from:larrybsp@aol.com (Larry Stark)
Jim,
Several factors come into play when bending
aluminum, alloy
being the most important. Most of the commercial alloys are 6061 T6, the T6
indicating it has been solution heat treated and aged. It has also been roll
formed.
This stuff is not easy to bend. I've had success by heating the outside of
the bend with an acetylene torch while bending the material. Plenty of heat
is needed because
the aluminum carries the heat away quickly. You may still get some surface
cracking. To prevent further problems grind/sand down the cracks to clean
solid metal. This eliminates the places for a fatigue crack to initiate. It
worked for me.
Larry
In a message dated 8/10/01 8:47:40 AM Pacific Daylight Time, billh@pa.dec.com
writes:
<< Subj: Re: trouble bending aluminum sway bar arms, advice?
Date: 8/10/01 8:47:40 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: billh@pa.dec.com (Bill Hamburgen 650-617-3329 FAX -3374)
Sender: owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net
To: black94pgt@pacbell.net
CC: billh@pa.dec.com, ba-autox@autox.team.net
> im trying to bend the speedway engineering sway bar arms i have. they are
> about 1/2 thick and 1 inch across. i heated them to c. 550 F and quenched
> to anneal them, but even then i could not bend it even 1 degree.
James,
Don't!!!! Aluminum has completely different properties than steel and if
you don't know the alloy and how it's been treated, you're begging for
crack initiation and eventual fatigue failure.
Your heat/quench may have already damaged the bar. You might call Speedway
and get their opinion - probably something like "Why'd ya do dat??". I sort
of doubt they'll tell you much. If you care about sway bar failure, you
might
want to have it inspected for cracks after it's been in service a little
while.
I think fluorescent dye penetrant is how it's done.
/Bill
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