I know when you go light, you sacrifice strenght. But what are some nice Light yet strong rods? I was thinking Manley H beams which are in the 600 gram range. Any thoughts?

 

I've got some Lunati Street Race Rods on my 383 right now. They are a 6 inch rod and are the I-beam style. I can't remember the weight off the top of my head but I'll try to remember to look tonight. I know they are in the 500 gram range. They are a good forged rod in my opinion. I do believe an H-beam will work better for a stroker engine because the H style seems to clear everything else better as it rotates in a stroker motor. They are significantly heavier though.
If you are shoping for engine parts be sure to check with Comp Products (they advertise in circle track magazines). I saved $50 to $60 over the price quoted by Summit Racing when I bought my rods.


Cory

 

Hey hey a true fan of German beer!! Thanks for the information. 6" is the way to go! I'll try to check them out. How do you like your 383? I'm going in the same direction as you can see... any pointers, tips, suggestions? THanks... what kind of power are you putting down with which heads? Sorry for all the questions. :) I'm trying to get as much info as i can.

 

Alhtough I like Heineken as my 'everyday' beer, my favorite is Spaten from Munich. Although when in Munich, the Hofbrauhaus is a good time.

Anyway, if you're concerend about getting a light, yet strong rod, look beyond the total weight of the rod. Ask yhe rod manufacturer what the rotating weight and reciprocating weight is. These are the weights that really matter. The overall weight includes the rod cap for instance which does not add to the reciprocating weight. Bascially, they can take weight off the rods in areas that count the most, without compromising the overall strength of the rod.

 

When comparing rod weights, be sure to include the pin weight too. Sometimes you can find a slightly lighter rod that has a heavier pin which would make the combo heavier than another set.

Generally, as you go with a longer than stock rod, the weight goes up because of more metal in the rod.

Manley has some excellent rods that aren't too expensive, are very strong and some 6.0" rods as light as 515 grams (Tour-Lite "I" Beam 4340 Rods), but the crank has to be specially ground for these light-weights. I believe the journal diameter is smaller than stock.

Other Manley "I" Beam Lite weight rods are in the 600+ range and "H" beam jobs topping 700 grams.

I suggest you check out the websites of the different companies; I'm betting they have all the weight info posted. Some have toll-free tech support lines too.

Hope this helps.

Jake

 

Rods don't come with pins... Anyway you can purchase a pin separately to suit your needs. Just like pistons.

Cory

 

Jenny,
You can get a light but strong rod BUT you`ll pay for it they are titanium about $4k for a set, you might consider a complete lightweight
"rotating assembly" pre balanced with the bearings and rings. Thats the way i would go BUT i`m probably a little harder on my stuff than you are.
...redvetracr

 

hehe.. i think you are DEFINITELY harder on your stuff than i am.. Titanium is probably a little too exotic for my application :). But it is a wonderful material.

 

Don't forget to look for light pistons as well.Even if you have already purchased a set they can be worked a little.

 

Yep, you're right.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that they did. Sorry for any confusion.

What I was trying to get across, apparently not too well, was that rods come with different pin bore diameters and, depending on the bore diameter, can effect the weight of the pin. Weight differences might not be much, but the piston pin is one of the most highly stressed components in an engine, probably right behind rod bolts.

To be completely thorough and accurate, you'd have to consider all the rotating and reciprocating weights to get the total lightest combination you can. If weight savings is a primary goal the whole she-band needs to be looked at, but not to the extent of choosing aluminum rods to save some grams (unless you're comitted to changing rods periodically.)

So we'd be looking at piston, pin, pin retainers, ring package, rods (including bolts) and bearings.

I personally DON'T believe in trying to save weight by opting for lightweight pins though. I'd choose the strongest ones available, even if they end up being a tad heavier. There are some light weight pins on the market that flex like crazy as the R's climb. Flex, bind and BANG; it's back to the engine store.

If I had to choose, I get a NASCAR/Winston Cup type rod and try saving weight with my piston selection. JE's at the top of my piston list.

Jake

 

If your on any sort of a budget (don't listen to monty :D ) don't waste your money trying save weight on your bottom end, just make sure you have good parts assembled correctly, and don't overkill with all forged everything. Spend your money on the parts that really make the power, specifically cylinder heads and cam related gear. If you want to throw more money in your bottom end, do it by going bigger, for the same money its likely to make more power than lighter parts. Good Luck!

 

Jenny ,may i help ? Check this company from Finland ,yes faraway but leading edge in Hitech.... http://com.tyliteracing.com/

brgs

 

I checked the specs on my rods last night like I said I would...

Lunati Street Race 6.0" rod

Reciprocating Weight: 189 grams
Rotating Weight: 425 grams
Total Weight: 614 grams

I would have sworn the number was in the 500 gram range... good thing I verified :) This is why I keep all this crap on paper :)

Anyway, these are definitely lighter than a lot of H-beams, especially in a 6 inch rod.


Cory

 

Jenny, FYI, I just learned that Manley doesn't actually make their rods anymore. They are now *made in china* rods with the Manley name on them. I can't say that I know this for a fact, but more than one person has told me. When you look at the prices they're selling for, it doesn't suprise me. I guess they're going the way of Eagle, Cat, etc., to be competitive in the low end. Everyone I talk to lately has recommended the Crower Sportsman rods for engines on a budget ($500 from sdpc2000.com).They are made in the good ol' USA, and rated to 800hp. The Lunati's mentioned above are also great, but the price is high. (although I'm a little sceptical about Lunati now that the Holley group runs their operation)

-Joe

 

Wow i did not know that... ithought they were all made in their "prestigious facility" as per their website. Subcontracting to asia... tisk tisk. Thanks for the info.

Cory- thanks for looking that up for me. That might be my next best alternative. How much HP are you pushing w/ your 383? Squeezing? :)

 

Jenny, it seems that engine part manufacturers have become used to saying "machined in the US", but conveniently leave out the "cast or forged in China with Chinese steel" part. Now, these parts are probably fine for a street engine, but everybody should be aware of what they're buying.

I may put a Scat crank in my new 540 because the price difference is HUGE, but I will definitely stick with "made in USA" 4340 steel rods, either the Crowers or stock GM heavy duty. The price difference for rods is much smaller. If I could buy a stroker GM crank, I would do it.

-Joe


[Modified by Flareside, 1:48 PM 12/18/2001]

 

The current engine configuration should be making right at about 500 hp (real horsepower... not that "my warmed over 350 makes 500hp" crap like everyone in Hotrod Magazine!) . I'll let everyone know when I get it dynoed. I actually got it to run for about 5 seconds last night. It was 9 pm and I have no exhaust installed so I couldn't really do much that late. Damn neighbors... :( I'm hoping to have exhaust on it maybe Saturday If I'm lucky. Dyno sometime in early January most likely.

Cory

No nitrous because nitrous doesn't corner well!

 

I bought my rods for under $400 for all eight-brand new. Research is the key to the best price, Daniel-san ;)

The fool who seeks HP is soon left holding an empty wallet.

Cory

 

I went with Eagle SIR Rods 5.7" for my 383 stroker. Very pleased with the quality and the price. You might want to check them out as an option for you.

:seeya