Materials
With the experience gained in competing in rallys and the feedback Rallytech receives from our customers, we are constantly improving and producing new parts, to offer not only lighter weight components, but also better protecting and longer lasting replacements.
With Rallytech's knowledge and experience of working with diffent composite materials, Rallytech are able to offer parts manufactured from Glass fibre, Carbon fibre, Carbon Fibre Pre Preg and also Twintex.
Carbon Fibre
Carbon Fibre components from Rallytech are available in two forms, pre-impregnated (pre-preg) or wet lay-up.The basic structure of both forms is the same - the fabric is produced from fines fibres mostly composed of carbon atoms, which are woven into a fabric mat and can be easily formed to follow the curvatures of the required moulds.
Using the wet-layup technique, the fabric mat is applied to the mould, the the resin is applied by a technician according to the requirements and the strength required for the outlined component.
Pre-Preg is different in that the mat is sold with the resin already applied. It is required to be kept chilled and once the mat has been formed to the required mould, the component and mould are then vacuum bagged and heated within an oven to cure. The resin then flows, and after a certain time starts to cure in the fibres creating the shape of the product.
Pre-Preg Carbon Fibre parts are lighter than the same parts manufactured using the wet lay-up technique but pre-preg parts have a higher cost due to the extra process required.
Carbon fibre pasts are lightweight, making them ideal for bonnet lamp pods, door cards and roof vents. Carbon fibre also offers a neat finishing touch for the areas where standard equipment has been removed, such as boot liner, centre dash panel, door cards or firewall.
Kevlar
Kevlar is a registered trade mark for a light weight aramid fibre, which is woven into a mat and used to produce the required parts. The fabric is laid accross the mould, resin is then added to the fabric, which once cured creates the bond between the layers and also a solid coating holding the kevlar reinforcement in the required structure shape.
Kevlar is most widely known for its use in bullet resistant clothing, due to the materials abilty to absorb high energy impacts. Components such as floor guards are ideal to be manufactured from a kevlar based composite, giving the extra protection required.
Twintex
Twintex is a composite material composed of thermoplastic and glass fibres, which is formed accross the required mould in its fabric state, then vacuum bagged and heated to the required temperature, where the plastic fibres liquefy and reforms to produce a solid protective layer around the glass fibre reinforcement.
Twintex has been designed to offer high meachanical properties such as excellent stiffness to weight ratio and also superior impact properties. This makes Twintex ideal for rallying parts such as underfloor guards, sills and wheel arch liners.
Glass Fibre
As the name indicates, glass fibre, also known as GRP is manufactured from fine fibres of glass, that are loosely woven into a mat and held held together with a bonding agent. This mat is applied to the mould, followed by the resin as a bonding and strengthening agent. The covered mould is then left at room temperature to cure and once the curing process is complete, the part is removed, post cured and excess material trimmed.
Glass fibre has been used for many years as a composite material for replacement parts, offering a lighter weight advantage compared to standard manufactured steel components. A glass fibre component is also a cheaper alternative to the equal carbon fibre component. Parts ideal for manufacturing from glass Fibre include bumpers, bonnets, front wings, roof vents and mirrors. Glass Fibre parts are finished in a gel coat and are best painted.