otisringle
1/2 ton status
where did you get it and how thick??? If someone wants to send a link on where they got it and the thickness of it thatd be great...thank you
CK5
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Uhmw
- Thread starter otisringle
- Start date
1985_K5_Silverado
1/2 ton status
Are you referring to Ultra-High Molecular Weight (UHMW) Polyethylene sheeting? If so, I believe Grainger or McMaster-Carr both sell it (and fortunately, they both have web sites).
Did we miss something? What the hell are you talking about. 
DavidB
1/2 ton status
4X4HIGH said:Did we miss something? What the hell are you talking about.
Tough, slippery plastic.
1985_K5_Silverado
1/2 ton status
If he's thinking of the same stuff I mentioned, we used to call it "poor man's teflon". It's a cloudy white stiff plastic that is machinable, has no known solvents (at room temperature that is), and is slick like teflon (but not quite as slick as teflon). It also has a lower max service temp than teflon, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper if it fits your application.4X4HIGH said:Did we miss something? What the hell are you talking about.
You talking about delrin plastic?
Delrin is a brand name for Acetal, which is also a slippery tough plastic. They are talking about UHMW Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene. Look for plastic in your yellow pages. You will probably find some place near you that sells scrap pieces for much less than grainger or McMaster-Carr.
So what are people using this stuff for?
4X4HIGH said:
Between the leaves in a spring pack, per the 52 or 56 rebuild tech article.
I bought mine at Tap ... they called it "high density" something-or-other. Cost me nine bucks for a roll almost as wide as the springs, IIRC.
-- A
4X4HIGH said:
For skid plates. I'm doing the entire underside and boat sides of my truck in it. I'm using 1/4" and bough from Mcmaster.
willyswanter said:
that can't be cheap ... but, umm, wow 
Doesn't it scratch, though, on rocks?
-- A
otisringle
1/2 ton status
yeah Im using it for my leaf springs, I looked in the phone book and found a place close to me but it was to expensive. $2.50 a foot.
What thickness are you guys using?
What thickness are you guys using?
otisringle said:
Wow! The stuff I bought was way thin, like duct or masking tape, and came on a roll, one side sticky, in fact.
-- A
88Silverado
1/2 ton status
I used .030 material and its too thin. It has slowly worked its way out of the end of the springs. Another person (JEK ??) I believe used .060 material. I dont know how that has held up. I got mine from http://www.multicraftplastics.com/ in oregon. Bought it on a roll, 3" width and had to clean the adheasive off one side. Reasonable price. Called, told them what I wanted and they shipped it the next day.
1976Blazer76
1/2 ton status
Oddly enough, I work at a plastics recycling place and my work deals with thousands and thousands of pounds of scraps of this material in all shapes and sizes. The stuff is tough, pretty hard on our machines that grinds it up and makes it back into powder.
Cajun4x4
1/2 ton status
we use it on the bottom of our airboat...
Where (locally) do you get it?
anywhere from 0.030" - 0.060" is fine. I have the thinner stuff on my rear 52s... and the thicker stuff on my front 52s... both work great. If you run it the entire length of the leaf and drill a center-pin-hole... it won't work its way out of the pack.
UHMW-PE is much better than teflon... IMO it'd be more accurate to say that teflon is a "poor mans" UHMW. For a plastic, its impact resistance is crazy high... it can handle cryogenic temperatures without difficulty... it won't cold flow and its very slick. Its pretty much perfect for the spring or skid plate application. I am gonna have my K5s belly skid covered with UHMW... prolly have 1/8" steel with some beads rolled into it, covered be 3/8" or so UHMW. With enough force, you can scratch the stuff but its not like a scratch destroys the material or anything. A standard steel skid plate gets scratched too. No biggie.. and with UHMW the scratches won't result in rust.
j
UHMW-PE is much better than teflon... IMO it'd be more accurate to say that teflon is a "poor mans" UHMW. For a plastic, its impact resistance is crazy high... it can handle cryogenic temperatures without difficulty... it won't cold flow and its very slick. Its pretty much perfect for the spring or skid plate application. I am gonna have my K5s belly skid covered with UHMW... prolly have 1/8" steel with some beads rolled into it, covered be 3/8" or so UHMW. With enough force, you can scratch the stuff but its not like a scratch destroys the material or anything. A standard steel skid plate gets scratched too. No biggie.. and with UHMW the scratches won't result in rust.
j
otisringle
1/2 ton status
how much is needed to do a set of 52's.
76Hillbilly
Registered Member
for uhmw drop peices try http://www.rgausa.com/ or rubber and gasket company of america. they have a ton of drop peices. used to work there and the stuff is almost indestructable. comes in 1/32 to 1" thick. hope this helps
