SBC Steel Crankshaft & Rods

[Dean Feiock]

Who has the best, low cost, steel crankshaft for a 350 SBC?
Who has the best, low cost, steel 5.7" connecting rod?

This will go into a 7000 RPM bracket engine with roughly 550 HP.

I'm looking for something with good size and easy balance out of the box. I've heard some of the stuff out there has size issues, radius issues, and balance issues.

Would a factory steel crank be a better choice?

[Woodfin]

Dean,

you will hear many opinions.

With my experience, a factory steel crank is completely acceptable and a good choice for your application. If it were my build I would find a virgin factory steel crank and have it prepped by an experienced machinist.

For rods, my choice would be Manley [chosen per the Manley catalog specs] or Callies Comp Star line. Either is completely acceptable for your usage.

[Alan Roehrich]

Dean,
Buy your stuff from a reputable company, and avoid evilbay, etc. The vast majority of problems with size, quality, etc, are a result of people buying from fly by night companies and especially from evilbay sellers.

Here is what is going on. Companies sell "blems" and "seconds" with cosmetic and size problems, to other companies at a reduced cost, as it is cheaper than that company fixing that problem and then selling the product at a reduced price, because they run production, and not a repair shop. The real problem for the consumer comes when companies and people of less than stellar integrity buy the "seconds" and "blems", and never fix them, just sell them as first quality parts at an absurd reduced price. Then people who buy that stuff take it to a good shop and expect it to be used, as is. Or, worse still, they just stick it together. They never want to tell anyone they bought junk at a low price from some fly by night outfit, they refuse to admit it. Then they blame the company that made the part.

The truth is, "blems" and "seconds" are only a good deal for a company that repairs and rebuilds stuff, that can buy those "blems" and "seconds", then absorb the cost of repairing them into an end product. For them, those parts are a decent deal. For anyone else, those parts are a bad thing.

Ideally, companies would either fix their mistakes, or scrap them, that would be the best solution. However, if they did, the cost of everything they make and sell would rise considerably. The "blems" and "seconds" would not be less expensive, and would be hard to sell.

Of course, you're not going to see things like this happen with Crower rods, Callies cranks, etc, because they scrap their mistakes, and they spend a lot more on production, from start to finish. But then, you're not going to buy Crower rods for $600 a set new, or Callies cranks for $700 each, new.


I've put in a lot of Eagle stuff, they've always had a good product, when I bought from Eagle or a reputable warehouse. Very few problems, and not much trouble getting them fixed.

[cad]

I would recommend researching SCAT for rods. Eagle I-beams are only rated to 500hp.

[BillK]

Dean,
I put almost 3000 passes on a very similar engine with a GM steel crank and stock rods with Pioneer rod bolts.

That being said, GM steel cranks are getting hard to find. I have been using Eagle for budget builds and just figure having them reground in the price. That way you know they are the sizes you want. Callies is very good right out of the box and they will balance it for you if you give them a bobweight. I have checked a couple of their balance jobs and they have been right on the money. Actually you cant much go wrong with their entire balanced assemblies.

[astikhossw]

Try this place racingpartsmaximun.com. (RPM).

[Mike Pearson]

GM rods and crank will work fine in an engine with that RPM range and HP. Even a cast crankshaft will work fine for that application. That's all we used to use in the Super Stock engines until they allowed the aftermarket stuff.