Steel rusts (yes aluminum oxidizes but not as badly), especially when
bolted to the underside of a car that's designed to go splashing about
through mud and water crossings (not to mention the top side gets rain
water).
Of course the big boys (WRC teams) use skidplates made of kevlar and
other lightweight composites these days.
--
Viet-Tam Luu (a.k.a. "Tam")
SFR-SCCA Solo2 #149 SM
Sponsored by WORKS (www.WorksEvo.com)
On 12/6/05, Rick Brown <rbrown7@covad.net> wrote:
> Steel has a higher modulus than aluminum so for a sheet section aluminimum
> must be 3 times thicker to achieve the same bending strength than steel.
> Unless you're going for bling the weight savings achieved with aluminum is
> minimal for equivalent component strength.
>
> Actually, a real racer would make it out of magnesium or titanium.... now
> we're talkin'!!
>
> I've also looked at using depleted uranium instead of lead for ballast but
> it makes the seat too hot. Plenty bright without headlights, though.
>
> -- Rick "Bling Bling" Brown
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