A bolt together chassis

[RSmith]

Would it be safe to build a car with a chassis that just bolted or screwed together rather than being completley welded together?

Has it been done? Is it being done? Should it be done? What are the complications?

 

[dpsubaru]

Screwed, if you mean screwing with a screwdriver - no chance in hell i would ever drive that. Bolted together, it depends where the bolts are located and how many, but their is always the chance, even with threadlock nuts, they could become undone. imo must be welded.

 

[RSmith]

their is always the chance, even with threadlock nuts, they could become undone.

Surely there are many threadlock nuts on conventional cars that could come undone and cause just as much a hazard to the driver as threadlocks coming undone on this hypothetical chassis?

 

[prevtec]

i suppose something like a kit car should be ok, if and only if the bolts are thick strong 1s that need to be air-gunned in

on a passanger car exceeding 500 kg weight,i wouldnt go near it

 

[dpsubaru]

RS - the chassis is the only part that keeps the whole car together. Where would you bolt a chassis together to make it safe? and what kind of power are we talking about?

 

[obi_waynne]

I wouldn't like the idea of driving a car with a chassis bolted together. The chassis is the spine of the car and things are then bolted onto this.

Construction and use regs probably have something to say about chassis welds. I doubt it can be tack spot welded.

 

[dpsubaru]

compared to welding it doesnt seem safe, chassis are welded all around the joint to insure rigidity and that the damn thing will stay together. If bolted surely the pressure is all on the area around the bolt head and washer at the other end?

 

[WLBjork]

That, and the fact that the bolts, washers, nuts and brackets are going to add a fair bit of weight to the car compared to welding.