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aluminum subframes
watching some BMW plant operation, I noticed subframes are aluminum. I don't know how long this is been going on with new vehicles. Wonder how they fair in the rust belt states. Are they better than the steel ones?
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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran |
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... suspension members, hoods, fenders, doors, trunk lids... usually aluminum on a BMW. As with steel, corrosion resistance varies with how much money you're willing to spend. Marine-grade aluminum will hold up.
The bodies of BMW's are still steel, with some carbon fiber used in the really expensive ones (7 Series) and the electric ones. One catch with aluminum is that it will eventually fail under fatigue. With steel, if you stay below ~50% of the yield stress a part will last forever. But, with aluminum if you cycle it it will eventually fail, regardless of how much below the yield stress the cycles are. My 5 Series BMW has aluminum doors. Frau Putzer's X3 has aluminum front doors, but steel back doors. A 3 Series still has steel doors. I've been asking for 3 Series loaners lately, sort of as extended test drives. The relatively heavy doors just don't feel right anymore. It's almost impossible to spot weld aluminum. The aluminum body parts are riveted together. |
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subframes along with aluminum control arms throughout. It's been common on mercedes for the past 20 years.
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CENSORED due to not family friendly words |
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC] ..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis. |
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The front subframe on my E30 325i failed, not sure there's a rear subframe. Pretty sure it was aluminum. I got lucky and found a low miles convertible that had been rear ended hard at the boneyard for a replacement. Hard ass install. Lot of parts are connected to it. Somehow I got it in.
I discovered it one day, I was having some overheating, I popped the hood for a looksee, I noticed the fan wasn't spinning at idle which it normally would do, even with the clutch thing, spins slowly. Turns out the bottom of the fan was leaning on the shroud, halfway supporting the front of the engine, as the subframe was cracked. Hard to believe but true.
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Te futueo et caballum tuum 1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
#6
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If you want to see subframe failure check out this mess. https://youtu.be/M7Eh3bu-S48
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CENSORED due to not family friendly words |
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Tesla's have megacastings:
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-y-front-megacast-giga-texas-first-photo/ |
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"... I assume that's important." I can only imagine you're correct on the steel vs. alum. It's been over 10 years. Memory fails.
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Te futueo et caballum tuum 1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
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The subframes on early 107 cars failed and they were steel. I believe any metal can fail if over stressed.
__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC] ..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis. |
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It's been about the same for me. My m42 is still running to this day somewhere in mexico.
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CENSORED due to not family friendly words |
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Metal fatigue is hard to get away from. Material fatigue in general. Painful thing for me in these old rigs is the way the small things break. Right now my '89 Chevy van is running great. Also, in short order the cruise control and windshield washer pump thing stopped working. Weird thing on the washer pump, I pulled the two wire jack off the motor and put my multimeter probes in it, was going to see if 12 volts went there when I gave the switch a turn. Funny thing, it read 12 volts w/o the switch (?!). Also my high beams don't work. Even the low beams go out when I hit the high beam switch. Gremlins, gremlins, they drive me nuts. I wonder how many cars land at the boneyard owing to unfindable gremlins.
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Te futueo et caballum tuum 1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
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__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC] ..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis. |
#13
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Build to sell is logical but is perhaps being overdone. |
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Oh, I can't take another heartache Though you say you're my friend I'm at my wits' end You say your love is bonafide But that don't coincide With the things that you do And when I ask you to be nice, you say You've gotta be cruel to be kind in the right measure Cruel to be kind, it's a very good sign Cruel to be kind means that I love you, baby (You've gotta be cruel) You've gotta be cruel to be kind
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Te futueo et caballum tuum 1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
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