Would this shackle idea work?

[84gmcjimmy]

Say if I had 2 pieces of 3/16" steel to make a shackle to replace the rear shackle for a shackle flip. If I cut 2 pieces same shape, but 1 piece would be just a bit smaller, just enough to lay a bead around the edge. Then the smaller piece would have small to large holes from the outside edge, to the center. On the inside of all the holes in the smaller piece, I would weld it to the 1st, bigger piece to hold it on more.

Would it be as strong, stronger, or weaker than just a 3/8" shackle of the same shape? I think with the extra welding area of the holes in the second piece it would make it stronger?

Just been on race-dezert.com and got some ideas.
Mainly I wan't to use this kind of shackle is because I have a bunch of 3/16" steel laying around, but no 3/8"

NOTE: this is just ONE side of the shackle...

 

[4trolls]

it would be stronger, but not really enough to tell . However it would be more redondent , and less likely to fail completely. This is how they used to make towbars but instead of being welded they where bolted or riveted

 

[85mudblazin]

Seems like alot more work then it is worth

 

[fatbob]

Weld it first, then drill the holes. That would be a lot easier than trying to keep the holes lined up. You could even cut them the same size and bevel the edges with a grinder, then put the small side of the bevel together to form a valley. Your way would work, but it's a lot easier to make stuff in pairs and get them to line up. When they are different sized it gets a bit more difficult.

 

[ntsqd]

Lamination is a good way to build up thickness where you need it and not where you don't.
An even stronger way to build a shackle is how Total Chaos does it.

 

[84gmcjimmy]

I looked on the site, but couldn't find anymore pictures of that shackle. But it's "basically" 2 tubes going up like this : | | then a small piece of tube is butt welded to the ends, with a piece of plate reinforcing those together?

Looks really strong.

 

[ntsqd]

That is the only pic I know of. If you have the time, look around RDC's "features" section in the "dezert people" bbs. You should be able to find some other examples of trick shackles.

The key to a strong part that doesn't tax other parts with it's weight is to design with geometry rather than with mass. Unfortunately that is a whole lot easier to say than to do.
Example: a piece of flat plate and a piece of tube weigh the same. The tube has greater bending strength than the plate.