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how about a flat steel chassis??

edadmartin

Newbie
Joined
Sep 9, 2009
Messages
24
Location
colorado springs
I bought an aluminum trail chassis that was on sale and after pondering it for a few nights I realized i cant braze to it for shock towers etc. I saw a flat steel bender at harbor freight that will bend flat steel up to 1/4" x 1" so if I used the aluminum chassis as a template and got flat steel say 1/4" by 3/8" do you think it would do the job? Its 80.00 at harbor freight and will also bend 3/16" tubing too.
The more I think about this build the more I'm wanting the flexibility to be able to add or delete tubing with out having to fab tiny 1/16" brackets to mount steel tubing to the aluminum chassis.What are your opinions here???
sorry about the caps I'm not yelling,and Im not a typist either.
 
flat steel or aluminum

What is the best size for chassis stock 3/16 or 1/4" ? I was thinking about 1/4" x 3/"8 flat steel to use the bender on.what size is prefered ? Id rather get the correct size, dont want to do it twice.
 
man if you can find some 1/8x3/8" you should be good to go. 1/4 would be to thick and heavier. if you cant find 1/8" then use 3/16" but i would try and find some 1/8" to cut down on the weight a bit.
 
Flat steel worked wonders for me. It's been the most reliable chassis I've owned (it's impossible for it to fall apart!).


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alum brazes?

I didnt know you could braze aluminum to steel tubing what flux and rod would you suggest.Im a wood guy,know zip about welding or brazing--edumacate me!
Just did a quick search on ebay for a axial scx10 chassis,new or used,no go. Which of the vendors here sells just the axial scx10 chassis ?
 
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I didnt know you could braze aluminum to steel tubing what flux and rod would you suggest.Im a wood guy,know zip about welding or brazing--edumacate me!
Just did a quick search on ebay for a axial scx10 chassis,new or used,no go. Which of the vendors here sells just the axial scx10 chassis ?

Joining dissimilar metals is a PITA. It can be done (sometimes) but it's not worth the trouble.

The best option (IMO) is to braze to flat steel brackets and then bolt the bracket to the chassis. It makes it much easier to take the chassis apart should you ever need to. It's a good idea even with the SCX chassis just in case you screw up or want to change something later down the road. I know I'd be kicking myself if I had brazed the first set of bumpers I made directly onto the SCX chassis I have, I've changed it up considerably since then.


And TCS has the SCX frame in stock.
 
flat steel chassis

thanks for the tip. I had heard that brazing aluminum and steel was hard.I never gave a thought to the fact that I might want to change connection points or about mess ups.Good point !
 
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