Ti TO MILD STEEL OR 4130 CONVERSION

[PLUMMER]

I am making some suspension parts for a new drag sled. Some will be structurl and some not( no load). Mild steel is what the stock material is, from .120 to .9375. Handle bars and A-arms and shock mounts. Most material is 1" OD to .750 OD. How much can you reduce the wall thickness if going to 4130 and or Ti. If anyone has a reputable site or chart for metalurgical stats, it would be greatly appreciated. I have been searching but no concrete rule or stats. thanks

[Aerometalworker]

I am making some suspension parts for a new drag sled. Some will be structurl and some not( no load). Mild steel is what the stock material is, from .120 to .9375. Handle bars and A-arms and shock mounts. Most material is 1" OD to .750 OD. How much can you reduce the wall thickness if going to 4130 and or Ti. If anyone has a reputable site or chart for metalurgical stats, it would be greatly appreciated. I have been searching but no concrete rule or stats. thanks

Machinerys Handbook is a good place to start.
You can also simply look up the tensile strengths, fatigue limits etc of the material, and do the stress calcs for your parts. Remember there is more then just pure strength, Mild Steel can take a lot of fatige that 4130 or TI might not be able to. So in order to have a part last you may have to beef up the 4130 part from what the pure strength calcs would tell you to do. You may also me able to simple make parts from thinner wall Mild Steel, but redesign for better stress distribution, and in the end have a stronger and lighter part with good fatigue life.

www.matweb.com is a good place for material properties

-Aaron