Bracket Talk
Carbon Fiber Dash Panel
December 08, 2018, 08:31 PM
joe DiryCarbon Fiber Dash Panel
What size thickness should be used for a carbon fiber dash? It will be 11” tall and 24” wide and will have a racepak iq3 mounted to it. It looks like carbon fiber comes in 0.030, 0.040, 0.060, and 0.125?
December 08, 2018, 08:41 PM
57 VetteMy carbon fiber dash in my 57 Don Davis Corvette that mounts my Racepak dash is 0.125 thickness.
IHRA ACDELCO Canadian Nationals
Top/et Iron man Champion
57 Don Davis Super Gas Corvette roadster
SDPC 582 Head Hunter on alcohol
December 09, 2018, 07:40 AM
<DOTracer>If it's true carbon/carbon you can get away with ALOT thinner and be stiff/strong. If it's carbon/glass then it's gotta be quite a bit thicker.
.125" is SUPER thick for anything carbon, way overkill for a panel to hold a racepak dash.
.030" is 3 layers of 3k carbon on average.
,050 to .060" would be way more than necessary. two thin outer layers (3k) with a soric core and one inside layer is a very typical layup for something that needs more rigidity.
December 09, 2018, 12:23 PM
MasRacingYour .030 for 3 layers sounds right on. I just layed up a new dash for my car. I used 9 layers it came in right around .090 thick. I havent cut out for gauges yet but I think its going to be stiffer than it needs to be.
B.J. Masiello
December 09, 2018, 02:13 PM
David Covey.030 is pretty thin. You could get away with it if the top and bottom had a 90* bend on them. That would stiffen up the panel.
I used carbon for my floor and other panels, they were not stiff.
Just saying that it could have some flex.
Dave
"It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance." -Thomas Sowell
December 09, 2018, 02:15 PM
David CoveyAgree with DOT, some sort of inner core would stiffen it up.
Dave
"It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance." -Thomas Sowell
December 09, 2018, 03:26 PM
bradsc1954Dave
How thick are your floors. I am thinking about trying to make carbon floors for my dragster?
December 09, 2018, 05:05 PM
Curly1My aluminum dash is .125 and I would go .125 for a carbon dash. My thinking is if it vibrates it will crack and break. We are trying to save weight but the difference in weight between .030 and .125 carbon s very little but strength is MUCH better.
https://postimg.cc/gallery/np3zpruo/"Dunning-Kruger Effect"
-a type of Cognitive bias where people with little expertise or ability assume they have superior expertise or ability. This overestimation occurs as a result of the fact that they do not have enough knowledge to know they don't have enough knowledge.
Before you argue with someone ask yourself, "Is this person mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of a different perspective?" If not there is no point to argue.
4X NE2 CHAMPION. 2020 TDRA NE2 Champion
December 09, 2018, 05:20 PM
<DOTracer>quote:
Originally posted by Curly1:
My aluminum dash is .125 and I would go .125 for a carbon dash. My thinking is if it vibrates it will crack and break. We are trying to save weight but the difference in weight between .030 and .125 carbon s very little but strength is MUCH better.
When mounting a Racepak dash I always make a mount out of .050" plate steel then use 3/8" chromoly tube to attach it to the dash bar and steering column upper support tubes.
.125" for anything mounting a Racepak dash is severely overkill. Keep in mind the dash may weight 1.5 lbs if that.
December 09, 2018, 05:21 PM
<DOTracer>quote:
Originally posted by Curly1:
My aluminum dash is .125 and I would go .125 for a carbon dash. My thinking is if it vibrates it will crack and break. We are trying to save weight but the difference in weight between .030 and .125 carbon s very little but strength is MUCH better.
Our customers are ALOT harder on their carbon fiber doors & front ends taking them on and off all the time, compared to the stresses a panel will see holding a display dash. We don't see any cracking issues.
December 10, 2018, 09:57 AM
David Coveyquote:
Originally posted by bradsc1954:
Dave
How thick are your floors. I am thinking about trying to make carbon floors for my dragster?
Mine are 1 layer of carbon and 2 layers of glass, so .030-.040.
When I worked for Ironman Chassis that is the same thing we used in our cars. Give Aaron a call for your carbon sheet, you get more for your money.
I used the same thing in my door car.
Dave
"It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance." -Thomas Sowell