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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Wooden lowering blocks?

Is this a fundamentally flawed idea? I have decided to make them of hardwood instead of metal as I have more experience with wood.
However I am starting to have second thoughts regarding the safety aspect.
BH Harvey

there's hardwood and hardwood - but it should work in principle. I'd check them often at first to see if they split; or you could coat them in resin so they don't fall apart even if they split.
David Smith

I think its a bad idea...you dont want people to call you the flying termite mobil

Woods are like metals, they each have there own personality and tolerances, as above, there is hardwood and then there is hardwood... With oak it wont compress but it will splinter, with elm it wont split but it does bend easily... Oh and does make for a great cup of tea, according to the new yanky tool shop on pbs.

You can get ally aluminum cnc-ed for just a few pennies more...if you need the specs. For the blocks let me know... Ive got some i can measure for you... But it will be the weekend before i can dig them out

Use metal, save a tree, kill a termite.... The planet is crying ... Live. green.

Prop
Prop

Oh... Just another thought... Wood swells when moisture is added and wood also holds mostiure

So you could end up with a rusty axle shaft that sits a little awkward

Termites unite !!!

Prop
Prop

Axle shaft ....equals.... axle housing

Sorry about that....hahaha, rusted axle shaft, now that a rusting issue

Prop
Prop

Teak would be my choice
Hard, waterproof and termite proof
Phil Burke

no no no no no
METAL -
William Revit

As a trained joiner NO!!!

The only place wood has a function in the suspention of cars is in pre-war friction shockabsorbers.

If it where only to use as mockup to determine the height of the actual metal bloks the okay do it.
But for use in anger use metal.

Even bettter properly dearched springs!
Onno Könemann

Just cut a bit off that worthless brazilian rosewood dressing table that has been cluttering up your house for a while ;-)

Doesn't sound like a good idea to me either, sorry BH.

Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

Let me expand on my previous post a bit.

Wood is a wonderfull material and generaly speaking per weight unit it has a simulair strength to steel when used in building constuction.

But cross grain point loads tend to compress the wood and along the grain point loads thend to split it along the grain.
Both not ideal quality's for a lowering block.

But most importantly for a loweringblock of the same size the steel one will be heavier and there fore stronger!

In building construction you usualy have the choise of a wooden beam size X or a steel I beam size 0.5*X
Not a choise we have in this matter
Onno Könemann

Aluminium is fairly easy to work with. You can even use carbide router bits on it. So if you really want to make your own, just buy a bit of aluminium bar and have a go at it.
Trevor Jessie

A block of aluminium would cost around £30, the same as ready made blocks. Plus I don't have any tools other than an angle grinder.
The wooden blocks were really only intended for mock up purposes (and they were riddled with hairline cracks on close inspection) so I just ordered some instead.
Thanks Ben
BH Harvey

"A block of aluminium would cost around £30"
For what type and size? Are all metals that expensive in the UK?
Trevor Jessie

This thread was discussed between 13/10/2011 and 15/10/2011

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