I just bought a set of SBF Yates motor rods for my 350 project. They measure : 6.400" long, 1.975 size on the big end and take .866" wristpins. They are .837" wide and weigh 540 grams each with a casidiam coating on the bottom half the rod. I will see how the rod centers up in the block to see how things work out. Crossing my finger at the moment. Has anyone else looked at a set of rods like this?? I have seen other rods in the 6.320-6.400 range with a 2.000" journal or just under and .927" pins so there may be other affordable rods out there that just need a piston made.
I was looking at them a few years ago. There was a 6.350 set with 2" journals I almost bought. That's about the time I called it quits on the 350. If you watch long enough there are set that will just about bolt into the 350, just need pistons made for small pins.
There's been previous discussion of the work needed to make the Yates rods work over on the www.buickperformancegroup.com bulletin board. There has also been talk of custom pistons, and one of the members has made up a single plane intake from a Mopar intake. All cool stuff!
Hah, hah....There is 8 to the set. They are just missing one rod bolt. I'm pretty sure I can get some junk together to try them out in. I'll post pics of my own when they are in my hands. Just have to see what kind of abuse they will take based on how they were made. THey were cheep enough to give them a look. $102.00 for the set......
You may have too much slop on the rod journals. I'm pretty sure the sbf rods were too narrow. I'm curious to see what machining will be involved plus the cost of custon pins. Are these the billet rods?
Pins can be bought from CV Products and the extra .018" side clearance wont be a problem. :TU: I just need to find out what bearing they were running and I'll be set. I really don't like turning down a stock crank. I'll take all the strength I can get. We'll see if the bearing journal can handle going up a size on the rods. Yes, the rods are a billet piece. :Brow: Just need a strong lite piston to go with it.
How many miles were on the rods? The rods that come from the cup shops have a hard life so you need to be carefull on how many miles they have on them.