Previously we learned what 4130 N Chromolly is. Next we will answer the question, Why is it such a popular choice? Fabricators and engineers use 4130 tubing because of its outstanding strength, forgoing mild steel, where a thicker wall must be used to have equivalent strength as the 4130 chromolly steel tubing. Simply put it is stronger. "Stronger"? What does that mean?
Strength is the ability of a metal to withstand some kind of force without breaking down. For example a metal can resist failure from pulling, hitting, pressure, repeated bending, twisting or shearing. These strength properties are known as, respectively, tensile strength, impact strength, compressive strength, fatigue strength, torsional strength, and shear strength. In my experience tensile strength is the most commonly "advertised" although not necessarily the most useful.
The minimum Ultimate Tensile Strength for 4130 (Chromoly) Normalized Alloy Steel is 97,200 psi. A513 (alloy 1020-1026) Steel alloy is generally used for DOM tubing. A popular choice for our type of fabrication has a Ultimate Tensile Strength of psi 87,000. Fabricators and engineers use 4130 because they can use a thinner wall thickness tubing to get the required strength. Thinner equals lighter, lighter equals performance.
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