This title was intended to help people search for rod bolt resizing answers. This has been a topic for a long time. There is some misleading information out there. I will list the facts as I know them:
1. Arp bolts are a bolt in replacement.
2. Arp bolts don't mess up good rods.
3. Arp misleads its customers by saying "in their instructions "always resize your rods when you can't perform this procedure on a cracked rod. What they should say is, make sure your rods are within specs when installing new rod bolts.
4. katech rod bolts have more realistic install instructions.
5. If your rods are out of round, Katech nor Arp rod bolts will save your engine!

I am an Ase master technician with a firm understanding of engine repair , but even I can make mistakes. If you feel my guide has an error. Please post up.

 

I tried using ARP as a direct replacement without changing bearings and now I have very a slight knock under load. When I researched afterwords I found that these bolts load the bearing slightly different which can lead to problems like mine if you don't change the bearings. Note that I did not check the bearings during the swap, but the motor was dead silent beforehand. The motor gets shipped to Weber for disassembly and inspection in a week or two, hopefully things will be explained a little better then. My .02, but there seem to be more people in my shoes after ARP installs than Katech.

 

i went with the katech rod bolts with no problems at all.

 

I had ARP Rod Bolts, I even removed the cap when I changed out the bolts.... Motor was turned to 7400RPMs MANY times for an entire season when I tore the engine down everything looked brand new...

 

You can resize a cracked cap rod, its very easy.

Step 1: Install aftermarket rod bolts and assemble rod without bearings.

Step 2: Hone housing bore .002" giving you a new "low" of 2.2267".

Step 3: Check bearing clearance with oversize bearing, such as Clevite's 1776-P made specifically for resized cracked cap rods.

*Note this is even done for Ford's mod motors as well.

 

So your saying these rod bolts should be good to go as a direct replacement cuz i have been doin search and no clear answers how many people have problem with the ARP and since katech bolts are on back order and cost more im thinking about the ARP now

 

I don't believe the CB1776P is offered in a standard size, only undersizes such as .010" under.

 

Correct.

 

IMO, swapping rod bolts without checking the necessary dimensions is like putting together an engine without checking the clearances. In fact, thats exactly what you are doing. You may be OK, and you may not. Some people get a way with it and some don't. These are powdered metal rods, not steel. They aren't even the "4340 steel" from china, they are weak and flimsy. You'd see what I mean when you torque down a main cap (also powdered metal) thats been in a running engine. Oil weeps out of the cap like a sponge.

Me personally, I wouldn't do it. I'd rather spend the money and do it right rather than take the chance because if something happens, you may spend that money anyways at a time you don't expect it, and probably have to spend more to replace parts that may have damaged. All for what? To turn a few more RPM in your cam only streetcar/daily driver? No thanks!