Does anyone know how to fracture a connecting rod?

***SMWS6TA*** · 07-24-2012, 11:29 AM

I finally got the connecting rods for my wife's POS Jeep.

I swear Murphy is going to get donkey punch in the nuts if I ever met him.

The connecting rods come solid, meaning they need to be fracture.

Has anyone done this and if so can you please tell me the process. From what I've seen on youtube and the net it looks like you place in a vice and gentle tap of a hammer and it will break.

**cammed goat** · 07-25-2012, 06:09 AM

To pull the rods/pistons out of the block?

***SMWS6TA*** · 07-25-2012, 06:53 AM

The 2 new connecting rods for my wife's Jeep are solid. From what I've read or talked with others they need to be fractured in order to install them.

Basically when they are made the process is called "injected steel" (Not 100% sure that is the correct term) They inject the steel into the mold and when it comes time to install they are fractured. This process is supposed to give them a much better fit then the old way of doing it because the cap that was fracture off will line up only to that connector rod.

After I posted the question I talked with a couple of NAPA's and a few machine shops and all said to place in into a vice and give it a gentle tap and they will crack.

**Spikito** · 07-25-2012, 07:30 PM

thats odd, all the fractured connecting rods i know of come that way from the factory. do they already have the bolts any everything tapped?

***SMWS6TA*** · 07-26-2012, 09:22 AM

Yes the bolts came with it and are already in, pretty damn tight. I going to look at them some more. I haven't taken them apart yet, but at the same time I was expecting to see a crack.

**Spikito** · 07-26-2012, 12:12 PM

you usually wont, since the fracture fits so perfectly...take the bolts out and see what happens

**cammed goat** · 07-26-2012, 03:51 PM

I have never heard of this. Ever.

**2002ssslp** · 07-26-2012, 04:23 PM

When you put the rod in a vise and tap them apart make sure you mark everything. Keep the bolts on the same side and do not mix up the caps or turn them around. Once you have them apart and marked you will need to pop in your bearings and I would have the rotating assembly balanced.