Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
(OP)
Greetings all.
I would like your opinion on an issue I am having. Would you consider a steel frame, such as a motorcycle chassis, that has been in a fire to be dangerous to re-use? My concern is that the fire has caused annealling in the steel and the curves and shapes of the steel frame may have cooled at different rates casuing stress concentration points.
I know that metal can be heated without causing any detrimental effects by controlling the cooling rate in an oven, but not sure if this is feasible in this situation, and would like some advice on what to do with this chassis.
Thanks ahead of time for the advice.
I would like your opinion on an issue I am having. Would you consider a steel frame, such as a motorcycle chassis, that has been in a fire to be dangerous to re-use? My concern is that the fire has caused annealling in the steel and the curves and shapes of the steel frame may have cooled at different rates casuing stress concentration points.
I know that metal can be heated without causing any detrimental effects by controlling the cooling rate in an oven, but not sure if this is feasible in this situation, and would like some advice on what to do with this chassis.
Thanks ahead of time for the advice.





RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
What was the max temp, the atmosphere, how even was the heating, how long was it heated, what is the material, what was the original heat treatment.....you need to know all those to really answer the question with any reliability. I would make it into yard art.
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
If you want to re-use it as a lawn ornament, then it would be suitable.
If you want to re-use it as a motorcycle frame, the best thing to do would be send it to the scrap dealer and have them melt it down and make new steel out of it.
I ride, and have heard more than enough "donor-cycle" jokes, but this really isn't anything to joke around with.
rp
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
If I had the frame powder-coated and cured at say, 400 degrees F, do you think that would help in stress-relief?
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
For as little value as this frame has it isn't worth the work required to determine if it is safe to used.
If:
1. You knew the original heat treat condition (normalize and temper maybe?)
2. you could prove that it was not reheated above the critical temperature
3. you could prove that there was not decarb, cracking, or other heat related damage
Then maybe you could re-temper the frame and have a usable item.
But compared to the risk of death I sure wouldn't do it.
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Plymouth Tube
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
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"It's better to die standing than live your whole life on the knees" by Peter Mayle in his book A Good Year
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
Most that I know of are high-carbon, or high-alloy or non-steel ... High value item, highly stressed and with a low-weight desireable? Why do you think any modern frame would use simple (cheap but heavy and relatively low strength) carbon steel?
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
racookpe, see here:
Link
RE: Steel Chassis Stress Concentration Points Caused By Uncontrolled Fire
Well for a start the guy says it is a steel frame.... Duh I doubt they would use high carbon steel for this application as it would need to be stress relived after welding. It is quite common to use MS and Cr-Mo steels for frames. I doubt it would be titanium or super exotic steel either unless we are talking about NASA super bike. Still think it is possible to test the frame with the correct equipment.