Thickness of a crash box?

[Vagadero]

What thickness sheet metal to use for an 8" crash box like this?

 

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[russau]

using a 8 inch dredge sucking up large rocks Id go with 12 gauge for most of the body of this (to help keep the weight down) and a 10 gauge where the rocks actually hit the header to prevent it from getting bashed. BTW Id love to see this in action!! OR even better , Id love to run this if I could!

 

[Hoser John]

There are 3 grades of hardness-now maybe even more-but .125 1/2 hard was a good place to start. Hard cracks when bent, soft wears too fast but 1/2 hard just right. Don't remember that particular mil spec for composition anymore as haven't built a 8" in ages. You ever run a 8" gravel suckn' monster for any length of time-weeks/months on end?? Many secrets to body preservation as they'll work ya to death if not done right. Lotsa luck-JohnJohn

 

[mike(swWash)]

You could line it with some 1/8 or 1/4" uhmw on the crash wall. It'd take years and years of use.

 

[Vagadero]

mike(swWash), is a plastic 8" crash box wall only 0.25" thick?

 

[mike(swWash)]

Sorry, no idea

 

[russau]

mike(swWash), is a plastic 8" crash box wall only 0.25" thick?

The ABS plastic probly is only .25 inchs thick BUT it is flexable to take the shock of getting hit multiple times by rocks! and it is molded , and that also helps strengthen it! Mikes idea of using UHMW is a good idea , even if you only use it on the "strikeing " area of that header!UHMW is 7 times more durable than steel and nothing sticks to it! GOOD suggestion Mike!

 

[mike(swWash)]

A white plastic uhmw cutting board, cut to fit and screwed/bolted on the corners is an easy fix.