Dreaming of a carbon fiber frame

[Black_TurboSR5]

Oh yeah, I can't justify spending $2k on a roll of carbon fiber. But man Carbon Fiber frame would make the 4runner so much better on gas and over all performance. Rust free and all that. I would not be the hardest think to make either, and I know most are of the old school train of thought that believe a composite could never be trusted to do the job, but oh man it'd be sweet. I can see it now... I could push it barefoot.:roadkill:

 

[T?@\7]

does anything have a cf frame? That sounds like some serious clammage

 

[Black_TurboSR5]

does anything have a cf frame? That sounds like some serious clammage

Most any vehicle built today built today is unibody, with just a subframe. Carbon fiber is still expensive, that's why I'm only dreaming about it.:frog:

 

[Iroke17]

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[Barnaby]

There are a few high end exotics that have CF chassis' under(or more accurately part of ) them. They are inetgral to just about everything in the car though and not just a frame member. I would think that to make just a frame out of it, it would have to be fairly thick to be strong enough and may only save a few pounds from a stocker(resin will be the heavy part). My real concern would be if there were any direct impacts on the trail to it. Over time that could have some issues that steel doesn't have.

 

[Black_TurboSR5]

There are a few high end exotics that have CF chassis' under(or more accurately part of ) them. They are inetgral to just about everything in the car though and not just a frame member. I would think that to make just a frame out of it, it would have to be fairly thick to be strong enough and may only save a few pounds from a stocker(resin will be the heavy part). My real concern would be if there were any direct impacts on the trail to it. Over time that could have some issues that steel doesn't have.

A few pounds, not! more like a few hundred less, carbon fiber is so much lighter and stronger than you think, it also has a good amount of flex, on a crash it would would crack or break with a strong enough impact, at that point any metal frame would be bent beyond a cost effective repair too:happens:.

 

[Black_TurboSR5]

make one test it ill buy it...

It will be built, but carbon fiber has to come down in price.
For now I think I can start with the cross member that holds the transmission.

 

[Barnaby]

A few pounds, not! more like a few hundred less, carbon fiber is so much lighter and stronger than you think, it also has a good amount of flex, on a crash it would would crack or break with a strong enough impact, at that point any metal frame would be bent beyond a cost effective repair too:happens:.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but one trail impact that compromised the CF would render the frame useless. Any repairs to the section that has been hit would only be as strong as the resin that holds it together. When laid in one piece the fibers are all connected(hence the strength) repaired they are not.

Out of curiosity, what do you think a 4Runner frame weighs? 500#s? Saving even that much would likely not have much of an effect on mileage IMO.

 

[Black_TurboSR5]

I would really like to find out the weight of the frame. My guess is that it would be 1/4 of the total weight of the 4runner.

 

[Iroke17]

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[Black_TurboSR5]

we took in a 92 frame 1 ton is what they said it wighted and it was a bit rusty...

Thanks so much for the info, 1ton or 2000Lbs (I was guessing 1000lbs). I think that's more than half of the whole weight. Does any one know how much a 4runner weighs, both 4cyl and V6?

 

[T?@\7]

i can weigh mine tommorow

 

[Iroke17]

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[Black_TurboSR5]

if your talking same model like 88 v4 and 88 v6 cant be much diffrent maybe a few hundred but from 1st to 2ed they have like 600 or 700 on us

I'm assuming the frames are about the same weight from 1st gen to 2gen. but I would like to know the weight of the 1st gens. It makes sense the second gens would weigh more because of the sheet metal in the back vs. the fiber glass in the 1st gen.

The metal stamp on the door jam has GVWR:5080Lbs, But that's the maximum allowable weight of the 4runner plus, fuel, and cargo.

 

[TopElement]

1. Composite frame is not feasable by any means.
2. A roll of carbon fabric will not get you even near a complete frame.
3. Keep dreaming if you think that $2k cost is high. On a daily basis, I work with carbon parts that are much simpler and smaller than a 4Runner frame, and they're about $80k in material and labor alone, not final cost!

 

[Black_TurboSR5]

Thanks for all your inputs/opinions. I'll keep an open mind, there will be a way to do this sooner or later.:cheers:

 

[TopElement]

Responded to your PM. Maybe for $102k it would be doable!