by Donnie Hurt | Feb 1, 2022 | TOOLING
STICKY SITUATION This trick got me through a job that I didn’t have the correct tooling for. I don’t have a keyway rod hone mandrel in 1.375″ so I cut a piece of 1/4″ key stock in half to keep the shoes and stone on my mandrel from catching and...
by Donnie Hurt | Feb 1, 2022 | TOOLING
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT Whether you own a shop or work in a shop, take care of your investment in measuring tools. If you’ve ever damaged one you know what I mean. I always set them on shop rags in an old valve box while using them. They stay cleaner and...
by Donnie Hurt | Feb 1, 2022 | CRANKSHAFTS & CONNECTING RODS
REFILLS When balancing a crankshaft for heavier parts, often you must add metal in an existing hole. If the hole was drilled with a regular drill bit, versus a spade drill, the hole can be irregular and oversized. It can be time consuming to try to make a slug that...
by Donnie Hurt | Jan 1, 2022 | CRANKSHAFTS & CONNECTING RODS
POLISHING THE BIG END Starting to see more and more cracked (powdered metal) connecting rods these days. After checking to make sure the size is correct, I use a plateau brush with a few drops of oil to clean up any rust or dirt. If you have a finished set of rods...
by Donnie Hurt | Jan 1, 2022 | CRANKSHAFTS & CONNECTING RODS
MOVE YOUR SPOT Sometimes when I first spin up a crank, the correction area is off the counterweight. Instead of grinding up by the rod throw, try adding weight to the opposite end if there are balance holes already. I taped in some flat disc plugs until the “spot”...
