steering components (light duty truck)
steering components (light duty truck)
(OP)
i was going to send out a steering arm from a 3/4 ton diesel pickup for material analysis, i was just wondering if someone could enlighten me so that i could save some time.
i suspect that the piece is forged, but i was wondering if the piece needs to be forged or not.
i suspect that the piece is forged, but i was wondering if the piece needs to be forged or not.





RE: steering components (light duty truck)
Regards,
Cory
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RE: steering components (light duty truck)
Also forgings need to be struck in a way that the "hammers"? can strike and retract without getting stuck on any undercuts, so there will always be some draft angle apparent.
The parting line will be a blunt flat bump, not a sharp edge.
More complex shapes may be struck from different directions with different hammers to overcome the no undercuts problem in some cases.
To tell the difference between cast iron and steel, run a file over an edge. The steel will peel of shavings while the iron will powder.
Both tests are easier with experience or by direct comparison to known samples.
For detailed composition analysis you will need lab tests. In my lab days they would have used an Elmer Perkins atomic absorbtion spectrophotometer, but that was 30 or 40 years ago. Times may have changed.
Regards
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RE: steering components (light duty truck)
RE: steering components (light duty truck)
Forgings ring, castings do not.
RE: steering components (light duty truck)
The how to tell the difference was in another thread. I answered it all here to keep it in one place.
Regards
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RE: steering components (light duty truck)
Here is a picture of a cast nodular iron (ductile) claiming to be stronger than some unknown stock part .
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the steering arm portion is faired smoothly and massively into the main knuckle.
Here is a picture of steering arm that needs to be a forging.http