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Fibreglass Vs Alloy

Tebie

By Tebie,
in General Automotive Discussion

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Tebie Rising Star

Tebie

Posted
Posted

hi all

just wanting to know what you all think about fibreglass guards compared to alloy?

correct me if im wrong but are the R32 GTR guards made of alloy?

i have a R32 GT4 and want pumped guards for the look and for the loss of weight....

i am concerned about the strength of the fibre glass guards though

would anyone else use fibre glass guards? or would you rather feel safe and use the GTR guards?

i am not even 100% sure what the GTS4 guards or the GTR guards are made of, ive only read that the GTR guards weigh less....

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VB- Veteran

VB-

Posted
Posted

i would probly just use fibreglass guards/FRP. lighter, not as strong as alloy (might crack/shatter rather than bend) but if something is going to hit the front guard, whether it be alloy or plastic/glass, it doesnt take much to damage a guard beyond repair.

come to think of it, whats cheapest, im guessing the glass, thats why i'd choose it too.

cant be 100% sure of those facts, but thats my understanding. hope i havent confused you more lol :nuke:

mad082 Grand Master

mad082

Posted
Posted

a good fibreglass guard will cost a bit. but they aren't that strong. they don't dent, they just crack. and once they crack they keep on cracking. sure they do flex a bit first.

at the end of the day what you have to weigh up is-

1. price

2. the fact that is someone backs into the guard in a carpark, if it is glass you are going to end up with a big tear in it rather than a dent

3. legallity. i'm not sure if fibreglass guards are legal.

Silent Proficient

Silent

Posted
Posted (edited)

My fiberglass guards are quite strong, mind you a did a fair bit of work to them to make them this way.

Not to mention if your guard is damage it can always be repaired, unless its smashed to pieces. Where if you stretch or kink the alloy guard it will have to be replaced.

Edited by Silent
predator Grand Master

predator

Posted
Posted

GTS-T guards weigh about 3.5kg each.. the alloy GTR ones are about 2.5kg I believe, so you're saving like 2kg in the whole car (next to nothing saving). If you're a drifter, FBR is cheaper to smash and replace I guess..

Fibreglass are illegal as they don't crumple in an accident

Race__24 Experienced

Race__24

Posted
Posted

I've heard that if you have a bingle with metal guards the shock is transferred to the mounting points and through the rest of the car, causing ripples, dents, bends.

While with fibreglass the force is not transferred and the fibreglass takes the lot.

Hit anything hard enough and you're fooked! But atleast with fibreglass you have a bit of bend before the damage takes place. If a stone hits ally it will dent, if it hits fibreglass it may chip paint but probably won't damage the body.

predator Grand Master

predator

Posted
Posted
How are fibreglass illegal because they don't crumple?? Heaps of kit cars etc have fg bodies and even xtrails have plastic front guards that also wouldn't crumple....

Cars are crash tested to ensure that they meet applicable crash standards, and crumble zones. So yes, there are a few out there that have these parts (and I doubt you'll find very many that have factory fibreglass), but they have been fully designed from the start and tested in simulated testing that gets the cars on the road. But you'll probably find they are strong plastics instead, which behave completely different strength to fibreglass.. And of course the factory skyline front bars are all plastic.

Fibreglass *addon* bits replacing the original *metal* (or plastic) bits obviously don't behave the same as the original parts in an accident. It's pure physics.

Hit anything hard enough and you're fooked!

Yes but there is f**ked, and less f**ked..

You go have an accident with your fibreglass guards, and see what the insurance company has to say in repairing your car. Say you hit a pedestrian.. fibreglass will just completely shatter on more than about 20k/hr impact, meaning they hit the (usually sharp) bits of the chasis instead. You ever cut yourself with fibreglass either? it's not pretty..

I've heard that if you have a bingle with metal guards the shock is transferred to the mounting points and through the rest of the car, causing ripples, dents, bends.

:laugh: so where do you think the shock is absorbed when the car, pole, whatever passes straight through the fibreglass like paper mache at 60km/hr?

predator Grand Master

predator

Posted
Posted

Each part has been tested and complied to ADR standards.. and there probably is different ADR standards applicable to 4WD vehicles as well.

It's all in here.. ADR 69

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/Legislatio...A257168000649A5

reading through, if its pre 95 might be ok - so its probably legal on his car afterall :(

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