I've dropped Sophia a couple of times on the track on cheap fibre glass fairings, so I have a sense of how much they protect the engine etc. I was wondering if carbon fairings work much better? Bront
No easier to repair than fibreglass. Carbon Kevlar ones offer great abrasion resistance, most fairing kits however are pure carbon which is lighter but quite fragile when subjected to an impact
I've got QB Carbon bodywork, one set fibre glass and one carbon. The carbon set has a carbon outer layer with a more abrasion resistant carbon kevlar layer on the inside. The fibre glass set is about twice as thick though. Both are as easy to fix as each other, carbon's just a bit more expensive to do but not as much as you think. If i raced mine rather than just play on it I'd get a water pump cover, crash mushrooms and stick with fibre glass. I'm looking at making some pure kevlar water pump covers and tank protectors but haven't had time yet. You can get a 1X1.5 meter square of carbon for about £25 if you fancied layering up your current fairing and seeing how it lasts.
The type carbon weave does make a difference, the closer the weave the stronger it is as it is less pliable when set. With fibreglass again it's down to whether it is chopped strand or woven glass. I am experimenting with making some carbon heel plates at the moment and cutting and filing the carbon after it has set is much harder than glassfibre and even a single layer adds much more strength. There is a new cloth out now named Diolen and that looks promising, it is not true 100% carbonfibre but it does look very much like it. Finally it depends on how many layers of carbonfibre you have, three is considered the minimum but some cheap parts have two and are then filled with fibreglass weave. A really cheap part has only one and the uses pigmented resin and fibreglass weave. When finished it's quite hard to tell it's not true carbon . Kevlar is stronger than carbonfibre but harder to cut, and is cheaper as it is not full carbonfibre. Strongest would be a non 2x2 twill close weave carbonfibre in three layers backed by kevlar or the new diolen.
So I would say that the jury is still out on this one then. More to do with the thickness, I'm guessing, than the material, although Carbon/kevlar a bit better for the same thickness. My first off was with thin fibreglass fairings, low speed, low side, which pretty much trashed the one side. The second off was with much thicker fibreglass, medium speed, low side, fairing repairable. I'm tempted to have a go at making some small bits in Carbon so if I get that right might have a go at the side fairings. However as I have a local guy that makes fibreglass ones for about 170 quid for everything it hardly seems worth it. Maybe if I give him some carbon, kevlar and epoxy he can do them for me for even less, hmmm, cunning plan :biggrin:
If you have the moulds it's not too difficult but there is a price difference in materials, carbonfibre is a lot dearer, Kevlar is cheaper as it has plastic roving in it. If you are not bothered about look I would go for kevlar it's stronger and mid range in price.
Red998/bront, if you're playing with carbon try turning the layers at 30 degrees to the last one. Seems to make stronger parts from my experience.
Ive got carbon and slid out twice at about 40mph the carbon over the water pump area gets worn through immediately resulting in an aluminium condition known as water pump case thinning :frown: , the carbon is easy enough to repair but hard to get looking right due to the weave. Only a problem if you have the carbon unpainted obviously (which mine is).
^^ 1037, Sounds like a good idea, I haven't tried that yet I must admit. Getting the carbonfibre to sit nicely without fraying and keeping air bubbles out when laying in the matting is my main problem at the moment, any tips? as I know you have done some carbonfibre work. I was thinking of using the non twill carbonfibre that is coated on the back to stop fraying, it's the stuff used in model aeroplane wings, very light and easy to lay into a mould.
OK Bront, I just didnt want to hijack. Right, now once i've prepared the mould, i put a layer of resin in and wait for it to go really tacky. It does mean you've only really got one chance to lay the first layer but it stops the carbon moving about and trying to lift out the corners creating bubbles. I make sure i push it down all the way round the mould starting in the middle and working out to the edges. I'd then re-wet the back of the first layer and start adding the rest of the layers i want. Turning them 30 degrees at a time. With smaller flatter pieces like your heel plates i then put a plastic bag full of sand on top of the last layer, giving it a good push into the mould, to help stop the carbon lifting causing bubbles/voids in the resin. I use 2x2 twill weave for stuff with tight corners, and plain weave for flatter stuff as it's more stable and holds it's pattern better. I also put masking tape around the edge of where i want to cut the carbon, then cut through the tape when making my pattern as this stops the edges fraying. Each layer is at least an inch bigger in all directions than the mould so i can then trim off the area left with tape once cured and popped out the mould. Bit hard to explian but i could probably send some pics if I've not made it easy to understand. You can also use a hair dryer on it once all layed up and watch any trapped air bubble out. Or if I've got a good finished part just with the odd void in the resin, I add a blob of resin and flat it out once cured.
Another one that recommends QB carbon with Kevlar inner layer for tough carbon panels.Ive had full 998 carbon side fairings/belly pan set & 916 lower fairings/bellypan one piece unit.Both sets have been top notch.
What about using grp then riveting metal plate the the exposed bits round the water pump & alternator cover ?
