View Full Version : 2000 series
I found some pretty nice looking pickup truck flatbeds. They claim that it is 2000 series aluminum, extruded floor, extruded frame around diamond plate sides/edges. I also noticed that the diamond plate gussets are welded to the extruded frame. How is this done? 2000 series is supposed to be hard to weld with good integrity, and extruded on top of that, should make it harder correct? Is there anything else as far as aluminum alloy, that would take the rigors of truck beds, and be easier to work with? The reason that I ask, sometime, I would like to copy the design of them for my own truck.
hotrodder
10-11-2008, 08:49 AM
The extrusion process itself isn't going to effect weldability. Not all of the 2xxx series alloys are 'non weldable' (prone to cracking/ruined properties) grades
Extrusions are made from various alloys depending on desired properties/complexity of the extrusion but most commonly a 6xxx (6082 and 6063 being especially common) series alloy is used
Diamond plate and five bar tread plate are available in several alloys but a 5xxx series is the most common one (in the UK at least) available.
Corrosion resistance would be fairly high up on my list of desirable properties for a truck bed, not a 2xxx series forte unless 'alclad'. I would be looking at 5xxx series (IIRC tread plate is usually 5754) and 6082 for extruded sections but there's several suitable alloys...
There's a guide to the different alloys and there properties/common applications here (http://aluminium.matter.org.uk/aluselect/01_applications.asp?alloyid=8).
hotrodder,
Thanks for the feedback! Thanks for the link as well. That will come in quite handy!
vicegrip
10-11-2008, 07:23 PM
Somethings a-miss in their info.:confused:
5K or 6K pretty much somes it up. For those kind of products.
That's what I didn't understand. I would have thought something more weldable like the 5k or 6k series. Thanks for the input.