Adding studs for main caps

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jimmer

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I'm curious , when adding studs on main caps do I need to have align bored ?
Or can I just add studs ?
 
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I've always been told to lone hone with studs installed and torque the nuts to what the shop torques the too when honed.
 
I've always been told to lone hone with studs installed and torque the nuts to what the shop torques the too when honed.

Everybody recommends a hone at least , I had mine line honed .
That being said , if doing another , I`d assemble the caps w/ the new studs in it , and check the mating surfaces , if their perfect , I wouldn`t worry about it .
If u can feel any ledge at all on even one cap , , go the expensive route ------------jmo.
 
I put studs on my mains in my 440, torqued it down and verified the crank spun freely. It did, good to go and never looked back. I just don't see how putting studs would change the alignment of the caps, they are stout and are a tight fit into the block. Just my opinion, however, I am not a pro.
 
I put studs on my mains in my 440, torqued it down and verified the crank spun freely. It did, good to go and never looked back. I just don't see how putting studs would change the alignment of the caps, they are stout and are a tight fit into the block. Just my opinion, however, I am not a pro.

I was just going to ask that question
 
I put main studs in my recent stroker build and had it align honed. If you’re going with the expense of main studs then you’re probably building something where you’ve spent cash for good parts. Why take the chance of something going wrong and wasting a bunch of money and good parts to save a few bucks on an align hone.
 
Everybody recommends a hone at least , I had mine line honed .
That being said , if doing another , I`d assemble the caps w/ the new studs in it , and check the mating surfaces , if their perfect , I wouldn`t worry about it .
If u can feel any ledge at all on even one cap , , go the expensive route ------------jmo.
Yep.
Ive done it w/o checking, just sent it for a line hone that is.. assuming it needed honed...when it may have not.

Dial bore gauge is handy to check whats needed if anything. And yes torque to spec or what the machinist torqued to when honing if going that route.
 
I was just going to ask that question

They CAN distort the bore differently than a bolt will. You can’t feel it with your finger but you can easily see it with a bore gauge.

The other issue is the stud is way less forgiving as far as being off axis (perpendicular in all planes to the block) than a bolt is. The bolt holes are often drilled and tapped crooked and with a bolt it’s not a big deal.

Most main studs are not undercut like the bolts are, so if the holes in the block aren’t perfect (who says the hole in the cap is correct??) you can end up with the stud binding in the hole when you put the cap on.

Some guys just get out the BFH and beat the cap into the registers, but that will certainly distort the bearing bore.

If you are going to install main studs you should at least make sure the stud doesn’t bind in the cap and measure the hole with a bore gauge to make sure it’s still round.
 
I put studs on my mains in my 440, torqued it down and verified the crank spun freely. It did, good to go and never looked back. I just don't see how putting studs would change the alignment of the caps, they are stout and are a tight fit into the block. Just my opinion, however, I am not a pro.

Studs are usually bigger in diameter than stock bolts, could mis align the cap , happens all the time .

YR BEAQT ME TOO IT ---
 
YR nailed it. The fact you can’t feel it just means you’re not actually checking what you need to, with a method that can actually do it.
 
Call me crazy, but I don't see how studs could misalign a main cap. I guess they could distort the block as mentioned above...but other than that, I don't see it.
 
So how about 2 bolt main caps .
Does anyone know who makes them these days ?
 
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Call me crazy, but I don't see how studs could misalign a main cap. I guess they could distort the block as mentioned above...but other than that, I don't see it.


Cast iron and any other metal isn’t nearly as rigid as one might think. It’s relatively easy to get a hole out of round with very little effort.
 
BCR makes aluminum maincaps, both original style, and a special design to use with their girdle.
If you want to make the most power your b-rb can with a stock block, i would try their cap/girdle/studs combo. There WILL be a machinist bill!
All the expense to make a stock block bottom end strong wouldnt be necessary if aftermarket iron blocks were available again.
 
IIRC studs are fine thread at the nut end and main cap bolts are not so the torque on a fine pitch is going to change the clamping force and possibly distort the shape. Id torque the new ones down and see if your crank has any drag on it. I know its 'SOP' to align hone (as well as resize your rods for ARP type bolts) but probably not essential.
 
So here is the deal after many years of parts sitting on the shelf, the time has come to get on it.
Not sure what it will make hp and torque ?
It is a 040 over 360
Eagle forged crank
Eagle I beam rods
Srp forged pistons can't remember compression ?
I think around 11.1
Lunati solid lifter cam 290/308 550/571 106c
Heads are pro comp cnc with hand work
2.05 1.625 valves
Hughes 1.6 roller rockers.
Internally balanced.
Ported air gap intake.
Demon 850 if I remember right ?
With that said , now I'm wondering about main studs, girdle ect.
Thanks for all the replies.
 
465HP-480tq, hope I'm low. Let us know. I think the dual plane air gap intake will hurt your max HP.
 
465HP-480tq, hope I'm low. Let us know. I think the dual plane air gap intake will hurt your max HP.
I hope you are real low.
The heads flow pretty well.
The intake has been ported.
We shall find out !
 
Put your crankshaft in ! Torque the nuts to spec’s ! Spin the crankshaft over ! If the crankshaft spins freely !! You are good to go ! I’m the guy who doesn’t have money to fix things that are not broke ! A lot you guys, money is no object ! If I was that way I probably would have it all done also no question ask ! But I’m not ! I have built several motors all big blocks that I have put main studs in! Everyone of them the crankshaft spun freely ! And everyone of them are still running today ! To each his own ! You feel like you need or want to hone or bore do it ! It’s durn sure not going to hurt a thing ! And I would in a heartbeat if I put my crankshaft in and the crankshaft had a tight spot when I was turning it ! Just my opinion
 
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