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Old 06-22-2009, 06:49 AM   #45 (permalink)
kverges
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 925
I am hoping the voice of reason prevails. If bonding and screwing is satisfactory for the chassis, and you obviously cannot weld ferrous to non-ferrous materials, then the strongest bond should be best. I do not think a through bolt is more rigid or stronger than this bond. First, the bolt(s) will concentrate all shear force on just the through-hole in aluminum that is usually no more than about .1 inch thick, second, a 7/16" grade 8 bolt has a shear strength of about 13,500 lb (way stronger than the aluminum to which it is bolted), whereas the adhesive has over 40,000 lb of shear strength. Similarly, the tensile strength of the bond is equvalent to about 3 7/16 bolts, but those bolts will readily pull out of the aluminum due to the stress concentration at the hole. This bond will distribute the force better and from an engineering perspective has to be stronger than using bolts.

Go look at a 737; it uses riveted joints everywhere, especially in patches. Ever notice the fuselage repair patches near the entry door? Big bolts and big holes concentrate stresses; lots of surface area and smaller fasteners distribute stresses better.

Finally, after some use, bolted holes will ovalize and the car be more flexible than bonded joints like this.

It will probably take some convincing, though.

I'd take this cage over bolting in a cage into a Porsche unibody any day. If the car is ferrous, a weld in cage is the only way to go. That was not an option and I picked what I personally think is safest. It will rarely race anyway and will spend most of its life lapping at MotorSport Ranch or broken in my garage.
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