Material Specifications – All Aluminum – No Cheap Plastic!
Material Used: No. 3003 Alloy Aluminum
After professional testing of various alloys of sheet metal, we selected No. 3003 Alloy Aluminum. This possesses good hardness and strength, but with flexibility and split resistance, so it can mount flush to surfaces with some contour – such as motor vehicle hoods – and surfaces that, by nature, tend to flex. Yes, your motor vehicle hood flexes, lengthwise and side-to-side, as you cruise down the road – and, especially, when off-roading — although the human eye usually can’t detect it!
Also, Aluminum does not rust; our Powder Coating bonds well to it; and it transfers heat well, which means it absorbs heat from the engine room and radiates it to the outside (which is one reason Aluminum is used in most automotive radiators!). Also, because Aluminum is lightweight, our Hood Louver panels are lighter than the typical steel panels that are cut out of the hood and that are replaced by them!
Thicknesses
Also, based on Physics and Materials Science, the larger the span, the thicker the Aluminum we use. We make our larger sizes (i.e., sizes XL, and WideFlow™) using .063”- thick Aluminum; for the smaller sizes, .050”-thick is the best combination. Both of these thicknesses equate to what is used in most vehicle body panels. If they were much thicker, it would be difficult for them to contour to fit some hoods; if thinner, they could flex too much (which is why plastic hood louvers must be so small in size and why they don’t last as long!).
American Aluminum!
Our Aluminum is made in the U.S.A., so you can count on it! (Remember the cheap plaster-board, made in China, that caused so many expensive problems for the housing industry?!) For quality products, look for “Made in U.S.A.”!!!