Thumbs up for Aluminium

[Greybeard]

Isn't it lucky that someone discovered/developed Aluminium/Aluminum? Our world would be a different place without the modern alloys of aluminium. It's light and strong. It's own oxide blocks further corrosion. Amazing stuff. Would aircraft have developed to where they are now if there was no Ali? Plastic airliner anyone?

Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium

[duTch]

 Well yeah- but the fact you wrote it with two 'L's' in the topic made me think it was going to be a different story...

[worntorn]

Norton Commando 850 cast iron cylinder, 23 lbs 4 oz, al. cylinder for same 8 lb 5 oz.
Better cooling with the Al as well.
I agree, aluminium is wonderful stuff, especially when you include all of the various alloys.

[chaz]

machine Aluminium all night at work, has to be dichromate or anodize plated as it does corrode otherwise our railway brakes wouldn't work and they are used in many countries of the world and in climates from wet to dry and hot to freezing.
the cases of my A50 have white corrosion on them.
don't know where the idea of it does not corrode comes from??

oh. have mentioned elsewhere, Triumphs Y2K period alloy chain adjusters in their swing arms do corrode, took me 2 hours to get them to move once with customer sat helping me ,corrosion from both ally parts and moisture reacted to seize the two together.

[Black Sheep]

Perhaps not ideal for con rods? Interesting fatigue characteristics.

[muskrat]

G'day all.
I think I remember (yeah right) reading BSA alloy rods had a life span of 80,000 miles.
I used alloy wherever possible on my racer (engine plates, head steady, footpegs, levers etc). When all I really needed to do was go on a diet 
Cheers

[chaz]

most Alloy bike parts were made of Dural.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duralumin
I did have a set of 4 Alloy rods for an Ariel square four but having talked to an engineer who raced classic Fraser Nash and Becke circuit and hill climb cars I never got round to using them as did not know actual composition. I re used the alloy rods in my A65's as long as they were still straight and square same applied to the 3 Sq4 motors I rebuilt.

[muskrat]

Yes the rods in my A7SS racer were 50 year old std BSA rods. They took 14:1 compression and 7500 to 8000 rpm. I lifted a few barrels and snapped a couple of cranks but never had a rod let go!
Cheers