Aren't all "T" chassis vehicles designated as one ton from sometime early in
the sixties (~'63?)?   I strongly suspect that VW knew a thing or two about
how to make the suspension robust enough to maintain that designation.

On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 6:18 PM, Mike <mbucchino@charter.net> wrote:

>  I seriously doubt that VW would make a heavy vehicle major suspension
> component out of a weak, brittle cast iron.  Who says it's cast iron,
> anyway?   My bet is that it's forged..........nothing less would do.......
>
> Mike B.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "pdooley" <psdooley@VERIZON.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 9:46 AM
> Subject: Re: Magical cast iron suspension?
>
>
>  Ummm, what about ductile cast iron?
>>
>> You must be thinking of white or gray iron.  Those are low
>> strength/ductility and give cast iron a bad rep.
>> I'm pretty sure VW didn't use that for the control arms.
>>
>> No, I'm pretty sure they used ductile/nodular cast iron, which is plenty
>> tough and strong for use in a Vanagon suspension.
>>
>> Regardless, cast or stamped, there is no way I would change from one or
>> the
>> other, I already have enough to do without looking for more work.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> Of
>> John Reynolds
>> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:02 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Magical cast iron suspension?
>>
>> "So still no compelling evidence to upgrade, especially based on my
>> driving
>> experience of 4 years each in an '85 and '84 Westy."
>>
>> Probably cost.  Fabricating arms out of several pieces of steel and
>> welding
>> them were likely more expensive than casting. That's my guess.
>>
>> I'd prefer the welded steel than brittle cast iron anyway.  Steel when
>> over
>> stressed will bend, the cast iron will break clean off, most grades have
>> have very little ductility.   Cast iron, repeat after me:  strong in
>> compression, weak in tension.
>>
>> My $.02, your mileage may vary.
>>
>> John R
>>
>

--
Casey
'87 300TD
'94 100CSQ Avant
'89 Bluestar