I was just at my local Crower fabrication facility in Chula Vista, CA and I couldn't beleive my eyes. They were making some great rods out of stock blocks. Not forged blocks, or Extruded blocks but blocks of Titanium, Aluminum, Steel, Etc. To many this may not seem like anything big but it is. They were selling the rods for the lancer around $720. Calling them Forged! Forged material is made under high impacts and heats in order to eliminate porosity and get grain structuring in proper alignments for applicable stress applications. Im not saying that the blocks are not hard and good/better than stock, what i'm saying is that these blocks are like $8/ea. So in our cars that is only $32...$720 hmmm. Now a forged block is about $120/ea...$480 four 4... after machining i can say $720 would be a great price. I work in a forging company and out machine shop can make a rod to prefect dimensions in about 30mins/2hrs for 4. A guy making $20 an hour does this. Blah Blah Blah you see where i'm going. I don't know about the practices of other Crower facilities but I feel that $720 is a ripp-off for non forged parts claming to be forged. It pissed me off enough to investigate the possibility of my company making the rod. But the set for $500 out the door special order though. I'll let you know as it will be a bit to get this done if possible. My company is currently Medical/Aerospace/GOV. Just think people should hold off on Rods if from Crower for right now especially for that price. Comments/Questions please feel free...

Got a bit to edit on the Crower rods... The blocks, except titanium are forged but they buy them at $8/ea. After all the work(8cyl) there is about $120 involved including material. Then the mark up happens. Now he orders some already done, though not lancers, from overseas. About 40-80 thousand parts. The cost $20 a piece ruffly. Then they package and ship to you for $400 and up

 

Very interesting BO. I think we should just shot peen rods. Works very well on 4G63 motors we have built over 350 h.p. Good info.

ROAD/RACE
http://www.roadracemotorsports.com/
http://www.carbontrix.com/

 

I need a set of new rods and pistons and rings. let me know if you can get some for that price.

Link

 

Thanks for the heads-up

 

shot peen rods? what is that? and what does it do?
thanks

 

Shot peening rods basically relieves stress in the metal. Make them stronger basically.

ROAD/RACE
http://www.roadracemotorsports.com/
http://www.carbontrix.com/

 

Got a bit to edit on the Crower rods... The blocks, except titanium are forged but they buy them at $8/ea. After all the work(8cyl) there is about $120 involved including material. Then the mark up happens. Now he orders some already done, though not lancers, from overseas. About 40-80 thousand parts. The cost $20 a piece ruffly. Then they package and ship to you for $400 and up. As for my plant it is still in the air and Rods are the only venture as yet. I'm sure if they hit off well then the whole line(pistons,rings,pins) will follow but we are talking at least 6 months to see any moves on this. Executives crunch numbers forever it seems.

 

Rob is right... If you took a microscopic look at metal there are millions of cracks and fisures. Shot peening/blasting the rod with high volocity steel(or other type) grit actually caves these cracks and fisures to assist in preventing the spread of them. Thus your rod fatigue strength is increased, in some cases, by up to 20%. By this process you get more life out of them even under abuse. Granted not severe abuse!

 

One more bit of information to add...