Chevy Rods in a Stage 2??

[rking]

I believe that I may have read somewhere that some guys are running Chevy rods in stage motors . Is that true or am I just imagining things again ? Do the rods work on a BMS crank. Just wondering cause thats my next step in my stage motor for the winter.

BTW it has a BMS wide jounal in it.

TIA

 

[KendallF]

Running the Chevy rods requires turning the rod journals down to the Chevy journal diameter of 2.100", and narrowing the rod. If you have an undamaged Buick journal crank, you should probably consider finding Buick rods.

You obviously saw Bill Anderson's post; he has a couple of cranks that are turned to the Chevy dimensions. I have a 3.625 crank in for repair getting done the same way right now.

A number of people have run the Chevy rods without a problem but it does reduce the overlap on the split pins. This is less of a problem with the short stroke cranks, since the shorter the stroke, the thicker the overlap region is.

 

[EightSecV6]

They will work fine, as Kendall said the split is not quite as great on the shorter stroke giving the crank more strength. The ones I have were originally 3.07 stroke with Buick journals, we offset ground them as far as we could to get some more stroke. I would prefer to use Buick journals with Buick rods as well but off center stuff is hard to get and it is costly. I've had these for a couple years and finally decided to do something with them.

 

[Jeff Rand]

I recently bought a billet Crower crank(3.625" for a stage 2 project that has a deck .120" short) that was machined incorrectly - the rod journals are for a BBC rod with the standard Buick mains. Crower will make up 6.3"(this is the length that CP pistons said I would need for the short deck) rods for me that will fit or I can get some BBC(6.125" or 6.385" length) and narrow them down on the big end. I am not sure what needs to be done one the small end. I think the pin is a .990" which is going to be heavy and will reduce the pin support in the piston. In any case I will have to get the BBC bearings narrowed. I am open to any suggestions.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[KendallF]

Originally posted by EightSecV6
They will work fine, as Kendall said the split is not quite as great on the shorter stroke giving the crank more strength. The ones I have were originally 3.07 stroke with Buick journals, we offset ground them as far as we could to get some more stroke. I would prefer to use Buick journals with Buick rods as well but off center stuff is hard to get and it is costly. I've had these for a couple years and finally decided to do something with them.

I thought that might be the case. I have one of those 3.06 cranks here too..I might try doing the same. How have you narrowed the rods..just used the rod grinder? I was considering machining them on a lathe.

Originally posted by Jeff Rand
I can get some BBC(6.125" or 6.385" length) and narrow them down on the big end. I am not sure what needs to be done one the small end. I think the pin is a .990" which is going to be heavy and will reduce the pin support in the piston. In any case I will have to get the BBC bearings narrowed. I am open to any suggestions.
Thanks,
Jeff

The BBC rods will surely be the cheapest route. It's not like these rod/pin combos are very light to begin with. I wonder if you could use a lightweight pin with the bigger diameter size and retain enough strength? Narrowing the bearings can be done by clamping them on a mandrel in the lathe..I have seen KD do this with a hose clamp around the bearings on an aluminum mandrel.

 

[rking]

I have a 3.625 wide journal crank, SOOOO I could run BBC rods in it??? It is an on center, are chevys on center or will that require any machining, or can I even find chevy on center rods?? Just wondering and trying to save a few bucks in the process . Anyone wouldnt happened to have a set of rods for sale for me, would they !!!! Thanks guys!!!

 

[KendallF]

Originally posted by rking
I have a 3.625 wide journal crank, SOOOO I could run BBC rods in it???

No, no, no..that's the point I was trying to make in the first place. The stock Buick journal size is 2.250; the BBC journal size is 2.200, and the small block size is 2.100. Jeff's got a crank that's already been turned to the BBC size. If you have a nice 2.250 Buick journal crank, find some Buick rods for it! They're still available new and used from a variety of sources, depending on your budget. You might try Muscle Motors; they had several sets of Childs & Alberts rods for sale a while back.

 

[Jeff Rand]

Thanks, Kendell for the reply. Yes the most cost effective way to go is with a standard BBC rod and machine the side clearance to make it fit my off center setup. I have to check to see if a 6.385 rod would fit that short deck block.
Thanks,
Jeff