Sweating on con rods

[dave364634]

Does anybody know where I can get rods/pistons/pins sweated together in N Derbyshire? Its a Ford 302.

Ta.

[Rich1973]

Mansfield engines?

[Pit Pony]

Last time I did this (an RD350LC) I used an oven and a freezer, to get rod hot and pin cold, and a fk off big copper hammer to tt it together.

[robinessex]

Pit Pony said:

Last time I did this (an RD350LC) I used an oven and a freezer, to get rod hot and pin cold, and a fk off big copper hammer to tt it together.

Partly correct. Get cod rods, hot, pin colds. The use a PRESS, certainly not a bloody big hammer !!!

[dave364634]

Are Beckett & Garner Ltd still going (Sheffield)?

Ta.

[Pit Pony]

robinessex said:

Partly correct. Get cod rods, hot, pin colds. The use a PRESS, certainly not a bloody big hammer !!!

Yeah, it was 1987, I was an engineering student, and I did it on the terracotta floor tiles in the kitchen of a student house.

These days? I'd use a big vice.

[Boosted LS1]

You heat the rod ends on a gas ring. Cool the pins but not so cold that they're damp. Then wearing gloves you push the pins through the piston and rod. They'll slide in easily unless there's a burr or something wrong inside the piston. check for this first! Don't use any oil as this will transfer heat from the rod to the pin.

If you cock it up and find the pins not in the right place then you'll need a press and a piece of suitable metal to support the piston and boss when you press the pin home.