Is it Necessary or Advisable to Shot Peen Ploished Ford Factory Rods?

[Joe-JDC]

The only CJ I have ever broke was a rod about 1" below the pin boss.  It broke the rod in two places and left the big end on the crankshaft.  Joe-JDC

[1968galaxie]

The not lightweight TRW pistons available back in the 80's and 90's didn't help either.
I would not be afraid to run factory rods with modern lightweight piston.
However the cost of better forgings available now would be my first choice.
In the 80's and 90's one had to use factory rods - I even bought a set of scj rods new from the local Ford dealer.

[blykins]

I have a 63 427 that broke a rod about 1 inch below the pin and  put a window on each side of the block. I have heard that all the rods that come from china come out of same plant and the get their brand name when the they are shipped here?

Not the case, Wayne.

There is "good China" and "bad China".   Scat, Molnar, K1, etc., have excellent properties and you can obviously tell that Scat pieces are not made like Molnar or K1 pieces. 

I would consider Procomp, Speedmaster, etc., part of the "bad China". 

[gt350hr]

   Here is a little more insight. The Chinese are good "replicators" . Give them an item and they can build a "look a like" for 10% ( in many cases) of the original. 30 years ago ( or more) "someone" ( I do not know who) , sent a Carrillo rod to a manufacturing facility in China to be copied. Rods like this are used by many here in the states and there are ( according to Tom Molnar) about five "grades" of quality , NONE are scrapped , just sold at lower prices. The "copiers" have little IF ANY automotive back ground and often do not know what it is they are copying. I was told the same information by Tom Lieb , owner of Scat.
        Tom Molnar created K1 after he left Oliver connecting rods. He supplied his OWN designs for a different looking , stronger , H beam design than the "cookie cutter" Carrillo copies coming from there. Tom sold K1 to a "Wall Street" corporation who still owns it. He started Molnar Technologies after he saw what was happening to his old company K1. Molnar products are still made to Tom's blueprints and those designs .  "I" feel they are the highest quality "offshore" manufactured rod out there.
      Randy

[pbf777]

I have a 63 427 that broke a rod about 1 inch below the pin and  put a window on each side of the block.

     That's why it was important to properly blend the beam into the transition for the pin loop in an attempt to spread the load over the length of the rod as much as was possible.  Just shinning up the sides of the beam might look good, but it's a little more complicated then that; and proper execution (in my opinion) was rarely realized by most.       

I have heard that all the rods that come from china come out of same plant and the get their brand name when the they are shipped here?

      There are different levels of quality in the "China" stuff; some looks not so bad, but others are atrocious!               

      Scott.
     



     

[Joe-JDC]

On the flip side of all this, I built a 289 back in 1977 when I was finishing up my degree in Automotive as part of my finals.  I balanced all the internal parts by hand, deburred and polished the rods, finished the big end after installing ARP bolts, and installed the engine in a 1966 Mustang for a friend in Albuquerque, NM.  I received a phone call last fall from my friend telling me that the Mustang is still running like a champ with the same engine in it.  I know it is not a FE, but it was the latest thing in rod preparation at the time, and has worked well for 43 years.  Joe-JDC

[dozz302]

One reason for using the stock rods are the quality of rods made over sea's. There is little or no quality control. Since these Scat Eagle or who ever I have seen numerous examples of broken rods with these supposedly "superior" pieces. Just ask Steve Vandervilt (sorry if I misspelled) who recently wrecked his original CJ Notchback Mustang. Broken aftermarket rod was the culprit.
I will not be convinced that the steel they are using in those over sea's rods made today are better than the steel made 50 years ago.
You now even see broken crankshafts today with the after market over sea's pieces. I never even heard of a Ford Motor Company crankshaft ever breaking.
Come on, look who you are dealing with - CHINA > need I say more.
As far as cost you can get a very nice set of lightly used Ford rods very very cheap. Aftermarket bolts have them checked out and your good. Plus you know you have an excellent rod.

[blykins]

One reason for using the stock rods are the quality of rods made over sea's. There is little or no quality control. Since these Scat Eagle or who ever I have seen numerous examples of broken rods with these supposedly "superior" pieces. Just ask Steve Vandervilt (sorry if I misspelled) who recently wrecked his original CJ Notchback Mustang. Broken aftermarket rod was the culprit.
I will not be convinced that the steel they are using in those over sea's rods made today are better than the steel made 50 years ago.
You now even see broken crankshafts today with the after market over sea's pieces. I never even heard of a Ford Motor Company crankshaft ever breaking.
Come on, look who you are dealing with - CHINA > need I say more.
As far as cost you can get a very nice set of lightly used Ford rods very very cheap. Aftermarket bolts have them checked out and your good. Plus you know you have an excellent rod.

I’m sorry, but I’d take any Scat rod or crank over any 50-60 year old Ford part.  If you use enough of anything, no matter who makes it or where it’s made, you will find an outlier.  It’s statistics.

However, I promise you there are lots more broken and scattered Ford parts than anything made from Scat, Molnar, or the like.

Good luck.

[C6AE]

You now even see broken crankshafts today with the after market over sea's pieces. I never even heard of a Ford Motor Company crankshaft ever breaking.

I have a two piece 391 steel crank, broken right through the journal/web of the thrust main... perhaps unusual but this was not even a hot rodded version.
and I have seen several cast 428 cranks broken, its ugly when that happens.
We are talking 75 year old parts here

[Bolted to Floor]

You now even see broken crankshafts today with the after market over sea's pieces. I never even heard of a Ford Motor Company crankshaft ever breaking.

I have a two piece 391 steel crank, broken right through the journal/web of the thrust main... perhaps unusual but this was not even a hot rodded version.
and I have seen several cast 428 cranks broken, its ugly when that happens.
We are talking 75 year old parts here

I’ve got one of those cast 428 cranks, specialty 2 piece model now that broke between 1 & 2 main caps.

[fryedaddy]

remember,the goal is just 475hp

[blykins]

remember,the goal is just 475hp

That doesn't seem a lot these days, but it was a lot more than engines were designed/rated for 60 years ago. 

You have to look at the loading, hp, rpm, etc., but you also have to look at fatigue stress that's been in place over the last 50-60 years.  The rods are also just not as rigid.  Most guys that only had factory rods to play with and were turning some rpms had to machine the big ends out of round so that they would have acceptable clearance when running/loaded, to keep from spinning bearings. 

For the guys that build for a living here, with our names on the engines, when a 450-500 hp FE bracket engine comes in, we're not going to take the liability of using a factory rod.   

If you add up the costs of putting a $70 set of ARP bolts in, having them resized, rebushed, then sent out to be shotpeened, you're not going to be that far away from a set of Scat rods and just a little bit past that for a set of lightweight Molnar rods.

[67xr7cat]

Think it just comes down to probability. I know of guys who used factory rods in 900 hp engines and did not hurt anything. My thinking is a lot has to do with how well the combo is dialed in, how it is used, knowing the history of the rods, proper prep and some luck.  Most rod failures are not the rods fault. Detonation, lack of lubrication, etc... now that all said the likely hood of a failure with a used factory rod vs. a new aftermarket made of better materials of course the aftermarket rod is a better bet. Fact that they are close in price to a properly reworked set of factory rods kind of makes it a sensible choice. Of course an Eagle or scat rod is heavier than factory so add in cost to rebalance the engine and possible need for a slug of Mallory metal.  Is like dominos falling.  Go from basic rebuild and high performance prep to a stroker rotating assembly. 

To the OP if you know the history of the rods you have, know that the work done is good and right, and getting them properly shot peened is say $50 and this is going to not be a race engine then go for it 

Now if any of the above is a questionable then better of with new aftermarket rods.

[cammerfe]

Broke a 427 crank back in the '80s. Half mile oval (Toledo). Let go in the middle of the back straight. Factory cranks DO break, at least occasionally. It was likely an oiling problem, since the engine had a good few races on it, but the mess made it somewhat difficult to tell for sure.

KS

[blykins]

I know of guys who used factory rods in 900 hp engines and did not hurt anything.

I'd be interested in knowing who those guys are.