cast iron or steel????????

[JEBSR]

I was fixing to order my shims to fix my pinion angle when I noticed that a company sells aluminum shims(hell no) steel shims and cast iron shims. Wouldn't cast iron be plenty strong, or should I go with the steel for over double the price of cast?


Oh yea are 2 1/2" shims good enough or should I go 3?

 

[sweetk30]

i prefer cast. aluminum corodes out to fast up in my area of the country . seen lots of them break after 2 years or so.

if your springs are 2.5 wide then 2.5 if 3" wide then 3" wide.

 

[JEBSR]

Yea tha's what I was saying. No way I'll use aluminum, but I don't know if I should use cast iron shims or plate steel shims.

 

[JEBSR]

Anyone know?

 

[beastofablaze]

aluminum doesn't corrode... it's just plain weaker. Leave a pile of steel out in the rain for 2 weeks along with a pile of aluminum... I'll bet anything I own the steel is good and rusted and the aluminum is just wet.Unless theres something in the diff oil that it doesn't like it shouldn't corrode. I've worked with cast and honestly I wouldn't use it for anything that thin... cast likes to crack... go with the forged shim. Yeah they are both iron but cast will always have more imperfections than sheet metal or forged steel. They would probably do the job but I wouldn't be suprised if they cracked either.

 

[cegusman]

Order the steel ones form here http://www.jkwoffroad.com/offroadproducts.php
He is a supporting ck5 vendor and his prices are good.

 

[loafer]

I ran a pair of cast iron, 6-deg shims and I had problems with them cracking at the "skinny" end. I bought a pair of steel shims from JKWOffroad and they work great, no cracking. So I would have to recommend the steel.

I was fixing to order my shims to fix my pinion angle when I noticed that a company sells aluminum shims(hell no) steel shims and cast iron shims. Wouldn't cast iron be plenty strong, or should I go with the steel for over double the price of cast?


Oh yea are 2 1/2" shims good enough or should I go 3?

 

[13lazer]

aluminum doesn't corrode... it's just plain weaker. Leave a pile of steel out in the rain for 2 weeks along with a pile of aluminum... I'll bet anything I own the steel is good and rusted and the aluminum is just wet.Unless theres something in the diff oil that it doesn't like it shouldn't corrode. I've worked with cast and honestly I wouldn't use it for anything that thin... cast likes to crack... go with the forged shim. Yeah they are both iron but cast will always have more imperfections than sheet metal or forged steel. They would probably do the job but I wouldn't be suprised if they cracked either.

i apologize for this know it all reply but if you bolt that steel shim and that aluminum shim together in water for 2 weeks the aluminum will absolutely corrode. this is why sacrificial zinc anodes (the little fin behind the propeller) are mounted on outboard motors. the zinc rots away and all other metals in the motor are left intact. each metal(alloy or element) is ranked by its tendency to corrode while in contact with a different metal. corrosion is a chemical reaction where the oxygen reacts with the metal and creates Iron oxide (rust) or aluminum oxide (oxidized aluminum) for 2 examples.
this also has alot to do with how batteries work however, batteries weren't the subject of my honorably mentioned 8th grade science fair project. "Corrosion of Metals"
aluminum "rust" is white, copper "rust" is green-blue
and iron rust is red-brown.

for the record i have two 2"x2"x7" lowering blocks installed between my rear trailing arms and my rear axle for 2" of drop in my 1970 2wd blazer. i made them out of some leftover 8/4 quartersawn boards of white oak i had in my basement.

all i'm saying is f*** it, you wanna live forever!?

 

[beastofablaze]

i apologize for this know it all reply but if you bolt that steel shim and that aluminum shim together in water for 2 weeks the aluminum will absolutely corrode. this is why sacrificial zinc anodes (the little fin behind the propeller) are mounted on outboard motors. the zinc rots away and all other metals in the motor are left intact. each metal(alloy or element) is ranked by its tendency to corrode while in contact with a different metal. corrosion is a chemical reaction where the oxygen reacts with the metal and creates Iron oxide (rust) or aluminum oxide (oxidized aluminum) for 2 examples.
this also has alot to do with how batteries work however, batteries weren't the subject of my honorably mentioned 8th grade science fair project. "Corrosion of Metals"
aluminum "rust" is white, copper "rust" is green-blue
and iron rust is red-brown.

for the record i have two 2"x2"x7" lowering blocks installed between my rear trailing arms and my rear axle for 2" of drop in my 1970 2wd blazer. i made them out of some leftover 8/4 quartersawn boards of white oak i had in my basement.

all i'm saying is f*** it, you wanna live forever!?

no worries

But I have to say I've had different experiences with both... apparently I was looking for the wrong kind of rust.

Good info man.

 

[ryoken]

yup, come visit the marine industry for a week...

I just replaced a $1200 Merc intake manifold on an old hotrod Merc 454, all stock, 370 horse.. Late 80's Cigarette boat.. The front 2 corners where corroded past the mounting bolts to the point where the water jackets where so paper thing, water was seeping thru... I'll take a pic monday... big pile of white, fluffy goop...

Oh, and personally I'd go for the steel shims, high abuse area....