven pad wear and a spongy pedal. Worse still, we will be on our way to fatigue failure in the calliper bracket! ?? steel is simply inadequate ? especially when not bent and reinforced into a structural shape that imparts strength. When I apply my front brakes hard, you can actually see the almost-flat ?? plate steel brackets flexing and twisting! Check yours. And won?t somebody please make some decent, heavy-duty calliper brackets ? from 3/8? as a minimum but preferably from ??!!"

From the brake bible: http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Brakes/

Looks like something else to try to improve my brakes, thanks :beer:

 

[Grumpy]

3/16" for frame, sliders, rockers, etc.......brake caliper brackets I cannot comment on, I'll leave that for those that have experience in that department....

 

[chunkytrunks]

Looks like something else to try to improve my brakes, thanks :beer:

Ahhhh, never thought of that. Are yours 1/4"?



I would definetly go with 3/16" for all your skids and stuff and for extra assurance go with 1/2 for your calliper brackets.

 

[Root Moose]

FWIW, the TNT stiffeners on my Jeep are 3/16" IIRC. Skid plate is 1/4".

I say buy the size you need for the project required at the time required. After a few projects you'll be amazed how much of the "correct" metal you'll have in your scrap pile for doing things on the fly.