[Hybrid]

I've spent the day making up front shock towers. See below pics. I'm plating the vertical side of the chassis with 3mm plate. I hadn't planned on plating the top. My thinking is that the top plane doesn't need to resist as much force and the towers are only attached to just under halfway of the chassis width. Can someone in the know tell me if I'm being stupid not doing the top.

Cheers

Side on



Top Down

[shakes]

I'd do them for the sake of extra re-inforcment for not much more work.

The chassis is pretty thin, and you have a heap more leverage on it in spots that don't normally take much load.

[jdk81]

Do the top!!!

Looking at your design, the top is more critical for being plated than the sides.

The issue is where the steel ends halfway through the top of the RHS, any load will cause bending on the top of the RHS. Because the sidewall of the RHS is so thin, there is a chance it will cause fatigue fractures. This is due to the force causing bending, instead of placed in the same plane. ie if the top ran all the way over the RHS, it wouldnt be such an issue. But ending in the middle is a big mistake.

[ajsr]

jdk81 wrote:

Do the top!!!

Looking at your design, the top is more critical for being plated than the sides.

The issue is where the steel ends halfway through the top of the RHS, any load will cause bending on the top of the RHS. Because the sidewall of the RHS is so thin, there is a chance it will cause fatigue fractures. This is due to the force causing bending, instead of placed in the same plane. ie if the top ran all the way over the RHS, it wouldnt be such an issue. But ending in the middle is a big mistake.

Im not sure I would.
I would pick up the engine mount. on one side

welding across the top could just a spot for the chassis to crack along.
also the forces running through this are upwards only , and suzuki deemed it ok the just weld the factory mounts to only the side face.
as you said idealy you would pickup the other top edge but I belive this will work ok
jmo

[alien]

here's how mine are done, and they're engineered... note the triangulation on the ends as well - thats important to spread the weld and stop the chassis cracking.







Rear is done like this (note, plating on top as its being welded on top) :





Based on this, and all the other additional mounts etc added to my zuk, you fish plate anywhere on the chassis you intend to run a weld.

[Gwagensteve]

X2 for plating the top.

I generally fish plate anywhere I am welding onto the chassis.

Don't weld over the corner of the rail either.

I like to see shock mounts on two planes. Whilst suzuki only welded to the side of the rail, when we add taller shock mounts we're adding a lot more force into the chassis.

Steve.

[Hybrid]

Thanks guys. Guess top plating it is.