The nut does more more than just hold the bolt in. It stretches the bolt to create clamping force (the result of the bolt trying to pull itself back to its original length). This clamping force keeps the rod and cap together. It is also what prevents the nuts from backing off. The nuts and bolts have to provide plenty of strength also. They are the only things keeping your motor in one piece when the crank is pulling the piston/rod down from TDC. The higher the RPM and the greater the piston/rod weight, the more critical the rod bolts become.
Well... why don't we cut a corner somewhere else. Speed cost! How fast do you want to go and stay together? We are only as strong as our weakest link! By the way FredH very nicely put. You see I work for Barnes Group or you might know it as Bowman Dist. You know the guys that sell the bolts to garages. Anyway my company trains us very well, even our Bowmalloy bolt isn't as strong as the ARP 2000. My mains and rods hold my motor together, 3 years ago I cut a corner and didn't get the best piston I could afford, lost everything but the intake. Thats right all but the intake, I even had to have the heads repaired. I learned from that and will never cut another corner. It hurt my pocket to get the best, but I've never looked back. As always just my .02 Terry Gates AKA Bossmav
Bolts Well said Bossmav. I remember when yours went south, north, east and west. Did you ever find the cause of the engine destroying itself?
Rule #1: Don't cheap out on bolts or studs. Ever. The top end of your engine is where the power is made. The bottom end has to support that power. Put the money into the highest quality parts you can afford. The difference in price is not that a "budget breaker" either.
Ricky long time no talk to! Yes I did find the problem, Cheap pistons on good H-beam rods and good rod bolts. After the piston broke, the rod broke, hit the cam and broke it, bent 12 valves and all the pushrods, three rockerarms and the rockerarm pedstal on the head and then the broken rod put a big gash in the crank and a hole in the block you could put your fist in. Even after all that the rod bolts on the broken rod were still in place holding the bottem half of the rod to the crank. All the rod bolts and main stayed right where they belonged. I cut a corner, I have no other excuses. It's sad when we have to learn the hard way. Terry
WOW... Terry long time bud Im waiting on my stock bottom end to fly apart this year so Im buying a diaper for it. Im running 7 rods with ARPs and 1 with stock bolts....Dont Ask Im not revealing my secrets.....LOL
long time Been a day or two. It's funny how people will spend megabucks on some parts, then go down to the Hardware store for nuts and bolts in critical areas. That one still amazes me.
ok it seems it is a matter of not the price but more of do you really need it? the only thing that made me change my mind to the 2000 ARP's is if i decide to juice this motor it's worth it. otherwise don't you think the 8740 would be fine. besides i guess i didn't see a point of using the other ones since more crate motors is seem to use the 8740s knowing my luck the rod will let lose... lol! i guess my point is it's like building a 500 hp motor and putting a set of $2500 rods in it? why? or if your building a street car with an RV cam do you really need a forged crank? or using a roller cam over a another at another $700 or more bucks to get a few more horses out of it? do your really need a 9 inch rearend when you only putting 350 horses to the ground? some put it to me this way... you can spend a few more buck here then there and some more here and there but it ads up then $70 becomes $700.. yeah i know going fast ain't cheap but i think you get my point. heck i done it i mean do i really need sloted rotors on my stock maverick? no... but i got them anyways... see the point. lol! i guess i see it as my current motor has held together so far with stock rods crank a stock 8 inch rearend and funny thing is whats going is the expensive head gasket i don't think a 8740 ARP Bolt is anywhere close to a hardware bolt... but anyone one who uses anything less the a stock bolt should be shot!
Maverick Man you said one key word... juice! If you are even thinking about the spray, then don't think about the extra little bit of money you would spend on the ARP2000's, just do it. If you do it now and get it over with, if and when you put the bottle on you won't have the funny feeling in your stomach. Don't forget your mains, they are just as big a factor in holding your bottem end together. Good luck. Bossmav
Anything you can do to the lower end for 70.00 more should always be worth it. Especially rod bolts. The absolute best should be what goes in it. Put them in and forget them. Build the best lower end you can and be done with it.
If you have a 351W the best thing to do would be get 4 bolt main program caps from ebay and have your block machined for 4 bolt mains. If you have a 302 then I think the Canton or if you can still find one the Trick Flow are both very good girdles. Anything you can do to BEEF up the bottom end the better. Terry
