High Strength Automotive Tubing

High strength tubing is being proposed for replacing solid bar in the design of automotive parts such as anti-roll bars (stabilizers) and Macpherson suspension piston struts. This paper describes how a combination of tubemaking processes can be used to meet the different combinations of tube diameters, and wall thicknesses required by automotive parts manufacturers in three high strength steel grades. The results of a laboratory heat treatment program are also given to illustrate the range of mechanical properties that can be achieved in high strength tubing.