Connecting Rods
 

Which connecting rods would be a good choice for a stocker, and which should I avoid. I am limited to the following:

Trick Flow
Crower
Cat
Manley
Carrillo

What brand of pistons are OK?
I am limited to the following:

TRW / Speed Pro
Badger
Venolia
JE
Ross
Arias
CP
Diamond

Thanks for your time and information.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Crower and Carillo for connecting rods.
CP, Diamond and JE for pistons.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Carrillo rods
Callies has some nice rods as well

JE, wiseco, CP, Diamond and I would look at the Mahle pistons very nice pistons

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Mahle has absolutely zero interest in Stock Eliminator or Super Stock pistons. For that matter, no one would want to pay their price or sit through their delivery wait.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Manley makes a nice rod !

Re: Connecting Rods
 

All of the COPO motors use Mahle pistons.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

I have had good luck with both Manley and Crower. Both make the light weight version for Stock/Superstock

Re: Connecting Rods
 

So far never had to wait for any Mahle pistons I have ordered and there prices seem to be pretty good as they come with rings on the Power Pack kits.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

I have had zero issues with both Scat and Manley rods. Used several sets of Scat rods and cranks. Manley rods in the car right now.

Had to re-size one set of Eagle rods right out of the box, and had the rod bolt threads pull out of one first time it was torqued. Appeared to have been drilled with too big a bit initially. Others in that set had very shallow threads as well. Thankfully I didn't order nor pay for either set. :-)

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Ed do you use the manley Pro I beam or the sportsman?

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Call them and see how much it costs and how long it takes for a legal Stock Eliminator or Super Stock piston that they don't already make for an OE racing program (think old school traditional car, say a 1968 FE Ford piston). They're fine as a source for a piston they already make, such as a COPO piston.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

That's fine, for shelf stock parts.

Stock Eliminator and Super Stock pistons and rings are a completely different deal.

Stock Eliminator and Super Stock pistons for the old school traditional combinations are pretty much custom order one off parts, and nearly every engine builder has their own special ring package.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Mahle now offers a 1MM 1MM 2MM ring pack you really have to stay on top of things!!!

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Carl,
No matter if they make that ring package, it is not legal in stock. I think you missed that. I tried to get IHRA to approve a Crate Mtr piston that Mahle had available and It wouldn't pass muster on the rules. BTW: I think the hot ticket in SS is not a 1mm ring.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

I know that Carl.

However, as Adger said, Stock Eliminator pistons have to have the original size ring grooves, so, if it came with a 5/64", 5/64", 3/16" ring package from the OE, that's what the piston has to have. If it came with 1/16", 1/16", 3/16" ring grooves, that's what it has to have. Then you can do your own ring package from there. Wikle has his, Tilburg has his, Koppein has his, Luneack has his, Josey has his, Taylor has his, Bridges has his, I have mine, and so on. Some run thin rings and spacers, some run Dykes rings and spacers, some run back cut stock axial thickness rings.

And to begin with, the company making the piston has to make a piston and submit it for that combination to the NHRA tech department. It's a long, drawn out, tedious process, I've now had two new pistons approved, at my own expense. We talked to Mahle a couple of times about it, they weren't really interested, and their price was considerably higher than any of the other companies.

Super Stock rules are looser, but still, it's a custom piston for each combination, it requires that the top of the piston have a specific configuration, but each builder has his own ring package, uses a different wrist pin diameter and length, and often a different compression height, and Mahle has never shown any real interest in it.

I have talked to them several times about both, and I've bought several sets of Mahle pistons, both direct, and through distributors. They make a good product, but Stock Eliminator and Super Stock are outside their area of interest.

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Gotcha!! Holy shyt its 2015 and 5/64 rings LOL

Re: Connecting Rods
 

I don't like it either....when you spend more on a ring package for your combo than you do for pistons? what's wrong with that picture?


But, I am the new kid on the block...can't do nothin' about it, I can't even get a perfectly good looking manifold approved...and I still have to get a rod for my stuff approved


which brings me to another subject....there seems to be,
A lot of bitching going on in the lifter bore thread, wonder if the rings got the same treatment:confused:

Re: Connecting Rods
 

Sorry, Carl I know It is 2015 and you are going to have to get up earlier to do a "gotcha" on me. NHRA is the one requiring the ring lands in the pistons to be stock width, even if they are wide.
FYI:
This is the PDF file NHRA has of the accepted pistons and their weights and dimensions.
http://www.nhra.com/userfiles/file/N...edProducts.pdf

There is no getting around the ring lands & Stocker class pistons with these part numbers being these sizes. Ring spacers can be run & the spacers can be milled so they have lateral gas ports. Creativity does exist in NHRA Stock Classes!