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Main Topic

Aluminum vs. steel

Many vehicles have started switching parts from steel over to aluminum.

• General

  • https://tampasteel.com/differences–between–aluminum–and–steel/

  • Aluminum pros

    • Lighter

    • Doesn’t rust like steel

    • Dissipates heat faster

  • Aluminum Cons

    • Not as structural, getting the same strength as steel requires thicker material

    • More expensive

    • Harder to repair (generally)

    • More prone to tear or fracture than steel is

  • Steel Pros

    • Stronger metal

    • Bends rather than fractures, easier to hammer back into shape

    • More affordable (generally)

    • Easter it repair

  • Steel Cons

    • Heavier

    • Very prone to rust

    • Holds Heat

• Body panels

  • Weight savings

  • Possibly more expensive to repair

  • Jeep doors easier to take on and off

• Armor

  • Weight savings

  • Panels generally need to be thicker to get the same strength

  • Aluminum has a tendency to fracture rather than bend

• Other components

  • Drivetrain

    • Lighter components

    • More efficient heat dissipation

  • Wheels

    • Lighter, less rotational weight

    • Harder to repair on the trail

    • Easier to crack

    • Harder to hammer back into shape

    • Looks nicer. 😉

 

JK vs JL Weight (source: https://offroadingpro.com/how-much-does-a-jeep-wrangler-weigh/)

JKU Sport weight: 4,075

JLU Sport weight: 4,167

JK steel front door: about 62 pounds

JL aluminum front door: about 47 pounds

 

JK hood: 47 lbs

JL hood: 22 lbs

JL has aluminum doors, hood and windshield frame, and some body panels.

The hinges are cast aluminum too.

JL tailgate is made of magnesium alloy

Indications are the JL aluminum panels have more issues with corrosion than the steel JK panels did.

 

 

 

 

https://wranglerguide.com/jeep-wrangler-weight/

 

 

 

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