When up against extreme loads, even the most hardened engine fasteners have some spring in them—and it particularly affects your connecting rod bolts. Often referred to as “rod bolt stretch,” this phenomenon can have a dramatic effect on your fasteners’ service life.
To help you understand rod bolt stretch in a bit more detail, we came across this quick video from the bolt brainiacs over at ARP Fasteners. The video is under a minute long and does a good job of explaining some of the basic science behind rod bolt stretch. Even better, it’ll talk a bit about rod bolt stretch gauges and how they’re instrumental in determining if your rod bolts can be reused.
You can watch the video below, and here are two more articles that you might find helpful:
- Rod Bolt Stretch Gauges: The Right Tools for Measuring Bolt Stretch
- The Right Way to Install Your Engine Fasteners: Understanding Friction, Bolt Stretch & Clamp Load
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