Honing a stock clone rod ??

Since Stock rods in Clones do not have a bearing and are basically just aluminum: it seems honing the rod would be problematic. The hone would eat that up I assume. Am I wrong?

Currently my gap between the crank journal and rod is only 0.001. I plan to polish the crank down to achieve 0.003.
 
If honing isn’t done correctly it will cause gaulding of the rod and the motor will lock up. Speaking from experience
 
I was told the honing provides a scratch pattern that allows better lubrication as the oil is in the valleys of the scratches. it needs to bee done correctly. it needs to be flat, round, and the correct size. too loose it will get beat to death to tight it will gaul.
 
When the stock (cast aluminum) Briggs flathead rods were required in IKF/WKA a lot of builders used a correct size 600 grit ball hone to lightly hone both ends of the rod using correct honing oil. I personally ran the hones forward and reverse a few strokes. This process was not used to size the rod but to provide a cross hatch pattern to aid oil retention. -- Chuck
 
When the stock (cast aluminum) Briggs flathead rods were required in IKF/WKA a lot of builders used a correct size 600 grit ball hone to lightly hone both ends of the rod using correct honing oil. I personally ran the hones forward and reverse a few strokes. This process was not used to size the rod but to provide a cross hatch pattern to aid oil retention. -- Chuck
I’ve got a 320 grit hone for the connecting rod. I was just looking at it and was concerned this grit would eat up aluminum. Maybe I’m wrong idk. I just wanted to ask. I may just call Jodi at ARC or Jerry at Dover.
 
Triton,

Honing is (can be) one of the most accurate metal removal processes there is, if done correctly (using a real honing machine like a Sunnen, and correctly setting up the mandrel, shoes and stone).

Find someone with a honing machine and some experience, and they should be able to hone your con-rod within .0001" of the size you want, and hold the bore straight and round within .0001" as well.

My feeling is that this will be much better than working on the crank.

PM
 
Using a ball hone may put a cross hatch pattern in to hold oil better, but it is not the method you should use to remove material, especially the amount you are trying to remove. A rigid honing head is needed to keep the bore straight and round. There's no way a ball hone can resize the hole and keep it perfectly round - it simply chases the existing hole. Also, the entrance and exit of the ball hone will always end up larger than the center (that's why flattop recommended clamping several rods together.)
You'll also want a dial bore gauge to check the size of the rod as you hone it - not just for final size, but for any taper.
For a backyard DIY deal a ball hone might suffice, but for a race engine, I think you need to use better / more precise equipment.
Most shops will charge $5-$10 for this service. I know, I know, that's as much as the whole rod costs!


-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
www.youtube.com
34 years of service to the karting industry ~ 1Cor 9:24
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Back
Top