Hello R
No it's not a joke; Iv'e never claimed to be knowlegeable; I was trying to be helpfull.
Your point is what exactly?
Bellow is just one example of a manufacturer who uses that grade of s/s. If you google other suppliers they say pretty much the same.
Hi Mike,
It never ceases to amaze me how many myths, misconceptions & lies
surround the use of stainless steel, not to mention the down right b*** s***
and prejudice! According to which "expert" you listen to it's "brittle",
"not strong enough", "reacts with aluminium and causes it to corrode", etc.
All which are total and utter rubbish!
Obviously, as with any other material, there are various grades
which have different properties & the correct grade needs to be chosen for
any particular application. We use grade 303.
In simplistic terms, stainless steel is only "ordinary" steel with chromium
& nickel added to give it corrosion resistance. As with all other grades of
steel the "mechanical" properties, (strength, hardness, etc) can be varied
by the amount of other elements alloyed into it and also by other,
subsequent, processes such as heat treatment.
On a motorcycle, the most critical components of the cycle parts
would be the wheel spindles. Obviously, the originals would be made from a
fairly high grade material. Generally speaking, all manufacturers have made
their wheel spindles from material having a tensile strength of around 38
tons/sq inch.
Grade 303 stainless steel has a tensile strength of around 42-44
tons/sq inch. Obviously, superior to the originals, with the added bonus
that it won't rust & will never have to be re-plated in future years.
An alternative grade that is occasionally used is 316. This has a
much higher nickel content & therefore, is designed for use in the harshest,
most corrosive environments such as sea water or the chemical industry.
However 316 is not quite as strong as 303 (around 37-28 tons/sq inch) and is
twice the price!
Grade 304 is also occasionally mentioned. This is, primarily a
fabrication grade & is not, generally, recommended for machined components.
Stainless steel is a "non-reactive" metal. This is exactly why it is
used in the catering, medical & chemical industries. It does not react
with, or cause corrosion with, most other materials, such as alloy engine
cases!
I hope this puts your mind at rest. If you want to copy and paste this onto
the forum as a "sticky" or in the "info" section, please do so.
Very best wishes
Phil Denton
Phil can be found here.
http://www.phildentonengineering.com/I look forward to reading your comments R
Poll