It is from this view point that i will present facts to debunk some of the myths between 4130 chromoly and 1018 mild steel chopper frames.
Chromoly vs mild steel price.
Chromoloy tubing is made from a family of low alloy steels that contain chromium and molybdenum sae 4130 or 4140 along with the iron carbon and other elements.
Chromoly 4130 is a low alloy steel containing chromium molybdenum iron carbon and other alloying elements.
Aluminum on the other hand is more like glass which breaks before it bends.
Given the same o d.
Chromoly falls under the the aisi 41xx designations and it is important to be aware of the different properties and applications of chromoly steel when deciding which material you need.
4130 chromoly tubing also has a smooth interior and exterior finish that resists scaling and oxidation.
The mechanical properties of the docol 800 dp tubes are very similar to the 4130 chrome moly tubes.
Chrome moly is the abbreviation for chromium molybdenum and it is an alloy steel.
The chromium adds strength hardenability and a level of corrosion resistance to mild carbon steel though chromoly is not as corrosion resistant as stainless steel.
For all measurable purposes 4130 and 1018 weigh the same at 491 lbs.
The docol tubes have slightly lower yield strength but higher tensile strength.
The first and most often heard myth is that chromoly is lighter than mild steel this is terribly incorrect.
The docol tubes showed a better behavior at fracture compared to the crmo tubes.
Chromoly vs titanium or carbon fiber.
And wall thickness a chrome moly tube weighs the same as a mild steel tube.
Also steel is reliable.
Chromoly steel is often used when more strength is required than that of mild carbon steel though it often comes at an increase in cost.
The elongation values of the docol tubes are better than in the 4130 chrom moly tubes.
It fails in a predictable way bending before it breaks.
It was designed for and is used extensively in the aircraft industry due to it s high tensile.