Is the Moly worth it?
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On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Medina,Ohio
Is the Moly worth it? So I`m looking at a few suspension upgrades for my car. I first gotta say this isn`t a race car, it`s a street car, but it will see occasional drag usage. I`m pretty much just looking for a car thats fun to drive on nice days.
Well I`m looking and it seems the norm is to charge about 30 bucks to upgrade to chrome moly from mild steel. One you do it to a torque arm, control arm, panhard bar, and maybe sub frames, you are at 120 dollars in upgrades.
How much of a wieght difference or strength issue is there between the two to justify the upgrade?
I`m sure some one will say search, and I did, but it didnt seem to come up with what I wanted, and if everybody just used the search, what would we have left to talk about?
Well I`m looking and it seems the norm is to charge about 30 bucks to upgrade to chrome moly from mild steel. One you do it to a torque arm, control arm, panhard bar, and maybe sub frames, you are at 120 dollars in upgrades.
How much of a wieght difference or strength issue is there between the two to justify the upgrade?
I`m sure some one will say search, and I did, but it didnt seem to come up with what I wanted, and if everybody just used the search, what would we have left to talk about?
Last edited by GIJosh; Aug 22, 2007 at 08:05 PM.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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From: TX
Moly is stronger so you can (if you wish) get away with thinner wall tubing- thats where the weight savings comes from
But it depends on the maker and sometimes on the specific part whether they use thinner wall moly tubing for lightness or same wall moly for strength.
You win either way of course... with thick wall tubing you get a stronger piece without paying a weight penalty.. stronger is good.
With thinner wall you get lighter parts and therefore less unsprung weight, which is good, without sacrificing strength.
I've always felt it is worth it to get the moly.. I also feel that it causes the welder to have to do a little better job welding.. but thats just my opinion.
But it depends on the maker and sometimes on the specific part whether they use thinner wall moly tubing for lightness or same wall moly for strength.
You win either way of course... with thick wall tubing you get a stronger piece without paying a weight penalty.. stronger is good.
With thinner wall you get lighter parts and therefore less unsprung weight, which is good, without sacrificing strength.
I've always felt it is worth it to get the moly.. I also feel that it causes the welder to have to do a little better job welding.. but thats just my opinion.
I PM'd UMI about their chrome moly torque arm wondering the same thing you are, and he told me there was a half pound difference between their mild steel torque arm and the chrome moly one. So with that being known i couldnt justify going with chrome moly for that little of a weight saving.
Originally Posted by Black02SLPSS
I PM'd UMI about their chrome moly torque arm wondering the same thing you are, and he told me there was a half pound difference between their mild steel torque arm and the chrome moly one. So with that being known i couldnt justify going with chrome moly for that little of a weight saving.
Actually I said 1-1/2 lbs
Unless you are an all out racer that needs to shave every last ounce of weight, chromoly is generally not worth it. We were going to make a formula SAE car's frame from chromoly until we realized we'd be Tig welding the entire thing...screw that.
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From: cleveland/dayton/cincinnati, ohio
I TIG welded my Formula SAE car and Mini Baja car 2 years running whats the big deal. It welds just the same as mild steel.
But as others have said if there isn't much of a weight savings there is deffinitely an increase in stiffness, and strength in the piece.
MeentSS02 what school are you from?
But as others have said if there isn't much of a weight savings there is deffinitely an increase in stiffness, and strength in the piece.
MeentSS02 what school are you from?
Originally Posted by kozak
I TIG welded my Formula SAE car and Mini Baja car 2 years running whats the big deal. It welds just the same as mild steel.
But as others have said if there isn't much of a weight savings there is deffinitely an increase in stiffness, and strength in the piece.
MeentSS02 what school are you from?
But as others have said if there isn't much of a weight savings there is deffinitely an increase in stiffness, and strength in the piece.
MeentSS02 what school are you from?
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Originally Posted by kozak
fair enough i guess 100% turn over would kill the momentum every year.
Regardless, I personally don't think chromoly is worth the price.
