Reply With QuoteWouldn't trust 'em...heard too much bad sh*t about them. leave them to the guys who know no better.
Does anyone have experience with CAT rods? Are they a (chinese) import like the Eagle rods? Found some new H-beam rods at the swap meet and I don't know alot of history on this brand.
Wouldn't trust 'em...heard too much bad sh*t about them. leave them to the guys who know no better.
Fine to use, just check all dimensions. I would also torque and retorque a few times and check the housing bore. CAT had some suspect rod bolts that varied stetch during torquing.
Chris
I see where sometimes they advertise certain HP ratings for some rods. I'm eventually going to go up to about 750 from the 500hp ((carburated) I'm at now. Wasn't sure if these would handle it or if there was a poor reputation out there. Do they come with their own brand of bolts or ARP?
If I'm not mistaken, I think Lakes Only is running a set in his BBF. Try sending him a PM and see if he has an opinion on them. He's a wealth of knowledge and posts here often..
That kind of power I would go with an I-beam, preferrably billet with A1 or SPS bolts.
Chris
I'm running a set of CAT rods.
Two years ago when I did a teardown on my Southwind BBF 460 motor, I found stock rods and heavy TRW domed pistons. I switched to a Chinese-born H-beam rod...the CAT 6.605 (for stock-stroke 460 Ford). They are working out fine. But knowing what I know now, I will opt for a different brand chinese-made rod in the future.
At the time, I figured all chinese-made stuff was pretty much the same: cheapo H-beam rod but stronger than the stock rod. We all know now that all parts from China vary in quality from manufacturer-to-manufacturer, and sometimes even within a single manufacturer quality can vary.
That being said, I must reiterate that personally, I have had no trouble with my rods. I run well over 5000 rpm for sometimes 30 seconds at a time. Motor is less than 600HP, rods "rated to 800HP" (whatever that means), and so one could argue that the rods are being used "conservatively," but they are never-the-less holding up. Is this how you will use them?
The advice I'd like to give is such a double-edged sword, because on one hand, I would say that if you use CAT rods, then just be sure to check every dimension on every rod before using them (particularly all the big end dimensions)...but then again, I would say this about every single part that comes out of China. Or any other new part, for that matter.
All the dimensional checking in the world will not reveal differences in materials...
But again, my rods work fine. But based on what I've heard about CAT in recent months, they would not be my first choice for chinese-made rods. Personally, my order of choice for chinese-made h-beam rods are:
1) Scat
2) Eagle
3) CAT
Lately, I have heard about other problems with CAT stuff, like their stud girdles not clearing the oil pan without a little grinding, and even a front pulley damper that did not fit when pressing on the crank snout...and then when the user tried to pull the damper off the snout (properly & with a puller) the (pressed together) damper came apart into several pieces in his hands. Hearing stories like tht makes me want to wipe CAt from my list of suppliers...
Kinda makes you wonder if those in the manufacturing process abroad have any idea what they are manufacturing (or if they even care to know what they're making).
If you must use CAT rods, be sure to check, check and re-check. What are you building horsepower-wise? If you are building a hi-horsepower motor that will really test the strength of the rods and you have the option of Eagles for $100 more, spend the extra $100.
If you've already bought the rods from the swap meet, then like Chris said, be sure that your machininst does not simply assume that all is okay because they are brand new--have them thoroughtly checked out.
BTW Straub, what is the highest horspower you have subjected CAT rods to? And how many times have you used them? I am only one case. Part of me feels I'm gonna be okay; another part makes me weary to recommend them...
LO
Here's all I know about steel rods.
BBC: I have run the "LS-6, LS-7" dimple rods with the 7/16 Boron bolts in everything from unblown street to blown gas drag racing and never seen a problem. Beam polished, floated ends and rounded any sharp edges.
I'm told the 3/8 rods with polished beams, debrurred and floated and using an aftermarket (ARP) 3/8 rod bolt are stronger or just as good. The stronger comment coming from using the 3/8 bolt instead of the 7/16 due to the cap area.rod area gets thin when doing 7/16.
Carillo has always been the king of steel rods. Crowers are good and I have seen them greatly abused and live. Lunati's pro mod rod looked so good we put them in a blown alcohol hydro. They are holding up. Also put them in a 541 blown gas cruiser.
Now if I had BBC and wanted steel rods but had no money (and I never do) I would find a set of 7/16 dimple rods. I'd let the other guys test the scat, eagle and other low cost brands. I always want the experience on my side and the experimental on somebody elses side.
Ford: I was told by the majority of NHRA racers that the Cobra jet rod was as good a rod as what was out there. we have 300 plus passes on a 469 ford in a drag car and they are still alive, turning 6500 rpm.
Once again, thanks for the info LO. Like you, I needed to stay with the stock rod length and my choices were somewhat limited. (unless I wanted to spend a hell of a lot of $$). After having bad luck with a set of scat H beams. I opted for a set of eagles this time from a shop called Hekimian racing.
http://www.hekimianracing.com/
I spent a few extra bucks and had them Cryo treated by them also. So far so good. I've held it at 5k many times for more than a few minutes. 5K isn't WFO I'll admit, but it's has stayed together (so far) none the less..
I have a set of LUNATI Billet ProMod 6135 rods that have something like 50 +/- hours on them (in a 650 Hp BBC) that I am willing to sell ..... PM me if interested.
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