Adding gussets to a sfbd frame?

I am done with the ouline of the frame for my mazda and I am ready to gussets at the joints, what is the best way to go about that? Will the angle at which you place them on side of the frame have any different effect? Dose the size and shape play a role in how well the gusset will work? Thankyou

83 views and nobody can help?

Edited: 5/25/2008 7:06:39 PM by Guiltybydesign

usually a diamond shape with a hole in the middle is the best. Weld arounnd the paremeter of the diamond and the hole in the center.

I just cut 2" X 2" squares out of some 3/16" flat plate and weld them onto the joints like diamonds.

you can drill a 1" hole in the middle and weld that up if you want but i don't really see the point if the joint in the box tubing is already fully welded also

Ive never used them on any frame we have build. If you used the right tubing, and welded it properlly all the way around, there is no need for them really, its plenty solid.

I could see using a gusset like that at joints that arent tied into the entire frame, or if it has an unusual amount of weight being applied at that individual joint. But to put them at all the joints along the frame, unless its for cosmetic purposes, seems useless.

We had a customer once want to buy some of these pieces from us, to use on his frame. We got some 2.25" OD - .50"wall DOM tube and sliced some .25" thick "washer" type pieces on the band saw for him. He said he liked them and they fit really really well on his 2x3 frame he had. Ill see if i can dig up soem pics.

I know about putting a diamond or square shape on there but does the angle or position of the gusset over the seam have any effect on the strength/weakness?

The shape and position will certainly effect the overall strength of the joint. How it effects the strength is beyond me. That is when you start getting into true engineering where you're concerned about specific breaking points, with applied loads. On joints that are extra stressed, I will use a diamond but stretch it longer to spread the stress out further.

I made some upside down heart shaped looking gussets with two one inch holes in each end for the current frame that I am building. They extend around 3 inches past each side of the joint. Since the frame holds the air I wanted to be sure that the joints didn't become overstressed possibly causing an air leak several years down the road.

As Max said the longer the diamond gusset, the better stress distribution you'll get. Cutting just a 2X2 square and placing it to look like a diamond will work however I you want to truely help with the stress across the joint a longer diamond gusset is the way to go. It acts somewhat like a bridge and passed the stress across the members.

So it would be better to have a stretchedout diamond that is parrallel to the floor over the joint? Running basically top to bottom instead of further out to the sides? What if you used a larger square say 2 1/2 that would almost go top to bottom on the side of 2x3?