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Making custom tubular front end?

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1fast97gsx

15+ Year Contributor
4,520
17
Jul 6, 2003
Orland Park, Illinois
Just curious what people's opinions are on the best type of material to use for something like this and what kind of welders should be used?
 
My opinion, if you are asking this question, no way you can do this.

Please for your safety, pay someone to do it for you.

I am with greengoblin - Seamless DOM and a TIG welded. Mild steel at a good thickness for cost reasons. Chromemoly can get expensive and it takes a more experienced welder to do = more $$$.
 
My opinion, if you are asking this question, no way you can do this.

Please for your safety, pay someone to do it for you.

I am with greengoblin - Seamless DOM and a TIG welded. Mild steel at a good thickness for cost reasons. Chromemoly can get expensive and it takes a more experienced welder to do = more $$$.

Agreed. If your not 100% sure about doing part of it then dont do it, and yea chromoly is expensive but i think it is the best for doing this. We did it on our race car and used chromoly.
 
Agreed. If your not 100% sure about doing part of it then dont do it, and yea chromoly is expensive but i think it is the best for doing this. We did it on our race car and used chromoly.

Smaller thickness is required by rules because its stronger so in essence its lighter to do. But, when you weld it wrong, it will snap like a twig.
 
Cool thanks for the responses .. I was just curious what other people had to say as in my camaro chromoly was NOT used although I too was under the impression that would be the best route.
 
Ms is just as good as Crm, it is just a little heavier. I do agree on the above stated facts though about paying someone to do it if you have questions about this kind of thing, it means, and I don't mean to sound aggressive here but, it means that you lack experience in fabricating and lack the know-how of chassis building. Although, I do love to see it when someone who knows nothing learns from trial by error and becomes the teacher. :thumb:
You can find my blog and look through the pictures for ideas.
 
good points have all been made, i will just add my 0.02

If yoiu're not a above average TIG guy (or don't know one) or are going to have to MIG it.. use the seamless DOM mild steal.. as the wrong heat input can and will weaken the 4130.

but any decent weldorwith a MIG and some MS tubing can build something that will hold together quite well.. You'd be surprised what i've seen people get away with in SCCA track cars (now NHRA has strict rules on weld inspections and tubing assemblies)

and depends on how much of the front end you're trying to mke, but at the very least use a seasoned weldor and good amterials
 
Very true, if you add to much heat and let it cool to fast you will end up with a joint that is weaker that using mild steel.


If you where to have it fabricated for mild DOM you would use 1 3/4 tube with a .120 wall.

If you where to have it made of 4130 you would use 1 3/4 tube with a .083 wall.







Who needs a front end anyway, look at my avatar. I just have a one piece welded hood and fenders.
 
1 5/8 is also acceptable, but 1 3/4 is stronger.





1 5/8 is used for roll cages and 1 3/4 is used for roll bars. Either way both sizes are legal in all NHRA classes. Some chassis fabricators use 1 3/4 to make an entire tube chassis. Rally and rock crawling vehicles often use 1 3/4 for the added strength. Most bolt in 5 point roll cages are fabricated out of 1 5/8 tube with a 1 3/4 roll bar. It does both cost and weigh more to use 1 3/4 but in certain applications it is benificial.
 
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1 5/8 is also acceptable, but 1 3/4 is stronger.
My point was that 1-3/4" chromoly is not commonly found because it's not commonly used on a car. 1-5/8", however, is. Does 1-3/4" chromoly even exist? I sell chromoly daily, and I know for a fact that we've never offered such a size. And nothing larger than 1-5/8" is mentioned in the NHRA and IHRA rule books. IMO, using anything larger would be adding unnecessary weight.
 
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