Is Crower currently making your sportsman connecting rods? I thought I had read somewhere they had ceased manufacture of them.
Yes, Crower is the contracted vendor of our 455 Sportsman Connecting rod. I am currently working with them on another run of these rods. They have mixed feelings because the cost of the American made forgings. They keep going up and there finding it hard to compete with all the off shore rods available in this country. Our Sportsman rod is the best next to billet. Check in once in a while to see if there in stock.
I have what I believe to be a old set of these and when 3 needed to be replaced Crower had to make them from scratch at a cost of over 200.00 each and also around 3 months.
Well that sucks. I have stock rods and shift at 5800 just to not take a chance on one letting go Not really taking advantage of the 308s cam I'm running with that low rpm.
Due to the need of better porting on the S3 heads Im running, my engine stops making power @6000 so I also shift at 5800. The last engine let go due to an oiling issue after just 7 passes. Hence the need for new rods.
I run my stk rods to 6500 rpm. Actually never had a rod break. Had some get out of round after 2500 passes. I think the key is more in the oiling and clearances. Our new motor is going together with molar rods and we hope we can safely run 7200 maybe more when needed
I think with me it's a peace of mind thing shifting at lower rpm. I'm bracket racing so fastest et isn't the goal but still, who dosent want to go faster.
I run my stk rods to 6500 rpm. Actually never had a rod break. Had some get out of round after 2500 passes. I think the key is more in the oiling and clearances. Our new motor is going together with molar rods and we hope we can safely run 7200 maybe more when needed BENS. You must be doing precise balancing for that rpm. Have you gone internal balancing too?