aluminum links

kid rok

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2006
Location
georgia
I have been running aluminum links on my rig since July. I have rode an estimated thirty trails and have beat the shit out of them. (My rig weighs right at 5000#s.) The aluminum is 6061 2.5 inch diamater with one inch heims.
Has anyone else ran this setup and how long did it last. When I first entertained the idea most people were skeptical, but know after seeing the abuse they have taken I think most are surprised they are still holding up.
Again just wondering if anyone else has had more experience running the aluminum links.:bling:
 
How thick? solid?
 
it could be tubing, or is there no such thing as 6061(T6 I assume) tubing?
 
It's solid aluminum,and they are 2.5" thick. When I ordered the rods I ordered 6061 couldn't get the 7075. Getting back to the question at hand, has anyone else ran this setup? Or does anyone one know something about this?
 
Lotta comp buggies run AL. I,ve seen one break, don't know what he had. Other than that all I've heard was good about them. I don't know of anyone on this board with AL links.
 
Im starting to make them. I have a DIY kit in R&D right now using T6 aluminum tube with tig-in T6 tube inserts. The inserts are about 4" deep into the tube to assure tons of thread engagement. I have either 2.5" .500 or 1.5 .250 T6 6061. Im just not sure how the dissimiliar metals from the T6 insert and the CroMo shaft will party together.
 
My links are solid,I had a local shop drill and tap mine so all I had to do was screw in my heims. My aluminum links have outlasted my 2".25 original links. When I was deciding on the cost of sleeving or solid aluminum I think the aluminum was actually cheaper.
 
No. Tubing of a certain diameter and material is not stronger than the same solid rod. The rod just weighs much more without a great strength increase.

:edit: As to al links...they do work, but they also like to grow nice huge gouges (esp 6061) that make nice weak spots. 2.5" should work fine.
 
Well to say atleast this much, a piece of tubing with the same tensile strength as a solid rod is stronger. If you have a 1" piece of rod with the same tensile strength as a 2" piece of tubing (larger diameter because the air taking up the inside diameter doesnt contribute to tensile strength), the tubing will be stronger.

But I am still fairly certain that you can always find tubing of the same outer diameter as a solid rod that is stonger. The energy distribution works in tubings favor.
 
I don't think that anyone was ever arguing a much larger od tube being stronger than a solid rod... Either way, it's harder to find al tubing than it is to find solid-*and* in 2.5" 6061 --solid is stronger than the same tube or gun drilled link. Plus you can tap the ends for any sized link you want.
 
Well to try and end the tubing vs. solid rod debate here is my .02

If you take a solid rod and a tube of the same outer diameter (given that the tubing doesnt have a rediculously thin wall) the tubing is going to be more STIFF. The solid rod will be STRONGER. Now when talking strength to weight ratio the tubing will always be stronger. However when you start increasing the outer diameter of a piece of tubing, you can get to a point where the tubing WILL be stronger than the piece of solid rod with a smaller OD, while at the same time being lighter.

So basically for whatever part you are making you have to take into consideration your size constraints and what exactly you are using it for in order to decide which material (solid or hollow) to use.
 
mudonthetires10 said:
Tubing is stronger than solid rods per pound of weight.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you. That's the ONLY time it's stronger.

If it helps you sleep better, think of it this way.. what's stronger?

2" OD tubing, .250 wall - 1.5" ID.
2" OD tubing, .500 wall - 1" ID
2" OD tubing, 1.00 wall - 0" ID, aka solid rod.

(I know, solid rod isn't created by the same process as tubing, it's a demonstration)
 
Well, I am planning on running the aluminum links also, I also am going to run 6061 2.5" solid. Im glad to hear it has worked well for you. Now im definitely going to run em. The ideal would be like 2" 7075 t-6 solid though................
 
Well, I am planning on running the aluminum links also, I also am going to run 6061 2.5" solid. Im glad to hear it has worked well for you. Now im definitely going to run em. The ideal would be like 2" 7075 t-6 solid though................
11-21-2006 10:29 PM
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I have been very pleased with them. The only gripe I have is that they aren't as slick as steel. So when you are on a rock trying to bumpover it, the aluminum sticks more to the rock. A buddy of mine is going to groove his aluminum links and insert a piece of cutting board material. Other than that I have had no problems at all.
Make sure you buff them to really get the shine going.
ideal would be like 2" 7075 t-6 solid though
Click to expand...
I have heard that the 7075 gets brittle.
 
when you're talking about tensile strength you are talking about the strength in tension, trying to stretch the tube apart. the larger diameter hollow tube is stronger than a solid piece of the same weight when it comes to bending stress because more of the material is located farther away from the bending moment thus allowing the material to greater resist the bending force being applied.
 
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