59A-B rod bolt replacement-?
- Thread starter vikingapg
- Start date
I wonder why you would want to replace those old ford forged special bolts?
i recently rebuilt my 59a engine, and wouldn't want to replace them with new ( most likely chinese junk). Same goes for those special shoulder bolts that bolt the pressure plate to the flywheel.
Any of that old ford hardware would have to be real, real bad, before i would replace any of it.
i recently rebuilt my 59a engine, and wouldn't want to replace them with new ( most likely chinese junk). Same goes for those special shoulder bolts that bolt the pressure plate to the flywheel.
Any of that old ford hardware would have to be real, real bad, before i would replace any of it.
Bruce Lancaster
Member Emeritus
The main thing you need to worry about is permanent stretching caused by gorilla level overtightening...
Clen the threads carefully with a small wire brush and carb cleaner or such. Run on a standard nut all the way (with no cap on rod) by hand feeling for smooth movement.
If the nut jams or becomes significantly harder to turn you most likely have a stretched stud and the rod should not be used.
The stretched fastener should be considered FAILED. Running a die over it would recut the threads and allow easy passage of the nut but would of course NOT repair the failure...
50 years ago owning a torque wrench was extremely rare among backyard mechanics and not universal even among professionals, and many people simply tightened until their hands hurt.
Clen the threads carefully with a small wire brush and carb cleaner or such. Run on a standard nut all the way (with no cap on rod) by hand feeling for smooth movement.
If the nut jams or becomes significantly harder to turn you most likely have a stretched stud and the rod should not be used.
The stretched fastener should be considered FAILED. Running a die over it would recut the threads and allow easy passage of the nut but would of course NOT repair the failure...
50 years ago owning a torque wrench was extremely rare among backyard mechanics and not universal even among professionals, and many people simply tightened until their hands hurt.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
I don't know what the Rockwell hardness of the big end hardware is but I know from experience that they are very hard. I wouldn't worry about replaceing them due to age. Visual inspection and magnaflux will tell you a good bit and the nut test Bruce mentioned is another good indication of condition. Most machine shops will check them for true and size. If it passes all these inspections it is useable as is. There aren't as many shops that can burnish new little end bushings in there but surprisingly, they don't always need to be replaced. Ford made a damn stout product there.
Walt Dupont--Me.
Well-known member
The answer is NO. the bolts are made part of the rod, if the bolt is broken or the threads are bad you have to replace the rod. Walt
Ronnie
Well-known member
Use small block chevy nuts.You can find them at a bus stop.
Bruce Lancaster
Member Emeritus
The SBC aftermarket also supplies us with head nut washers and step washers for repairing aluminum heads. I think the rod nuts have to be for early, 283 and maybe small journal 327...there are two basic sizes of Chevy rods without getting into the odd displacement short stuff?
