If a novice were to attempt a build as just a learning experience, could he assemble a simple ladder frame and crossmembers by bolting them together?
If a novice were to attempt a build as just a learning experience, could he assemble a simple ladder frame and crossmembers by bolting them together?
If you keep in mind that the function of a bolt is to clamp things together, and design the structure around that premise, then yeah, it can be done. Not trivial.
Pete
In reply to NOHOME :
Meaning the bolts can’t be considered a structural component but just used to locate the components?
So For a Learning Exercise you should see a speedway Cataloge They have kits in every amount of dis assemble you can Imagine and are Kings of A and T Car Builds at GRM prices.But A Complete Car Costs what a Complete car is worth.
In general, and I ain't a structural engineer, you want to design things so that the bolts (or rivets, welds, etc.) are in shear, not tension. They are much stronger that way.
So, go for it.
It seems to me the difficult part will be designing it to minimize flex. The hammer store makes trailers this way and I hear they are floppy fish unless welded. A car with suspension and brakes and an engine will experience more complex forces. If you’re going to strap yourself into that you should be confident that everything will not only hold together but also not twist into a pretzel. Formula SAE teams full of overconfident college kids pull it off every year but they also have education and really good modeling software. You can make it work, but making it good and safe is another story.
Considering the original frames were just riveted together I think you would be ok. Use the same gusset style construction and make sure the threaded portions of your fasteners are not in shear and you should be good.
Not that the original Ford frames were structural marvels or anything. I mean they were fine for the limited hp, skinny tires and minimal brakes they had. If you are planning on something that handles and stops and whatever you might want to go further.
In reply to spandak :
This wouldn’t be a street-driven vehicle so no worries strapping myself in. I’ve been watching too many hours of videos of these Model T snowmobiles and my brain is doing gymnastics.
Probably used more to do yard work than anything else
They make hitches capable of towing 15,000 lbs held on with six 1/2" bolts. I think you'll be fine
Bolts tend to have clearance and are meant to clamp surfaces together in tension. The torque reading we are all familiar with are just an indirect way of guessing how far a bolt has stretched as we clamp stuff together. You want it stretched to the point where it is like a stretched rubber bans trying to return to normal size. Too tight and the bolt will be permanently deformed and would measure longer if re-used.
That is why you have dowels on your engine to locate the heads and the bell housing cause bolts are too sloppy to locate stuff..
Rivets are different than bolts in that they expand to fill the hole during the riveting process and are better at locating things that want to move. If you have ever removed a riveted part from a truck chassis you will know that pounding the rivet out of the hole can be fun.
Avoid single shear when possible. When not possible, go with brute strenght and overkill. The trailer ball is a good example.
Pete
In reply to NOHOME :
The rivet vs bolt comparison makes a lot of sense. Hmmmm, how does one home-rivet a frame together?...
Homebrew rivets are actually pretty simple.
Example: take a 3/4" plate, drill 1/2" holes in it. Heat and hammer the 1-3/4" long- half inch bar stock you've just cut and put in those holes. once you've got a nice mushroom top, allow to cool. Knock them out, and repeat as needed.
Now, with the pieces you are trying to attach clamped, put your mushroom through, heat and beat, with a dollie, metal block, or whatever on the mushroom head.
Catch my drift? (gratuitous ironworker joke. Dates back to early skyscraper construction. ha ha.)
Note, drive stuff constructed in this manner at your own risk-(I would!)
Norm says stop talking about it and get to work.
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