Rig weight - why worry?

When we were talking about radiators last week, general opinion seemed to be that the main advantage of aluminum was lower weight.

I don't see how this matters that much. (Note: I'm not trying to argue - just saying I don't understand.)

Here's my thinking: Most of the time, jeeping is a low speed, low RPM activity. You're not usually trying to fly up the hill or through the mud at max speed and power. It's rare to have the gas pedal floored when off-roading. So there's almost always plenty of "oomph" left in the vehicle which you could get by simply pressing down further on the accelerator. Further, most of the time you get stuck, it's because the wheels are spinning and not getting traction, or perhaps because you are hung up on something, not because the engine doesn't have enough horsepower to turn the wheels.

Also, in the overall 3,000 or 4,000 pound weight of a jeep (maybe pushing 5000 lbs with passengers, winch, ice chest, etc.), the small relative weight difference of aluminum radiators seems like an awfully small drop in the bucket. Not to mention that additional weight can actually help a vehicle gain traciton.

So, all in all, it seems to me like you're getting an extremely tiny horsepower improvement which probably isn't even needed. And to do so, the tradeoff is that you're now running aluminum, which several people have said is more expensive, harder to work with, and more easily damaged than a traditional radiator.

This just seems like a lousy trade to me. If you're that concerned about weight, there are other things you could do, too, such as running without that big ol' heavy spare tire, but that makes about as much sense as far as I can see.

Am I overlooking something???

Reply to
Joshua Nelson
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I agree with you, if you were building a full-on rock buggy for competition, maybe that would make a difference. But for a regular Jeep, hell, I could have a big lunch and overcome the weight savings, plus there is the hassle of special coolant, sacrificial anodes, etc

Reply to
Tookie

Approximately 9/17/03 06:47, Joshua Nelson uttered for posterity:

For the same weight and or volume, more cooling. Plus the construction of an aluminum radiator is more efficient at moving heat from the water to the air.

Possibly because the weight wasn't the overwhelming factor for jeeps. .

Yes. See the discussion of heat transfer between copper/brass and aluminum plus the discussion that the aluminum construction allows better heat transfer between the cooling tubes and the fins. Plus that the higher mechanical strength of aluminum allows smaller pipes, thus more of them.

Reply to
Lon Stowell

I've never heard that the advantages of an aluminum radiator is weight. The main advantage is that aluminum is about the best metal known for heat dissapation. Which is, obviously, the radiator's function.

Reply to
kid4lyf

Approximately 9/17/03 12:47, kid4lyf uttered for posterity:

It turns out that aluminum is well below copper and silver [the kings of heat transfer] but barely above brass. The big advantage is an aluminum to aluminum bond conducts better than the traditional braze or solder of older radiators.

Reply to
Lon Stowell

I>t turns out that aluminum is well below copper and silver [the >kings of heat transfer] but barely above brass. The big advantage >is an aluminum to aluminum bond conducts better than the traditional >braze or solder of older radiators.

Just a quick note, while copper is great at conducting heat, It is lousy at radiating it, while aluminum is great at radiating it, which is why its better for cooling.... (thats why you see some computer heatsinks madewith a copper base and aluminum fins.

Reply to
Kirk Sachs

Yes, you overlooked the fact that we outed you as a lying troll a scant few days ago.

Can you reconcile the fact that you are like a dad to your one year old brother, yet have a two year old daughter, speak of IRAs and insurance coverage like a 40 year old, want to play Hulk Hogan in the Des Moines area, yet claim to be 16, grounded, and in Arizona, while you post from an Exxon account in Texas? Thanks!

Reply to
Cal Wheeler

Why, hello again Cal! (Note: You forgot to also call me a child molesting devil worshipper.) However, as interesting as my personal life may be to you, it doesn't have much to do with jeeps, so let's try to stay on topic, shall we?

Thanks to everyone else for their input. The link was interesting.

Reply to
Joshua Nelson

hmm...i don't think he's explained all that yet-i was staying away from the joshua nelson being a troll discussion but-serioulsy-what the hell is going on with this guy?

Reply to
serg

Ya I was wondering too.

Every time this poor Joshua guy makes a post that Troll Cal Wheeler is all over him trying to start a fight.

We don't need guys like Cal in this NG.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

serg wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

I'm happy that the damn thing holds water. That usually gets a WOW just because of the stuff I mow down with it.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

I don't give a damn about Joshua's private life; as long as he/she/it is polite and asks reasonable questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them. He got a bit stamped on for being a bit obstreperous and has stopped it - fair play to him.

Dave Milne, Scotland '99 TJ 4.0 Sahara

: > hmm...i don't think he's explained all that yet-i was staying away : > from the joshua nelson being a troll discussion but-serioulsy-what the : > hell is going on with this guy? : >

: > >

: > > >

: > > > Am I overlooking something??? : > >

: > >

: > > Yes, you overlooked the fact that we outed you as a lying troll a scant : > > few days ago. : > >

: > > Can you reconcile the fact that you are like a dad to your one year old : > > brother, yet have a two year old daughter, speak of IRAs and insurance : > > coverage like a 40 year old, want to play Hulk Hogan in the Des Moines : > > area, yet claim to be 16, grounded, and in Arizona, while you post from : > > an Exxon account in Texas? Thanks!

Reply to
Dave Milne

I guess we could all just ignore the posts we dont like... Naaah, never happen. KH

Reply to
Kevin in San Diego

He got a bit stamped on for being a bit >>>

WOW!!!!!!! I've got to look that word up!!

Tookie

Reply to
Tookie

Moby Dick

"They were capering about most obstreperosly."

The scene in the tavern at the begining.

Reply to
Jeepers

Were they truculent? __ Steve .

Reply to
Stephen Cowell

I have been staying out of this so far, but I (and I'm sure others) are curious as to how you would respond to that Josh.

Tom

snip

Reply to
mabar

Nothing in the usenet archive about that, yet :-)

  • * * Matt Macchiarolo
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Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

Nice killfiling, "Josh".

I haven't found any posts made by you where you admitted to it. If you do, I will.

The topic is you lying and trolling on this newsgroup, troll.

That was a pretty pathetic evasion, by the way. How about just clearing up the lies you've told on this newsgroup?

>
Reply to
Cal Wheeler

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